For his entire career, Deshaun Watson has overcome massive odds and propelled the Houston Texans to success. However, 2020 presented him with insurmountable odds that finally got the best of Watson. His star receiver was traded before the season and head coach/general manager Bill O’Brien seemed to be pulling the organization in the worst possible direction. O’Brien was canned after an 0-4 start and the Texans never regained their footing.
The other player of note this year, Will Fuller, was suspended over the last four games of the year with a PED suspension (something that carries into the first two games of the next season). His suspension will affect his impending free agency, something that may keep him on the Texans’ roster. Almost every defensive back on the roster is set for free agency this coming offseason, but the core pieces of the roster are locked in beyond 2021-22.
Houston’s search for a head coach and general manager will be one to keep an eye on, as the roster is full of talent and potential. However, without a first round pick in sight, the Texans are fighting an uphill battle to rebuild.
Houston Texans odds
Texans futures odds
Houston Texans Super Bowl odds
The Houston Texans have been eliminated from playoff contention.
AFC South odds
The Texans have been eliminated from the AFC South race.
Texans Win total
The Texans’ projected win total was 7.5 wins in August, a notable drop from their 2019 regular season total of 10. Odds on Houston finishing over or under 7.5 wins were -106 for the Over in August at DraftKings. The Under was set at -115.
Houston Texans 2020 schedule and betting odds
| Week | Date | Time | Opponent | Opening spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Thursday, Sept. 10 | 8:20 p.m. ET | at Kansas City | Chiefs -10 |
| Week 2 | Sunday, Sept. 20 | 4:25 p.m. ET | vs. Baltimore | Baltimore -6 |
| Week 3 | Sunday, Sept. 27 | 1:00 p.m. ET | at Pittsburgh | Steelers -4.5 |
| Week 4 | Sunday, Oct. 4 | 1:00 p.m. ET | vs. Minnesota | Texans -1 |
| Week 5 | Sunday, Oct. 11 | 1:00 p.m. ET | vs. Jacksonville | Texans -9.5 |
| Week 6 | Sunday, Oct. 18 | 1:00 p.m. ET | at Tennessee | Titans -2.5 |
| Week 7 | Sunday, Oct. 25 | 1:00 p.m. ET | vs. Green Bay | Packers -1 |
| Week 8 | Sunday, Nov. 1 | BYE | ||
| Week 9 | Sunday, Nov. 8 | 1:00 p.m. ET | at Jacksonville | Texans -6 |
| Week 10 | Sunday, Nov. 15 | 1:00 p.m. ET | at Cleveland | Browns -2.5 |
| Week 11 | Sunday, Nov. 22 | 1:00 p.m. ET | vs. New England | Patriots -1.5 |
| Week 12 | Thursday, Nov. 26 | 12:30 p.m. ET | at Detroit | Lions -1.5 |
| Week 13 | Sunday, Dec. 6 | 1:00 p.m. ET | vs. Indianapolis | Colts -0.5 |
| Week 14 | Sunday, Dec. 13 | 1:00 p.m. ET | at Chicago | Bears -2.5 |
| Week 15 | TBA | TBA | at Indianapolis | Colts -3.5 |
| Week 16 | Sunday, Dec. 27 | 1:00 p.m. ET | vs. Cincinnati | Texans -7.5 |
| Week 17 | Sunday, Jan. 3 | 1:00 p.m. ET | vs. Tennessee |
How to bet on the Houston Texans
Moneyline
A moneyline bet is simply a bet on which team will win a game outright, with margin of victory irrelevant to whether the bet is a winner. An example of a moneyline bet would be as follows: Say the Texans and Titans are facing off in Houston, with the home squad’s moneyline odds set at -110, while the visitors’ moneyline odds sit at +105. A bettor placing a wager on a Texans win will take home $100 for every $110 wagered if Houston wins, while one placing a bet on Tennessee pulling the upset would take in $105 for every $100 risked if they prevailed.
Spread
A point spread for an NFL game is defined as the predicted minimum margin of victory for the favored team. Therefore, a point-spread wager on a favored team is successful when that team wins by more than the point spread at the time the bet was placed. Conversely, a point spread wager on an underdog team is successful when that team either loses by less than the point spread at the time the bet was placed, or when it wins the game outright. As with moneyline bets, a point spread bet has specific payout odds for either outcome.
An example of point spread bet would be as follows: The Texans are favored over the Jaguars by 7.5 points. Houston has -110 odds as the favorites of covering that spread, while the underdog Jacksonville squad has +120 odds of sliding in under it. Ultimately, the Texans squeak out a 23-20 decision, a margin of just three points. Consequently, even with the Houston win, bettors who placed a wager on the underdog Jaguars will cash a winning ticket, taking in $120 for every $100 wagered.
Totals
A totals bet is one of the more straightforward wagers available at regulated sportsbooks. In this type of bet, oddsmakers set a number for the total number of points that will be scored by both teams by the end of a game. Bettors then can wager on whether the two teams will either exceed or fall short of that total. As with moneyline and point-spread bets, a totals bet has specific payout odds for either outcome, although they’re very often set at -110.
An example of a totals bet would be as follows: A Texans – Colts clash has a projected total of 48.5 points set by oddsmakers. Houston prevails, 34-27, in a much higher-scoring game than anticipated. Bettors who placed a wager on the Over head to the pay window and take in $100 for every $110 risked.
