Texans vs. Eagles: 10 Bold Predictions for Thursday Night Football
Texans vs. Eagles is the Thursday Night Football game of the week.
These are two different teams on very different points in the season. The Eagles are an NFL powerhouse that is hoping to maintain their footing after a crushing defeat by the Bears last week. The Texans are hoping to use the momentum from last week's huge win against the Titans to get some consistency going.
The Texans are 5-6 and need this game to stay in the race for the AFC South. The Eagles need this one to stay in first in what is sure to be a photo finish between them and the New York Giants.
Here is a little preview for the big game tonight.
10. Asante Samuel Will Play
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The Eagles' star cornerback will show up on the field today. Asante Samuel was out of last week's match with the Chicago Bears and his absence was immediately felt.
Jay Cutler had no problem finding his receivers and torching the Eagles. Cutler was able to produce with no Pro Bowl receiver in his arsenal. The Texans have Andre Johnson. With the season well within crunch time, you can believe that Samuel will try to give it a go.
9. Andre Johnson Will Go Off
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Three receptions for 86 yards. That is what Devin Hester did to the Eagles last week without Asante Samuel.
Even if Samuel plays, he will be hobbled by the knee injury that has kept him out. Andre Johnson will have a big game. It may not be like the 150-yard game he had against the Jaguars, but it will be close. Aside from Samuel, the Eagles don't have a great tackler. Johnson could very well average 20 yards a catch tonight.
8. Michael Vick Will Pass For 300 Yards
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The Eagles quarterback has already done this feat twice this year. He could very well have done it four times, as in Weeks 2 and 3, when he passed for 284 and 291 yards respectively.
The Texans are mediocre at best at stopping the pass. They allow too many yards per catch and boast no one who can contain DeSean Jackson or Jeremy Maclin. Their talents will be Vick's gain tonight. The Texans will be spread too thin to keep Vick within human parameters in the pocket.
The Eagles lost last week, and he still passed for 333 yards.
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7. Michael Vick Will Run for 60 Yards and a Touchdown
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I'm not saying that Vick will have another Washington Redskins game, but he will be very good tonight. After facing two much better defenses in the Giants and the Bears, the Eagles quarterback can take a little bit of a breath tonight.
He doesn't have to worry about a constant onslaught of defenders. The Texans are in no way a bad defensive team; they just are not as good as what he has seen previously. With the Eagles spreading the field, Vick will have a few 10-yard runs on those occasions that he needs them.
6. Arian Foster Will Have a Day
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The Bears and Texans have similar offensive schemes. The usually stout Eagles rush defense allowed Matt Forte to run rampant last week. I don't see a change in sight for the Eagles line today.
Arian Foster can be a tough task to manage. But the Eagles will suffer more than they did last week as they have to worry about Andre Johnson on the wing. Tonight, the Eagles will be kicking themselves for not taking care of the Bears when they had the chance.
5. LeSean McCoy Will Get Over 100 Yards
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The Texans completely stopped Chris Johnson last week. Keep in mind that the Titans really only had Chris Johnson as their primary weapon. Other than him, they had rusty Johnson passing to absolutely no one.
Now the Texans face a prolific offense that can kill you in a number of ways. McCoy will most likely play tonight. When he does, he will have plenty of room to operate in.
4. These Two Teams Will Kill the Over/Under
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As of right now, the over/under on this game is 51 points. With the Texans lacking depth to stop the Eagles and the Eagles without a healthy star on their end, this will be a shootout.
Both teams put up healthy numbers last week. I don't see their defenses turning the tide Thursday night. The points will reach into the sixties for this one. My mind is telling me to wager that the end result will net 34-30 in the score, with both teams getting over 400 total yards.
3. Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson Will Be Dynamic Duo
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Both had admirable games last week. But Thursday, the two will be a constant force. The Texans secondary is very soft indeed. Look for a constant barrage of 8-10 yard passes from Vick to go completed.
After that, who is going to stop them? I can see the two match up easily for 150 yards and a couple of touchdowns. Mark my words, both receivers will find the end zone tonight.
2. Matt Schaub Will Be Brilliant
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The Texans quarterback is prone to turning the ball over. But the fact is, after Samuel, the Eagles have no one that can cover Andre Johnson. Schaub is very good when he doesn't have to force the issue.
He will flirt with 250-300 passing yards. But the bigger bet is that on this day, he will not turn the ball over. I do see Asante Samuel playing. But like I said, he will not be the same. With a short week to get rest in, Samuel will be hobbled. And Matt Schaub will be very good.
1. The Texans Will Win
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Go ahead, crucify me. I said these were bold predictions. But keep in mind that this is not that bold of a prediction.
There is a lot to like about the Texans in this one. The Eagles are very comfortable at home but they are extremely uncomfortable in a shootout. They prefer to do all the scoring. But when they go score for score they are susceptible, much like they were last week.
Couple that with the fact that they will have a very limited corner back in Asante Samuel, and you have the makings of a huge upset. That is of course if the Texans secondary can get a couple stops. I didn't say this was foolproof people.
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