by Chuck Sommers
Friday, Dec 23, 2022
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Venue: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
Where to watch: CBS
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Titans -3; Titans -175, Texans +150; O/U 35.5
FanDuel: Titans -3.5; Titans -172, Texans +144; O/U 35.5
BetMGM: Titans -3.5; Titans -175, Texans +145; O/U 35.5
Caesars: Titans -3; Titans -169, Texans +143; O/U 35.5
Season record
Texans: 1-12-1
Titans: 7-7
We’re coming down the home stretch of the NFL season and there’s still a lot left to get excited for on your TV screen (or your streaming device if you’re like me and watch Sunday Ticket on a Fire Stick. That works, too). Nevertheless, the final few weeks of the regular season are going to be hectic for everyone on the field, but just as much as everyone off it. You’re probably going to need to figure out which plays are the best ones in terms of teams sitting the star players for the playoff advantage, or which teams are going all in for the final playoff push. If you need that extra push, trust that our champion handicappers can get the job done for you. Matt Fargo has a 17-9-0 run over the last 30 days in the NFL. Brian Bitler has continued to stay consistent, despite a wild, unpredictable season, by going 16-9-0. Do you want a piece of this action? Make sure to stay locked to bigal.com and follow our champion handicappers so you can be a champion, too!
Texans - Titans preview, analysis and prediction
Last week
Texans: lost 30-24 (OT) vs. Chiefs
Titans: lost 17-14 at Chargers
Texans analysis
There has been no better winner over the last two weeks against the spread than the Houston Texans. Despite a record of 1-12-1, Houston has covered their last two games as double-digit underdogs, including last week's 30-24 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. This season has been pretty much a lost cause for Houston despite this valiant effort over the last two weeks. Houston has lost nine straight and is 3-6-0 against the spread in their last nine. But despite all of that, this might be the week that Houston breaks through and gets a victory that is well deserving of what they have put together. Quarterback Davis Mills has started to play a lot better, after throwing for two touchdowns and running for one last week against Kansas City. He has a rushing touchdown in two of his last three games and he has accumulated 300 passing yards or more in two of his last three starts on the road. So even though Houston has really nothing to play for over these last couple of games, pride is definitely a situation that they want to get going for coach Lovie Smith. Houston is currently on pace to win the NFL draft sweepstakes by having its pick of the litter of whatever quarterback they want, and at least that is the one thing that Houston can look forward to, especially the fans.
Titans analysis
The Tennessee Titans no longer control their own destiny as it pertains to the AFC S. Now with a 7-7 record following their 17-14 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers last week, Tennessee needs to win out in order to win the division. Considering the fact that the Titans close the year against the Dallas Cowboys and the suddenly surging Jacksonville Jaguars, it doesn't seem all that likely. But now things are going to be a little bit more challenging for Tennessee with quarterback Ryan Tannehill now out for the rest of the season due to an injury. That means rookie quarterback Malik Willis will try to lead the ship against the one-win Houston franchise. The good news is if you are a Titans fan, the last time Tennessee played Houston, Willis was the quarterback but it was Derrick Henry running for 219 yards and two touchdowns in the 17-10 victory. So of course there are Silver Linings to such a thing period but clearly this is an important game for Tennessee if it wants to keep its playoff hopes live, but it's going to need to keep its playoff hopes alive with a rookie quarterback who has struggled to throw the football in his first few starts.
Prediction
The under has cashed in five of the last six meetings in Tennessee and considering how it looked last time, the Tennessee defense is going to need to play at its absolute best in order to ensure that Willis has a chance to win this game. Houston has covered in 15 of the last 23 meetings overall and with the line moving sharply in favor of the Texans given the recent news of Tannehill, along with Houston playing as well as it has over the last couple of weeks, this seems like the perfect time to take the upset victory. Texans 20, Titans 14
Betting trends
Texans are 19-27 ATS in all games the last 3 seasons.
Texans are 10-8 the last 3 seasons after failing to cover in 4 or 5 of their last 6.
Titans are 25-23 ATS in all games the last 3 seasons.
Titans are 8-9 ATS the last 3 seasons as a home favorite.
Statistical leaders
Texans:
Passing: Davis Mills – 2,440 yards, 13 TD, 12 INT
Rushing: Dameon Pierce – 939 yards, 4 TD
Receiving: Brandin Cooks – 520 yards, 1 TD
Defense: Jerry Hughes – 8 sacks
Titans:
Passing: Ryan Tannehill – 2,536 yards, 13 TD, 6 INT
Rushing: Derrick Henry – 1,303 yards, 12 TD
Receiving: Robert Woods – 418 yards, 1 TD
Defense: Jeffrey Simmons – 7.5 sacks
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
