Buccaneers vs Texans NFL Pick: Houston Seeks Rebound After Week 1 Loss (Sep 15)

• For NFL Week 2 Buccaneers-Texans, Houston plays its first home game of 2025, hoping to rebound from a Week 1 loss
• The Bucs had a dramatic win over Atlanta on a last-minute Baker Mayfield TD pass
• Both teams have 2025 playoff aspirations
• The Texans are currently a slight favorite, and they’ve won the past five meetings between the two teams

Mayfield Continues To Carry the Bucs

Tampa somewhat lucked into Mayfield after Tom Brady retired. Now, he’s become one of the most clutch late-game passers in the league.

Against the Falcons, he was 17 for 32 and 3 TD passes. Atlanta largely mitigated the Bucs’ rushing attack, holding Bucky Irving to 37 yards on 14 carries and Rachaad White to 14 yards on 2 carries. It came down to a last-minute drive from Mayfield when he hit 2025 1st round pick Emeka Egbuka from 25 yards out.

Safety Tykee Smith had a big game on the defensive side, contributing to 11 tackles, including 7 solos. SiVocea Dennis and Zvon McCollum had 10 combination tackles each.

The NFC South is perhaps the weakest division in the NFL, so the Bucs should have a clear path to the playoffs. The big TD catch from Egbuka and their continued solid defensive play bode well to make them a dark horse this season. Houston is a tough test.

Stroud and Texans Need Rebound From Week 1 Dud

In the Texans’ 14-9 loss to the Rams in Week 1, they lost the turnover battle 2 to 1, and QB C.J. Stroud couldn’t get the Houston offense going. He was 19 for 27 and 188 yards passing. He rushed for 32 yards on 5 carries. Nick Chubb ran for 60 yards on 13 carries.

Defensively, they could not contain Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, who had 10 catches for 130 yards. Azeez Al-Shaair forced a fumble and had 7 combination tackles. Cornerback Kamari Lassiter had 9 combination tackles.

Houston is in a similar situation to Tampa in that they are in what was widely expected to be one of the NFL’s weaker divisions, the AFC South. However, if Week 1 was any indication, their road to the playoffs could be tougher than it was in 2024 when they won the division at 10-7 and bounced the Chargers in the playoffs. The Colts and Jaguars are coming off solid wins. The Titans’ defense played well in holding the Broncos to 20 points despite losing.

They were ineffective against Matthew Stafford, and Stafford plays a comparably freewheeling style to Mayfield with less bravado. They need a bigger performance from Stroud if they’re winning this game.

Buccaneers vs Texans Pick

For Week 2 Buccaneers-Texans, the game is far more important to the Texans than it is to the Buccaneers. Houston cannot afford a slow start, especially if the Colts and Jaguars show they are for real. Demeco Ryans’ hard-hitting defense has limited effectiveness against teams that are willing to hit them back, and the Bucs are one such team.

The Bucs will have an easier time running the ball this week than in Week 1. Mayfield is the unique QB who can struggle for three quarters and then have a huge fourth quarter to pull the game out.

Expect a tight game with the Bucs keeping it within the 1.5-point spread.