WEEK 3 THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Friday September 24 @NRG Stadium, Houston

HOUSTON TEXANS

Although Houston are at home they have a concerning injury list with starting QB Tyrod Taylor ruled out for a month with a bad hamstring strain as well as rookie wideout Nico Collins reported to be out for the same period with a shoulder injury. This means Davis Mills will get the start under centre and Anthony Miller will likely fill the spot for Collins. After the hot start to the Panthers season this looms as a very dangerous matchup for the Rookie quarterback with defensive end Brian Burns looking for a breakout season with back to back weeks with a sack, along with veteran Hassan Reddick with 3 sacks on the season also. They also held the saints to just 48 total rushing yards on the day and held the Jets week 1 to just 45 we don’t expect to see much room to run the ball either for the trio of veterans in the Texans backfield. Besides Brandin Cooks who’s been on a tear through 2 weeks with a 14/210/1 stat line, I wouldn’t be starting anyone else in a 12 team league.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

You could argue whilst Carolina have opened the season red hot it has been against lesser competition but you can only beat who is in front of you. After keeping the jets to just 4 first downs in the first half week 1, they then held the Saints to just 6 first downs for the whole game and this was after the Saints gave Green Bay a lesson week 1 38-3. With Darnold seemingly another product of the “Adam Gase Curse” looking like he could be a viable weekly starter as a low end Qb1 with offensive weapons like McCaffrey, DJ Moore and Robbie Anderson as well as rookie Terrance Marshall Jr. With the defence looking as strong as it is, it will hopefully keep Darnold and co. in positive game scripts and Darnold won’t be asked to chase the game to often. This game could be a blow out!