Starting with when it happened the Houston Texans firing of Brian Gaine was bizarre. In Gaine’s only season as Texan general manager the team went 11-5 and made the playoffs. Prior to being named GM Gaine was director of player personnel from 2014 through 2016. Despite that NFL betting success Gaine was shown the door. What also made this move so surprising was that he was head coach Bill O’Brien’s hand-picked choice. Gaine replaced Rick Smith as general manager in January of 2018 after O’Brien got a contract extension.
2019 Houston Texans NFL Futures Betting News
| Date and Time: | Houston opens season on September 9, 2019 |
|---|---|
| NFL Betting Online Odds at SBG: | Houston Texans 40/1 to win Super Bowl LIV |
Why Fire Gaine?
Houston team officials said there was not any one incident that led to the firing. Accordingly, there was an evaluation of the team that stated things were good. But not good enough. Still this move was as confounding as when the New York Jets firing Mike Maccagnan immediately after the draft. In both cases the real reason was seen as the head coach taking more power for himself. Most NFL betting experts were described as “stunned” as Gaine was well respected.
O’Brien Lyin’?
Now Bill O’Brien has gotten rid of his second general manager in two seasons. O’Brien will be heavily involved in the choice for a new GM based on his big contract. Last year the Texans made the NFL Playoffs for the third time in four seasons. O’Brien has posted winning seasons in four of his five years leading the Texans. Of great concern to handicappers is Houston’s offshore betting record of 1-3 in post season his command. One danger O’Brien faces is that he is out of scapegoats. This show now belongs totally to him.
Deshaun Watson Emerges
On the whole one of O’Brien’s said strengths is quarterback development. Deshaun Watson is a great example of that. Watson solidified himself as Texans starting quarterback in 2018. At the age of 23 he is among the top shelf of signal callers in the NFL. To show, Watson posted a 103.1 passer rating last year. Further he had an exceptional 26/9 touchdown to interceptions ratio. Extending his value was 551 rushing yards with five touchdowns. Watson has already set several NFL records in just two years as a pro.
Defensive Strength
Last year the Texans ranked fourth best in the NFL for points allowed. In particular their rush defense was an asset that ranked third best in the league. Pass defense was less impressive with a ranking of 28th in the NFL. However, Houston bent but didn’t break most of the time.
Miller Time
Running back Lamar Miller is another plus that attract gamblers to the Texans. Miller ran for 973 yards and five touchdowns with 4.6 yards per carry in 2018. Specifically, the eight-year pro has already surpassed 5800 yards for his career.
Matchup to Watch
On this occasion it’s important to note that the AFC South is among the most improved divisions in NFL betting. As a consequence of the front office hijinks there are legitimate worries about Houston. And then one looks at the roster and sees vast potential.
Houston Texans NFL Betting Odds Pick
Summing up the Texans are as good as anyone in the AFC South.
Houston Texans NFL Betting Online Pick: Houston Texans to make the playoffs
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