Last Week: Bye

The Raiders got extra time to rest and regroup from a heartbreaking 30-29 Monday Night Football loss to the Chiefs on Oct. 10 that continued a rough start to the season. They better have made the most of it, because they’ll now play 12 straight weeks to finish off the regular season. Las Vegas could get some reinforcements coming back from the break, including cornerback Anthony Averett, who’s eligible to come off injured reserve after breaking his thumb in Week 1. Tight end Foster Moreau (knee) and linebacker Jayon Brown (hamstring) have missed the Raiders’ last two games and should be healthier now. Tight end Darren Waller aggravated a hamstring injury early in the game against the Chiefs, but should also return.

This Week: Texans (1-3-1) at Raiders (1-4)

When: Sunday, October 23, 1:05 p.m.

Where: Allegiant Stadium

TV & Radio: CBS (Channel 8) & 920 AM/92.3 FM

Betting line: Raiders -7, over/under 44

Matchup: The Raiders aren’t currently projected to be more than a 3.5-point favorite in any other game this season, meaning this is the easiest spot left on their schedule. The Texans have struggled, but with only a -13 point differential, they haven’t played as poorly as many expected coming into the season. Houston’s pass defense has been its strength, ranking 14th in the league by Football Outsiders’ DVOA ratings, and should present a challenge for Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr, who has struggled to find a rhythm in new coach Josh McDaniels’ offense. On the other side of the ball, Houston has been led by Rookie of the Year contending running back Dameon Pierce who has rushed for three touchdowns and 4.8 yards per attempt.

Raider to Watch: Running back Josh Jacobs

Pierce runs hard, but Jacobs runs harder. That’s not a slight, because few in the NFL are running harder than the Raiders’ fourth-year back out of Alabama. Jacobs has set career highs in rushing yards in back-to-back games, becoming the key to an offense that was supposed to be headlined by Carr, Waller and wide receiver Davante Adams. Jacobs is averaging 5.4 yards per carry, and the way he’s doing it might be what’s most impressive. He’s not shying from contact, instead trucking over any defender not in perfect position. Jacobs bruised his way to 144 yards in Week 4 over the Broncos before picking up 154 yards against the Chiefs, and those teams have better rush defenses than the Texans.