Even with the most inferior of NFL teams, NFL training camp is typically abut hope. The 2021 Houston Texans were a notable exception, as the Deshaun Watson legal dark cloud and the "leadership" of David Culley sucked the life out of Houston fans before the first training camp practice even took place. It's 2022 now, though, and a few practices in, I would say the 2022 Texans, at the very least, look way more frisky and fun than last season's team.

Well, consider yourself warned, because we interrupt this river of hope to bring you back to reality. Now that the offseason is over and the preseason has begun, the sports betting outlets are putting out revised betting lines on the entire season (save Weeks 17 and 18, since those weeks are primed for piles of injuries and playoff teams resting key guys).

So, if you're ready for a dose of reality, courtesy of BetOnline.ag, here are the betting lines on the Texans' games from Week 1 through Week 16:

WEEK 1: Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans (+8)
WEEK 2: Houston Texans at Denver Broncos (-11)
WEEK 3: Houston Texans at Chicago Bears (-3)
WEEK 4: Los Angeles Chargers at Houston Texans (+7)
WEEK 5: Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3)
WEEK 6: BYE
WEEK 7: Houston Texans at Las Vegas Raiders (-9)
WEEK 8: Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans (+5)
WEEK 9: Philadelphia Eagles at Houston Texans (+4.5)
WEEK 10: Houston Texans at New York Giants (-3)
WEEK 11: Washington Commanders at Houston Texans (+3)
WEEK 12: Houston Texans at Miami Dolphins (-8)
WEEK 13: Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans (Off the Board)
WEEK 14: Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys (-10.5)
WEEK 15: Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans (+10.5)
WEEK 16: Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans (-9)

A few thoughts on these spreads:

The Texans are underdogs in EVERY game this season.
Like last season, the Houston Texans will likely enter the 2022 season as betting underdogs in all of their games, as of Week 1. Of course, that will change as the season evolves, but right now, the Texans are not entering any of their games expected to win. Of course, we know they won't go 0-17, there will be upsets, and some of the spreads within a field goal are essentially coin flip games, but right now, there is very little belief out there in the Texans.

However, it's not as bad as last season!
Now, that said, not all "seasons in which you are underdogs in all your games" are created equal. Last season, at about this time, the Texans were double digit underdogs (in some cases, underdogs of more than two touchdowns) in about a half dozen games. This season, there are just three games with double digit spreads, and the biggest spread (-11) is in Week 2 at Denver.

Oh yeah, still no spread on the Cleveland game.
Yeah, one of the things you'll notice — not only are there no spreads for games in Week 17 and Week 18, but for the Texans there is no spread on the Week 13 game against the Cleveland Browns. That's because there is still some uncertainty over the punishment for Deshaun Watson. If the NFL chooses to appeal the six game suspension handed down by former judge Sue Robinson, and Roger Goodell increases the suspension upon appeal to where Watson misses the Week 13 game, that obviously changes things dramatically. So until there is certainty in Watson's situation, there will be no spread.

One early "best bet" for you....
I love the Texans in Week 1 at home against the Colts, getting eight points. That's more than a touchdown spread for a Texans home game, in a game where they should have ample amount incentive to win (the Colts embarrassed them twice last season), and where they're playing a team with a quarterback (Matt Ryan) who is very old, a little overrated, and playing his first regular season game with his new team. I don't know if the Texans win the game, but I think they make it close.

Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.