The Tennessee Titans take on the Houston Texans in Week 17 of the 2019 NFL season.
The Titans blew a 14-point lead and lost to the New Orleans Saints in their Week 16 assignment. They head to their regular-season finale with an 8-7 SU record and their playoff destiny in their hands as a win over the Texans will push them into the postseason. The Texans are already the AFC South Division Champions but if the L.A. Chargers upset the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, the Texans will move up and bag the 3rd seed in the AFC.
Still Control Their Destiny
Despite their setback against the Saints, the Tennessee Titans still control their playoff destiny. The Titans will enter the playoffs if the Steelers and Colts both lose their final regular-season assignment. But if the Titans beat the Texans, they will head to the postseason, regardless of the outcome of any other game this weekend.
Ryan Tannehill has passed for a total of 2,544 yards with 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. Derrick Henry has rushed for 1,329 yards with 13 touchdowns on 271 carries. A.J. Brown has caught 48 passes for 927 yards with seven TD grabs while Corey Davis has 557 receiving yards with three touchdown catches.
Tennessee ranks 22nd in the league in passing at 224.0 passing yards per game. They are the 6th best rushing team in the NFL at 131.9 rushing yards per contest. The Titans are 10th overall in scoring at 24.5 points per game while allowing their opponents to score an average of 21.1 points per game.
Aiming For 3rd Seed
The Houston Texans have already clinched the AFC South Division but the Texans can still move up to to the third seed in the Conference should they L.A. Chargers pull off the upset against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead and Houston beats Tennessee here. With the Chargers vs Chiefs game played earlier, coach Bill O’Brien will know what’s at stake for them here before tip-off.
Deshaun Watson has passed for a total of 3,852 passing yards with 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Watson also has 412 rushing yards with 7 rushing touchdowns while Carlos Hyde has rushed for 1,057 yards with six rushing scores. De’Andre Hopkins has caught a total of 1,165 yards with seven touchdown catches.
The Texans are the 10th best passing team in the NFL at 239.4 passing yards per game. They rank 10th on the ground with an average of 126.7 rushing yards per game. Houston is 11th overall in scoring at 24.3 points per game and they are allowing their opponents to score an average of 23.3 points per game.
Who Wins?
Tennessee is 6-3 SU in their last nine games played. The Titans are 4-3 SU in seven road games played this season, and 7-3 SU in their last 10 games played in December. Houston is 4-1 SU in their last five games played. The Texans are 4-1 SU in their last five home games played. Head to head, the Texans are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games played against the Titans.
The Titans sat out Derrick Henry in their Week 16 assignment due to a hamstring issue but he is expected to play in this win-and-you’re-in game for Tennessee. Henry was averaging 137 rushing yards per game in his last five games before missing their last game. He should give Ryan Tannehill’s offense a huge lift here.
Kansas City plays the LA Chargers before the start of this game. If the Chiefs beat the Chargers, then the Texans have nothing to play for in this game as they will bid the 3rd seed goodbye. If that happens, then I think that Houston is going to pull out their starters although coach O’Brien says he is playing them here.
Tennessee is 5-1 SU in their last six games as favorites. They head to this game with more on the line. With Houston possibly pulling its foot off the gas pedal should the Chiefs win their game before the start of this contest, I can’t risk my hard-earned money on them, at least in this game. The hungrier team wins.
Prediction: Tennessee Titans
Other Bets To Make
The Titans are 6-3 ATS in their last nine games played. Tennessee is 4-3 ATS in seven road games played this season, and 3-6 ATS in their last nine games played against the AFC South Division. The Texans are 2-3-1 ATS in their last six games played. Houston is 2-5 ATS in seven home games played this season and 1-6-1 ATS in their last eight games as the NFL betting favorites. Head to head, the Texans are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 games played against the Titans. Houston is also 5-0 ATS in their last five games played against Tennessee.
Titans
-3.5 (-110)
Texans
+3.5 (-110)
Odds from SportsBetting as of 12/24/19
Tennessee has better coaching and they have more on the line in this game than Houston. Derrick Henry was rested against the Saints and should be ready to go for the Titans in this must-win game for them. With his top offensive weapon available in this crucial contest, I expect the Titans and Ryan Tannehill to win by at least a touchdown in this contest. Tennessee is 5-1 ATS in their last six games played like a favorite while the Texans 2-6 ATS in their last eight games played at home.
Prediction: Titans -3.5
The total has gone over in eight out of the last nine games played by the Titans. The over is 4-3 in the seven road games played by Tennessee, ad the over is also 5-1 in their last six games against the AFC Conference. The total has gone under in six out of the last eight games played by the Texans. The under is 5-2 in their last seven games against the AFC, and the under is also 7-1 in their last eight games against the South Division. Head to head, the under is 4-2 in the last six meetings between these two teams.
Over
45 (-115)
Under
45 (-115)
Odds from SportsBetting as of 12/24/19
These teams have combined to score an average of 44.33 points per game in their last three meetings. Tennessee has scored at least 28 points in five out of their last six games and they have gone over the 45-point total in each of their last nine games played. Houston has gone over 45-points in six out of their last 10 games played but has gone under that total in three out of their last five games played. However, Houston has scored at least 23 points in their last four games played and should score enough points to help Tennessee push the total over 45.
Prediction: Over 45