Tampa Bay @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 13, 2011 ) Houston 37, Tampa Bay 9

Fresh off earning his first NFL win last week, No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston now gets the pleasure of going up against J.J. Watt, 2014 No. 1 pick Jadeveon Clowney and Vince Wilfork. Winston will try to avoid one of the best defensive lines in the league when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Houston Texans on Sunday.

"I have tremendous confidence, but it's still a privilege for me just thinking like a kid, not even thinking about going against him,” Winston told reporters. “I'm just like, 'Wow, we get to play J.J. Watt.'” Winston shook off a disappointing debut in Week 1 by being more efficient in the win at New Orleans last week, completing 14-of-21 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown without an interception. "You want to rattle him,” Watt told reporters of the plan against Winston. “You want to lay some hits on him. You want to get him off the spot. You want to get him feeling your presence early in the game.” The Texans could use some of that intimidation as they attempt to avoid falling into an 0-3 hole.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Texans -6.5. O/U: 40.5

ABOUT THE BUCCANEERS (1-1): Winston has been sacked seven times and lost a fumble in two games, but the offensive line is confident it can protect the young quarterback against Watt and company. “We have a plan,” right tackle Gosder Cherilus told reporters. “Hopefully, the plan will be good enough. If it’s not, we’re going to have to do what we’ve got to do. That’s the game – show up, be at your best, and hopefully your best will be good enough.” An improvement from a rushing attack that has produced one touchdown – by Winston – would help as well.

ABOUT THE TEXANS (0-2): Running back Arian Foster (groin) returned to practice but is unlikely to make his season debut this week, and the Texans really could use his contribution after averaging 79.5 yards on the ground in the first two weeks. The lack of a rushing threat puts more pressure on quarterback Ryan Mallett, who is expected to get his second straight start after supplanting Brian Hoyer. Mallett needed 58 pass attempts to reach 244 yards at Carolina last week, and coach Bill O’Brien believes the Arkansas product will get better with more experience.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Texans are playing their first home game since switching the field at NRG Stadium from natural grass to an artificial surface for the remainder of the season.

2. Tampa Bay TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (shoulder) could miss the next four-to-six weeks.

3. Houston T Duane Brown (thumb) sat out last week and is questionable for Sunday.

PREDICTION: Texans 27, Buccaneers 17