The Texans are big underdogs most weeks, and this week is no exception.
In fact, the Cowboys are currently favored by 17 points over the Texans, which makes it the biggest point spread in the NFL this season. Dallas opened as a 14.5-point favorite over Houston, and the line quickly moved and has now hit 17 at some sports books.
The last time an NFL team was this big an underdog, that team was also the Texans: In Week Seven of last season, the Cardinals were favored by 18 over the Texans. The Cardinals easily covered the point spread, winning 31-5. (That was one of two games last season with a spread of 17 points or more, and the Texans were underdogs in both games. They also lost 40-0 to the Bills as 17.5-point underdogs.)
Whether the Cowboys can cover that 17-point spread remains to be seen, but but the spread is understandable, given that the Cowboys are first in the league with a +127 point differential, and the Texans are last in the league with a -99 point differential. And it’s not a great sign for the Texans that whenever there’s a 17-point spread in the NFL, Houston is the underdog.