Online Sportsbook: Texans vs. Cardinals. Would it be fair to say that the Houston Texans six-game losing streak was enough to give head coach Gary Kubiak a stroke? Actually, what he had was a mini-stroke (transient ischemic attack, or TIA), which is good though not great news. While he didn’t have a full-on stroke, he may have one within a year, if he’s among the one in three people who have a full stroke after a TIA. Also good news, a release issued by Texans management says that Kubiak is alert, coherent, and in good spirits. Additionally, he has been cleared to leave the hospital and return home. In the meantime, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will most likely be in charge of Houston this Sunday 10th game at the Arizona Cardinals.
The Cards have a -1 point spread online sportsbook advantage over the Texans, but Houston’s pass rush could easily be the equalizer, especially if they put the kind of pressure they did on Andrew Luck and the Colts on Carson Palmer this time around. Defensive ends J.J. Watt and Antonio Smith, and linebacker Joe Mays ran roughshod over Indianapolis’ offensive line, and were it not for Luck’s heroics they would have probably won the game. The key to that impressive outing by the Texans was not just the sacks they did make, but the unrelenting chokehold they exerted on Luck at all times.
The Texans started this season the opposite of how they finished the previous one, with two wins over important teams, and in general they seemed poised to have yet another winning season. Then, all of a sudden something went wrong and they have not won a single game since mid September. At least if Kubiak does suffer a full stroke in the future, he’ll be able to say that he had a warning. What warning did Houston give that they weren’t going to be able to improve –or at least match- last year’s 12-4 record? Arizona is 4-4 right now and coming off both a victory over the Atlanta Falcons and a bye week. That alone makes them online sportsbook favorites, but the Texans are starting to show some signs of life. Who knows, maybe they’ll go in there with all they’ve got and win just one for the ‘Kube.’