Jacksonville at Houston (12/01/2008)

Gambling addiction, also known as compulsive gambling, is a type of impulse-control disorder. Compulsive gamblers can’t control the impulse to gamble, even when they know their gambling is hurting themselves or their loved ones. Gambling is all they can think about and all they want to do, no matter the consequences. Compulsive gamblers keep gambling whether they’re up or down, broke or flush, happy or depressed. Even when they know the odds are against them, even when they can’t afford to lose, people with a gambling addiction can’t “stay off the bet.”

Tonight marks Houston’s first-ever appearance in the Monday night spotlight, while the Jags are 7-4 SU (6-5 ATS) on Mondays in their franchise history.

Jacksonville is on ATS slides of 1-10 on grass, 1-5 against AFC competition and 1-4 against AFC South rivals, but they are on positive pointspread streaks of 4-1 in December and 11-1 in Week 13 games. Houston is 1-4 ATS at home this year, but the Texans are 5-2 ATS in their last seven December contests.

Both teams have been flying over the total lately, with the Jags on high-scoring runs of 15-5-3 overall, 9-2-2 on the road, 11-5-2 on grass, 13-3 in December and 8-2-2 after a non-cover. Meanwhile, Houston is on over stretches of 13-3 overall (9-2 this year), 5-1 at home (4-1 this year), 20-6 against AFC South rivals, 10-2 in December and 8-2 on grass.

Finally, the over is 11-2 on Monday nights this season.