Raiders vs. Texans Point Spread: NFL Week 16 Odds, Prediction
The Houston Texans will be aiming to claim a share of first place in the AFC South standings with a seventh straight victory when they host the bottom-feeding Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon in NFL Week 16 betting action at NRG Stadium.
The Texans claimed sole possession of second place and remain just one game back of the division-leading Jacksonville Jaguars with last week’s 40-20 rout of the Arizona Cardinals that lifted them to 5-1 in their past six home dates.
The Raiders stumble into Houston in the wake of a crushing 31-0 loss in Philadelphia and have now been limited to 10 or fewer points four times during the current eight-game slide that has bounced them from playoff contention.
The Texans have rocketed to massive 14-point home favourites on the NFL Week 16 odds. The Raiders trail as distant +800 underdogs on the NFL moneyline and the total is listed at 38.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Texans have struggled in recent dates with the Raiders, capped by a lopsided 38-20 defeat in their lone visit to Las Vegas in 2022. Houston has also lost outright in two of three home dates with the Raiders, all while pegged as betting chalk, and have gone just 3-6 against the spread in nine meetings since 2007.
However, recent clashes between these teams have been hard fought, with five of their past seven tilts getting decided by just a single score. High scoring has also been commonplace, with the OVER going 5-2 in seven matchups, and total points topping 50 four times over that stretch.
Overall, the Texans have proven to be a reliable bet during their march up the standings, covering the spread five times during their current 6-0 run including three outright victories as betting underdogs, and have also compiled a steady 5-1 ATS in their past six home dates.
With just one win in 13 games, the Raiders now find themselves in a tight three-way race for the bottom of the NFL standings. That run of futility features four straight road losses, extending their current away losing streak to six games during which they have scored just 8.5 points per game.
Las Vegas Raiders
In an effort to shake up the Raiders moribund offence, head coach Pete Carroll turned the reins over to Kenny Pickett last week, with disastrous results. Pickett picked up just 64 yards on 15-for-25 passing with no scores and one INT while getting sacked four times.
In the wake of that debacle, it looks likely that Geno Smith will be back under centre on Sunday despite nursing shoulder and back injuries. It has been a tough Sin City debut for Smith, who has averaged just 140.5 yards over his past two outings and been sacked a stunning 28 times over his past five appearances.
Now faced with the league’s top defence, it could be a long afternoon for the 35-year-old, who must also make do with a receiving corps depleted by injuries to Tyler Lockett and Alex Bachman, both of whom found their way on to this week’s injury report. Take Smith on the NFL player props as a -115 bet to toss for UNDER 188.5 yards and a -225 wager to throw at least one pick.
Houston Texans
The Texans have made massive gains on the Super Bowl odds, and now rank third among AFC squads as a +1300 bet. A stout Houston defence has played a massive role, surrendering just 269.2 yards and 16.3 points per game, both tops in the NFL, and have seen the total go UNDER in six of eight.
However, injuries remain somewhat of a concern entering the weekend. Running backs Nick Chubb and Woody Marks have both been limited at practice this week, due to injury. That could mean another busy day for second-year running back Jawhar Jordan, who exploded for 101 rushing yards in his first action of the season last weekend versus the Cardinals.
NFL betting fans should also expect quarterback CJ Stroud to regularly air it out after tossing for three TDs in last week’s win over Arizona. With the Raiders defence likely to see lots of playing time, look for Stroud to pay out as a -145 bet to throw for multiple scores in the biggest mismatch of the weekend.
NFL Prediction: Who Will Win Raiders vs. Texans?
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HOU