Texans at Broncos
Houston is the only team in the NFL to start each of the past three seasons 2-0. The Texans, however, have never started 3-0 and will have to defeat the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium to get there. When Houston coach Gary Kubiak took over the Texans he knew that he’d have to unseat the Indianapolis Colts to capture the AFC South Division title. That meant stopping then-Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who had historically owned the Texans.
Now Kubiak has perhaps the league’s top defense and Manning, ironically, is throwing passes for the Broncos. Houston has been dominant in its first two games, allowing a league-low 17 points in a pair of 20-point victories. Denver, meanwhile, looks to rebound from a turnover-plagued loss at Atlanta on Monday night.
TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Texans -1.5, O/U 44.5
ABOUT THE TEXANS (2-0): Houston’s plus-40 point differential is the best in the NFL. The Texans’ defense has been as strong as expected to start the season but it has not been truly tested. Houston shut down Miami rookie QB Ryan Tannehill in its opener and then did the same to second-year man Blaine Gabbert last week. The Texans held Jacksonville to 117 yards of offense in the game, the lowest output in Jaguars history and the best defensive performance in Texans history. Offensively, Houston needed little out of QB Matt Schaub last week but its running game, led by Arian Foster, went over 200 yards.
ABOUT THE BRONCOS (1-1): Manning threw three interceptions and the Broncos lost a fumble all in the first quarter of Monday night’s setback. But the veteran Manning rallied Denver from a 27-7 deficit to make things interesting in the fourth quarter. Manning blamed poor decisions for the early miscues but it is clear he is not on the same page with his receivers just yet. Willis McGahee was a bright spot, rushing for 113 yards and two touchdowns, and Manning finished with a respectable 241 yards passing after his abysmal start. The Broncos’ defense shut down the Falcon rushing game, and surrendering 27 points was also respectable after its early woes.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Schaub has one TD in two games and no interceptions.
2. Manning is 16-2 all-time against the Texans.
3. Kubiak spent 20 years with the Broncos, nine as a player and 11 as an assistant coach.