NFL.com (Gregg Rosenthal): Texans
NFL.com’s and Around The NFL Editor Gregg Rosenthal has the Texans winning by a lot. Why? The rookie quarterback, Lock. Though he threw two touchdowns, the Los Angeles Chargers found a way to stop him before losing to him: blitz, which the Texans are bound to do.
“Drew Lock threw a befuddling 33-yard completion to end his first half in the NFL last Sunday, rather than use his huge arm to throw a Hail Mary. On Lock’s other 27 throws, the Broncos gained 102 yards for an average of 3.18 yards per attempt. Once the Chargers started blitzing, as Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel is sure to do Sunday, Lock immediately ran or dumped the ball off for a minimal gain. The Texans defense without J.J. Watt has been a pleasant surprise long enough to believe it’s a trend, one that should continue against a quarterback not ready to keep his team competitive in a tough road environment,” said Rosenthal.
Pick: Texans, 26-10