After taking quarterbacks with the first two picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans will go head-to-head on Sunday afternoon. The matchup pits Bryce Young against C.J. Stroud for the first time and the two QBs are likely to be compared against each other throughout their careers. Young is off to a sluggish start playing on a rebuilding roster and is averaging just 5.3 yards per pass attempt for the winless Panthers. Meanwhile, Stroud is averaging an impressive 7.8 yards per pass attempt and has led Houston to a surprising 3-3 start.
Kickoff at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte is at 1 p.m. ET. Houston is favored by 3.5 points in the latest Texans vs. Panthers odds, and the over/under for total points scored is 43.5. Before making any Panthers vs. Texans picks, you need to see the NFL predictions and betting advice from the computer simulation model at SportsLine.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 8 of the 2023 NFL season on an incredible 173-122 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season. It also is on a 27-14 roll on top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of last season.
The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past six years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94% of CBS Sports Football Pick'em players four times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up.
Now, the model has set its sights on Texans vs. Panthers and just locked in its picks and NFL Week 8 predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Texans vs. Panthers:
- Texans vs. Panthers spread: Texans -3.5
- Texans vs. Panthers over/under: 43.5 points
- Texans vs. Panthers money line: Texans -179, Panthers +150
- Texans vs. Panthers picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Texans vs. Panthers live stream: fubo (try for free)
Why the Texans can cover
Stroud leads the NFL's sixth-best passing offense and Houston's offense ranks inside the top half in the league in scoring (22.5 ppg) and total yardage (347.3 ypg). The Texans are 3-3 with wins over the Jaguars, Steelers and Saints, who are all in playoff contention as we approach the season's midway point.
Stroud has developed a strong rapport with Nico Collins (29-547-3), Tank Dell (19-324-1), and Dalton Schultz (21-215-3). Now that group will take on a Panthers defense that ranks ninth in passing yards allowed but 23rd in net adjusted yards allowed per pass attempt. Houston is also +6 in turnover differential this season and winning that battle again would go a long way towards securing the victory on Sunday. See which team to pick here.
Why the Panthers can cover
The Panthers are a young team that's hungry for its first win. They will have the advantage of playing at home in this matchup, and history has proven that home underdogs tend to be pretty successful against the spread. The Panthers haven't been particularly effective as a road team in 2023, losing their games away from Bank of America Stadium by an average of 15.8 points per game. At home, their losses have come by an average of 5.5 points per game.
Young has struggled at times this season, but he showed signs of improvement and was efficient in Carolina's Week 6 loss to the Dolphins. Young enters this matchup completing 63.2% of his passes for 967 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions in five starts. His top target has been veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen, who has 49 catches for 509 yards and four touchdowns. See which team to pick here.
How to make Texans vs. Panthers picks
The model has simulated Texans vs. Panthers 10,000 times and the results are in. It is leaning Over on the point total, and it also says one side of the spread is the better value. You can only see the model's Texans vs. Panthers pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Texans vs. Panthers on Sunday, and which side of the spread is the better value? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the Panthers vs. Texans spread you should be all over Sunday, all from the model on a 173-122 roll on its top-rated NFL picks, and find out.
