Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images. Pictured: Texans QB Davis Mills
Panthers vs. Texans Odds
| Panthers Odds | -8 |
| Texans Odds | +8 |
| Over/Under | 43 |
| Date | Thursday, Sept. 23 |
| Time | 8:20 p.m. ET |
| TV | NFL Network |
*Odds as of Wednesday afternoon
If you had the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans with a 3-1 combined record heading into Week 3’s Thursday Night Football matchup, please raise your hand.
OK, if your hand is raised, please look in the mirror and call yourself a liar.
_PromoID=[6398]
In fact, if it wasn’t for an unfortunate Week 2 injury for Tyrod Taylor, it’s not inconceivable to think that the Texans could be marching into this game at 2-0, as well.
However, Taylor is now on injured reserve for Houston, meaning rookie Davis Mills will get his first career NFL start.
The perceived difference is a big one between Taylor and Mills, as evidenced by the Panthers vs. Texans lookahead line sitting at Carolina -4 heading into Week 2. That number that’s now -8.
Bettors are predictably piling on the Panthers — 80% of Thursday Night Football spread tickets are laying the points — but is Carolina truly the sharp side of this matchup?
Or is there contrarian value there for the taking for those willing to buy back Houston at home?
According to our NFL PRO Report, there’s a very nice betting model edge for the Panthers vs. Texans, one that professional bettors have been quietly hitting over the last couple of days.
Panthers vs. Texans Betting Model Prediction
BetMGM opened the Thursday Night Football total at 44, which sharps have driven down to 43 as of the time of writing.
Our tools have tracked multiple specific instances of wiseguy action popping the Panthers vs. Texans under, helping confirm that sharps are behind the adjustment.
Even after the movement, our NFL PRO Projections are still highlighting a 2.4% edge for the under, which is derived by comparing the current Panthers vs. Texans total of 43 to our model’s projection of 41.1.
And finally, three of The Action Network’s top NFL bettors have jumped on the under as well, showing that our experts are aligned with the pros regarding the Thursday Night Football total.
PRO Report Pick: Panthers-Texans Under 43
_PromoID=[3995,5731]