Jaguars vs. Texans Point Spread: NFL Week 5 Odds, Prediction
The Houston Texans are still without a win in the 2020–21 season but their latest attempt will to enter the W column will be without head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien. Houston fired O’Brien earlier this week after he joined the Texans back in 2014.
The Texans are in a better spot this week too considering they’re hosting the 1-3 Jacksonville Jaguars, who they can surpass in the AFC South win a win Sunday.
Week 5 NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Houston’s owned their fellow AFC South opponent of late, winning eight of their last 10 matchups and covering in six of those. Jacksonville, losers of three straight, are 2-7 against the spread (ATS) in their last nine October games too. The Jags could be without defenders Myles Jack and C.J. Henderson as well, so considering all of this it’s no surprise oddsmakers have Houston as 5.5-point favourites.
Both clubs rank in the bottom third in terms of yards against, so oddsmakers are also expecting a track meet in Houston with the total set at 54.5. The over’s hit in all of Jacksonville’s last five divisional games, but has gone under in seven of Houston’s last nine divisional bouts.
Jacksonville Jaguars
After winning in Week 1 against Indianapolis, Jacksonville’s sunk more toward reality and now sit 1-3. Gardner Minshew has played solid despite the losing record, ranking eighth in the league with 1,138 passing yards and tied for seventh with eight touchdown passes.
In the backfield, undrafted rookie James Robinson set a NFL record for most yards from scrimmage in his first three games with 339 and he’s currently ninth in the NFL with 285 rushing yards, so offence isn’t the issue with Doug Marrone’s team.
One area Jacksonville’s struggled in is with turnovers, specifically takeaways. Jacksonville’s turnover differential is -2 this season and they have just three takeaways. Then again, Houston has a league-worst zero, so any defensive score likely isn’t in the cards in Houston Sunday.
Houston Texans
A head coaching change can offer a major spark for a professional sports team, and the Texans are going to need exactly such given their brutal start. Houston had high hopes going into 2020–21, and starting 0-4 with DeShaun Watson is unacceptable.
Watson and Co. should have a breath of fresh air with O’Brien gone, especially after rumours surfaced of star defensive end J.J. Watt and O’Brien getting into an argument the other week. So now it’s Romeo Crennel’s duty to turn Houston’s season around.
Another thing to consider is that Houston has had a tough stretch to start the year, losing in Kansas City and Pittsburgh and at home to Baltimore and Minnesota. Jacksonville is a good test for the Texans to discover how good they actually are.
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