Houston Texans vs. Arizona Cardinals Matchup Preview (10/24/21): Betting Odds, Depth Charts, Live Stream (Watch Online)

Houston Texans vs. Arizona Cardinals Matchup Preview (10/24/21)

Raise your hand if you went into the season thinking the Arizona Cardinals would start 6-0. That’s what I thought. The Cardinals haven’t just been winning this season, they’ve been dominant. Going on the road on Sunday to face the Browns in windy Cleveland, some were skeptical how the team would fare without head coach Kliff Kingsbury and numerous others due to COVID. They completely dominated the Browns on the day, leaving Ohio with a 37-14 victory. What once seemed like a flukey run now looks like a team that’s truly built for the postseason.

The Houston Texans on the other hand have been, well, pretty terrible. The team was optimistic after starting the year with a dominant win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Things haven’t been quite so bright since then, losing their starting QB and suffering numerous blowout losses. The low point was undoubtedly the 40-0 shutout loss against the Buffalo Bills. This team could use a win, but it’s probably not going to find one on the road against the Arizona Cardinals. Here’s what you should expect for Sunday’s matchup.

Houston Texans vs. Arizona Cardinals Betting Odds

I know it’s a hot take, but I think the Arizona Cardinals win this game. Joking aside, the Arizona Cardinals have been so dominant this season, it’s difficult to even bet them against the spread. The team is currently 5-1 ATS and averaging 32.3 points per game. Not many teams can do that consistently. The Cardinals have a much tougher task against the Green Bay Packers next week, but I don’t expect them to look ahead and take their collective foot off the gas.

The Texans, meanwhile, are going to have trouble scoring points on the Cardinals. The team’s shown very little ever since Davis Mills took the reins. The Texans are coming off a dismal 31-3 blowout against the Indianapolis Colts, a much less talented team than the Cards. We all knew this was going to a messy season, and the team hasn’t shown us much to prove otherwise.

But at -17.5, is it still worth laying this many points with the Cardinals? In a word, yes. The Texans have lost games by 28 and 40 points this year, along with a 15-point loss against the Carolina Panthers. The Cardinals are the best opponent they’ve faced so far, and the Cards aren’t going to treat this like a week off. Lay the points and don’t expect to stress too much for this Sunday matchup.

My predictions: Cardinals win 34-10, Cardinals -17.5, under 47.5 points

TV Schedule

Date: Sunday, September 24
Time: 4:25 PM ET
Location: State Farm Stadium – Glendale, AZ
TV Coverage: CBS

Houston Texans vs. Arizona Cardinals Live Stream

Where can you watch Houston Texans vs. Arizona Cardinals online? You can stream this game, and many other NFL games live online with Hulu. Hulu has a 7 Day free trial and is cheaper than cable options at $5.99/month. Watch Houston Texans vs. Arizona Cardinals Free Online Now.

Injuries

Houston Texans: C Justin Britt (knee) Q, WR Danny Amendola (hamstring) Q, S Terrence Brooks (chest) O, QB Tyrod Taylor (hamstring) IR, T Michael Cannon (back) IR, T Laremy Tunsil (thumb) IR, LB Kevin Pierre-Louis (hamstring) IR
Arizona Cardinals: LB Tanner Vallejo Q, DT Rashard Lawrence (calf) Q, TE Darrell Daniels (hamstring) Q, DT Corey Peters (COVID) O, DE Zach Allen (COVID) O, C Rodney Hudson (ribs) IR, LB Chandler Jones (illness) O, LB Ezekiel Turner (shoulder) IR, TE Maxx Williams (knee) IR

Houston Texans Analysis

The Houston Texans have to be thankful that the Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars exist. Many went into the season thinking the Texans wouldn’t just be bad, but possibly historically bad. Well, that one win early in the year, along with other teams underperforming, has helped their status. But that doesn’t mean the team is ready to compete by any means. Head coach Dave Culley is leading a 1-5 squad right now, and he’s going to need his team to show some life if he wants another year at the helm in Houston.

There’s not much positive to say about the Houston offense right now. Rookie quarterback Davis Mills is simply too raw and hasn’t shown much outside of a positive performance against the New England Patriots. The running back trio of Mark Ingram, David Johnson, and Philip Lindsay hasn’t done enough to help keep the pressure off their young QB. However, the only consistent performer this season has been WR Brandin Cooks. He’s currently leading the team with 481 yards, averaging 80.2 yards per game. The receiver has only found the end zone once but, come on, I’m looking for some positives here.

The defense has been pretty sub par, which is to be expected this season. The team’s allowing 391.2 yards per game, and that’s not going to cut it in the offense-heavy AFC. However, like the offense, there’s at least one bright spot on this Texans defense. Defensive ends Jonathan Greenard and Whitney Mercilus have been dropping the QB this season, combining for seven sacks so far. That’s the majority of the team’s sacks, so they’ve at least got something to build off in a post-J.J. Watt world.

Houston Texans Depth Chart

QB: Davis Mills
RB1: Mark Ingram II
RB2: David Johnson
WR1: Chris Conley
WR2: Brandin Cooks
WR3: Chris Moore
TE1: Jordan Akins

Arizona Cardinals Analysis

It’s quite a shift going from the lowly Texans to the high-flying Cardinals. The Cardinals are off to an impressive 6-0 start, in a year that seemed like a make-or-break campaign. It all starts with QB Kyler Murray, who is entrenched in a full MVP campaign. He’s passed for 1,741 yards and 14 TDs, adding in 116 yards and three scores on the ground. In such a QB-heavy league, it’s not overdramatic to say that the Cardinals will sink or swim with the play of their passer.

But it goes beyond Murray. The entire offense has been putting together a solid season thus far. Running backs Chase Edmonds and James Conner have combined for 588 yards on the ground, with Conner scoring five TDs. The team also has an extremely deep receiving corps that’s about to get even better. WRs DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk, A.J. Green, and Rondale Moore have made life after Larry Fitzgerald easier. And, after an injury to TE Maxx Williams, the team made a major trade for Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz. Good luck to opposing pass defenses.

Although the unit doesn’t get enough praise, the Cardinals defense has seen some success this season. The unit is ranking 10th in the league right now, allowing just 342.8 yards per game. Even with LB chandler Jones injured, the defense has been getting to opposing QBs, totaling 17 total sacks. However, while the team is tough to pass on, the run defense needs to tighten up. The team’s allowing 128 yards on the ground per game, and that might be an issue once the postseason rolls around.

Arizona Cardinals Depth Chart

QB: Kyler Murray
RB1: Chase Edmonds
RB2: James Conner
WR1: Christian Kirk
WR2: DeAndre Hopkins
WR3: A.J. Green
TE1: Demetrius Harris

Houston Texans vs. Arizona Cardinals Daily Fantasy Picks

I’m seeing some value with A.J. Green this week. The talented wide receiver is averaging 12.7 fantasy points per game, and he’s part of one of the most prolific offenses in the league. Green is coming off a five-catch game with a score against the Browns, and he should see plenty of action against the weak Texans defense. Roll with Green at $5,100 for this Sunday blowout.