Denver @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 4, 2018 ) Houston 19, Denver 17

The first-place Houston Texans go from facing arguably the greatest quarterback of all-time to one playing his second game as they host the Denver Broncos on Sunday. Houston handily defeated Tom Brady and defending Super Bowl champion New England 28-22 last week after leading 28-9 with less than 10 minutes left, and must avoid a letdown against Drew Lock and Denver with division rival Tennessee next on the schedule.

“He played well last week,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien told reporters about Lock. "He made good decisions for the team. He got them into the right plays. You could tell he knows who to go to with the ball. ... He’s doing a good job. I think these guys are coming into the league and they’re ready to go. They’ve been well-trained and they’re ready to go.” Houston leads Tennessee by one game in the AFC South with two of its final three games against the Titans, including one in Nashville next week. Denver defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 23-20 last week with Lock - picked 42nd overall in April's draft - throwing two touchdown passes. “People were buzzing around my head, I was pretty antsy and excited to go,” Lock told reporters. “The heartbeat was pounding for sure, but once I went out there for my second drive, it was way more relaxed and I felt super confident about it.”

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Texans -9.5. O/U: 41.5

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (4-8): Lock's debut was delayed after sustaining a thumb injury during preseason and a slowly developing opportunity after Joe Flacco was lost for the season in Week 8. “I want to try and build this into something special for sure,” Lock told reporters. “I want to be able to give confidence every single week to my teammates and to the people upstairs (general manager John Elway) that if we ride into this offseason ... we’re going to have an awesome offseason coming into next season. Hopefully I end up being here a long time.” Lock already has a rapport with wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who caught two of his team-leading six touchdown passes last week.

ABOUT THE TEXANS (8-4): Deshaun Watson has thrown 10 touchdown passes against two interceptions in his last five games after tossing for three scores last week and catching Houston's other TD. Darren Fells shares the league lead among tight ends and is tied for fifth overall with seven touchdown receptions, including a 13-yarder against New England. Bradley Roby recorded an interception and sack last week as he prepares to face Denver - the team that made him a first-round pick in 2014 - for the first time after leaving as a free agent in March.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Broncos DE Derek Wolfe (team-high seven sacks) will miss the rest of the season after sustaining a dislocated elbow last week.

2. Houston prevailed 19-17 in Denver last season with Watson throwing a pair of touchdown passes.

3. The Broncos have scored the third-fewest points in the league (16.5 per contest) and haven't exceeded 24 in a game this year.

PREDICTION: Broncos 24, Texans 23