Two teams looking to complete perfect preseasons in the NFL will meet on Thursday when the San Francisco 49ers (2-0) take on the Houston Texans (2-0). Both teams have been impressive so far. The 49ers edged the Green Bay Packers 28-21 and the Minnesota Vikings 17-7, while the Texans edged the New Orleans Saints 17-13 and the Los Angeles Rams 24-20. It will be the first preseason meeting between the teams since 2018, when the Texans won 16-13. Houston holds a 5-1 lead in the all-time preseason series, while the 49ers hold a 4-1 lead in the all-time regular season series. Last season, San Francisco beat Houston 23-7 in Week 16.
Kickoff from NRG Stadium in Houston is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET. San Francisco is a 3.5-point favorite in Caesars Sportsbook’s latest 49ers vs. Texans odds, while the over-under for total runs scored is set at 42. Before making any 49ers vs. Texans picks or predictions, be sure to check out Find out what SportsLine NFL expert Tom Fornelli has to say.
The CBS national writer is a profitable 29-16-1 in his last 46 NFL picks. Additionally, he has demonstrated a particularly keen eye for the 49ers. In fact, Fornelli went a stunning 17-6 on picks involving San Francisco. Everyone who followed him is upstairs.
Now Fornelli has zoned the 49ers against the Texans and just locked in his NFL picks and predictions. You can head over to SportsLine to see Fornelli’s picks. Here are the NFL odds and betting lines for the 49ers vs. the Texans:
- Difference 49ers vs. Texans: San Francisco -3.5
- 49ers vs. Texans over-under: 42 points
- 49ers money line vs. Texans: San Francisco -190, Houston +160
- SF: 49ers are 5-0 ATS in their last five games
- HOU: Over bets are 4-1 in Texans’ last five games
- 49ers picks vs. Texans: See the picks here.
Featured game | Houston Texans vs. San Francisco 49ers
Why the 49ers can cover
San Francisco is hoping to get one last look at their position as running back. Rookies Jordan Mason and Tyrion Davis-Price combined for 98 yards on 19 carries in last Saturday’s win over Minnesota, while second-year undrafted free agent JaMycal Hasty had three carries for 15 yards, including a score. Sophomore running back Trey Sermon, who is out with an ankle injury, had eight yards on five carries. As the reduction looms, Thursday’s game will be important for everyone to prove they’ll be capable backups behind first-team Elijah Mitchell and fifth-year veteran Jeff Wilson Jr.
In the first two games, Mason leads the statistical battle and is fifth in the league with 15 carries for 87 yards. The former Georgia Tech standout rushed for more than 2,000 yards in his college career with 17 touchdowns. In 2021, Mason carried 87 times for 439 yards (5.0 average) and a touchdown. He also caught 10 passes for 85 yards and a score.
Why Texans Can Cover
Houston coach Lovie Smith said the Texans starters will see more action against the 49ers at the end of the preseason. That means slated starting quarterback Davis Mills will get a chance to show that he can be the team’s long-term solution in this position. Mills struggled in his first five practices against the Rams last week, but finished with a bang. He ended up completing 10 of 17 passes for 96 yards (5.6 average) and a touchdown.
Wide receiver Nico Collins, who is being listed as one of the team’s three starting wide receivers, also showed his skills in the win over Los Angeles. The others are Brandin Cooks and Chris Conley. Collins is coming off a strong outing that saw him make four catches for 48 yards and a touchdown. Collins finished last season as Houston’s second-leading receiver with 33 receptions for 446 yards (13.5 average) and scoring. He also had eight explosive plays of 20 or more yards and converted 22 first downs.
How to make choices between 49ers and Texans
For Thursday’s game, Fornelli is going under, but he also says a critical X-factor makes one side of the gap a must. You can find out what it’s all about, and see which side to support, at SportsLine.
Who wins the 49ers against the Texans? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread unavoidable? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the 49ers vs. Texans split you need to jump on Thursday, all from the pundit who’s netted $1,051 to $100 from players in San Francisco’s last 23 games, and find out- the.