Props
A prop bet is one that’s based on a statistical benchmark that’s been set by oddsmakers, on either a team or individual-player level. As with totals wagers, bettors can put their money on either the Over or Under hitting. As with other types of wagers already discussed, a prop bet has specific payout odds for either outcome, although they’re very often set at -110.
An example of a player-based prop bet would be as follows: Oddsmakers set the projected amount of 2020 receiving yards for Will Fuller at 1200.5. Both the Over and Under wagers carry odds of -110. Fuller then finishes the season with 1,225 yards, just squeaking by the mark on the last day of the season. Bettors who placed a wager on the Over will consequently win $100 for every $110 risked.
Here is an example of a 2020 prop bet on QB Deshaun Watson:
- Deshaun Watson: Over 4150.5 yards (-110)/ Under 4150.5 yards (-110)
- Deshaun Watson: Over 27.5 touchdowns (-110)/ Under 27.5 touchdowns (-110)
Futures
Futures bets are those placed on events or contingencies that do not yet have a final outcome/result. For the NFL, futures bets are available throughout the offseason, and those that can only be settled at or past the conclusion of the regular season are typically available on an in-season basis as well.
There are a wide variety of futures wagers available at any given time. During the offseason, wagers centered on team outcomes – such as Super Bowl winner, conference winner and division winner – are particularly prevalent. Futures on projected regular season team win totals are also popular. Player-level prop bets can fall under the umbrella of futures wagers as well when placed in the offseason or preseason. Examples of a pair of current player-based props involving Watson are listed further below.
Teasers
Teaser wagers are a slightly more sophisticated type of bet, as they allow the bettor to manipulate the point spread a certain amount in either direction. Teaser bets involve two or more sporting events, and each sporting event in the teaser must have a successful outcome for the teaser bet to pay off. Teaser bets can be based on both point spread and totals. In an NFL teaser, a bettor can manipulate a spread in either direction by between four and 10 points, and a projected total by 6, 6.5 or 7 points. Odds vary depending on the amount of the movement.
Houston Texans 2019 recap
Houston Texans 2019 record: 10-6
2019 Regular-Season ATS: 7-8-1 (46.7 percent)
2019 Over/Under: 7-9 (43.8 percent)
The Texans were once again in the thick of the AFC Conference title race in 2019, with their season ending courtesy of a loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round. Prior to that, the usual suspects – Watson, Hopkins and J.J. Watt among them — enjoyed remarkable seasons for Houston, but they were joined by some unexpected teammates. Running back Carlos Hyde, who was signed in preseason after Lamar Miller suffered a season-ending ACL tear, and tight end Darren Fells both stepped up to deliver strong seasons. Hyde finished with a career-high 1,070 rushing yards and eight touchdowns while Fells became a rather unlikely red-zone force in his age-32 season with seven touchdown grabs.
However, the heart of the offense naturally continued to be Watson. The 2017 first-round pick tossed 26 touchdown passes for the second straight season and accounted for 33 total scores overall in his second year as the full-time starter. The mobile signal-caller added 413 rushing yards and accomplished his strong overall numbers without the benefit of the speedy but oft-injured Fuller for five games. Watson authored particularly pivotal Week 12 and Week 13 wins over the Colts and Patriots, respectively, posting a 5:1 TD:INT in those contests. Houston ultimately won four of its last five games and went into the playoffs as the AFC South winners.
The Texans would ultimately fall to the Chiefs in the playoffs by a 51-31 score, but Watson would continue his development with a strong postseason. A week prior to the season-ending defeat, the Clemson product completed 80.0 percent of his passes and threw for 247 yards and a touchdown in an overtime victory against the Bills that saw Houston overcome a 16-0 second-half deficit with the help of two scoring drives of 70-plus yards spearheaded by Watson.
Texans 2020 offseason moves
Key trades (departures): WR DeAndre Hopkins (to ARI)
Key trades (acquisitions): RB David Johnson (from ARI); Brandin Cooks (from LAR)
Key re-signings: Ka’imi Fairbairn, K (four years, $17.6 million); Darren Fells, TE (two years, $7 million); Bradley Roby, CB (three years, $36 million)
Key free agent losses: D.J. Reader, DT (to CIN)
Key free agent signings: Randall Cobb, WR (from DAL); Eric Murray, S (from CLE); Jaylen Watkins, CB (from LAC); Brent Qvale, OT (from NYJ); Timmy Jernigan, DT (from PHI)
Key draft picks: Ross Blacklock, DT (2nd round)
The Texans focused first and foremost in getting some key players re-signed, but they also made a major splash with each of their two trades. The loss of Hopkins is naturally going to be felt, and it remains to be seen if Johnson will ultimately be anywhere near a fair return in that transaction for Houston. However, the veteran running back does offer potentially prolific upside and gives the offense two excellent receivers out of the backfield when also factoring in the presence of Duke Johnson. And the acquisition of Cooks, who, like Johnson, is a player looking to reclaim past glory, may go a long way toward softening the blow of Hopkins’ departure despite the fact Cooks is more similar in style to Fuller than the player he replaces. The additions of Murray, Watkins and Jernigan in free agency could all help the defense, and Cobb may finally afford Deshaun Watson a reliable slot target after two injury-riddled seasons from Keke Coutee.