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Week 2 of the NFL regular season kicks off tonight, featuring two teams who in Week 1 scored less than Beavis and Butt-Head. Covers checks in on the action with Aaron Kessler, sportsbook supervisor at the Golden Nugget in downtown Las Vegas, and Scott Kaminsky, sports director for offshore book TheGreek.com.
Houston Texans at Cincinnati Bengals – Open: -3.5; Move: -4; Move: -4.5; Move: -5; Move: -5.5; Move: -6; Move: -6.5; Move: -6
A lot of people thought Houston would rise to the occasion in Week 1, propping up citizens of the hurricane and flood-ravaged city with a much-needed diversion and a win over Jacksonville. That’s not how it worked out, as the Texans (0-1 SU and ATS) fell behind 19-0 and mustered only a third-quarter touchdown in a 29-7 home loss as a 5.5-point favorite.
Houston QB Tom Savage was awful, getting sacked six times and completing just 7 of 13 passes for 62 yards in the first half, with rookie QB Deshaun Watson taking over in the second half. Watson, who led Clemson to the national title over Alabama last season, will get his first NFL start tonight.
Cincinnati was arguably even less inspiring at home in its season opener. The Bengals (0-1 SU and ATS) entered as 2.5-point chalk against Baltimore and failed to put up so much as a field goal in a 20-0 loss. But bettors seem to have more faith in Cincy at home than Houston on the road for this 8:25 p.m. ET kickoff.
“We opened Bengals -3.5, but that moved really fast, and we’re at 6 right now,” Kessler said this afternoon. “When you get whipped by Jacksonville, you don’t have a lot of people looking to back you.”
Neither side is seeing much in the way of sharp play at the Golden Nugget.
“Everyone kind of wants to forget this game is happening,” Kessler said, though he added his shop will likely have a rooting interest. “By game time, I think we’re gonna need Houston. Right now, it’s not too much of a decision either way.”
TheGreek.com saw similar movement, jumping off Bengals -3.5 and going to 4 within a couple hours Monday, then steadily increasing to 6.5 before going back to 6 this morning.
“I love the Bengals because of all the injuries to Houston,” Kaminsky said, noting there was a little sharp play at Bengals -3.5. “The Texans don’t have a tight end, a couple other guys are out, Deshaun Watson making his first start. Is he ready? You have to assume not. We sort of lean toward the Bengals, so we moved it really fast. Now, as I thought it would do, it’s inching back down. I’m gonna try to get some money on Houston, so that we’ll need Cincinnati at kickoff.”
Kessler said the Nugget has seen a little tilt on the total, which opened at 38.5 and dropped to 38.
“It’s really hard to expect a lot of scoring out of these teams after what we just saw,” he said.
