The Cincinnati Bengals have already secured a high pick in the upcoming NFL Draft—so why not end the season on a strong note and string us together a few NFL betting wins?
The Bengals are on their way to doing just that after stunning the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football and they might be catching the Texans at the right time as they head to Houston for a Sunday afternoon encounter.
The Texans have dropped three straight and can leapfrog the Bengals in the draft pecking order with a home defeat this weekend.
We break down the NFL odds with our free Bengals vs. Texans picks and predictions for Sunday, December 27, with kickoff at 1 p.m. ET.
Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans Betting Preview
Weather
The NRG Stadium roof will likely be closed Sunday—but if it isn't, players are in for great weather conditions, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the high-60s. Wind will be a minor factor, blowing at 12 mph. Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our NFL weather info.
Key Injuries
Bengals: Tyler Boyd WR (Out), Joe Mixon RB (Out), Logan Wilson LB (Out), Jordan Evans LB (Out), B.J. Finney C (Out).
Texans: Phillip Gaines CB (Out), Duke Johnson RB (Out).
Find our latest NFL injury reports.
Betting Trend to Know
The Texans are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games against the Bengals. Find more NFL betting trends for Bengals vs. Texans.
Against the Spread (ATS) Pick
Oddsmakers aren't fazed by the Bengals' upset win over the Steelers, making the Texans nine-point favorites. And if we look at Cincinnati's history against Houston, it's easy to see why. There's also the small matter of the chasm in QB talent between the teams, with the Texans leaning on superstar Deshaun Watson against Cincinnati counterpart Ryan Finley, who has just eight NFL games to his credit.
That might be enough to make us consider the Texans, but we also have to consider their dreadful record as big favorites. Houston comes into the weekend having gone just 3-9-1 ATS in their previous 13 games at -7 or higher, including a narrow 27-25 win over Jacksonville at -7 in Week 9.
Watson is far superior to Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger at this point in their careers, but like Pittsburgh, Houston might have all sorts of trouble running the ball. And while the Bengals can't expect to put up 27 points in this one, they might not have to if their defense plays as well as it did Monday night.
The Texans should still win this one, but we anticipate it being closer than expected.
PREDICTION: Cincinnati +9 (-120)
Over/Under Pick
Some bettors might be able to talk themselves into the Over here, between the Bengals showing some offensive life in Week 15 and the Texans boasting one of the most talented QBs in the league.
We're not buying it.
Cincinnati is 4-1 to the Under in its last five games, Houston has five Unders in its previous six, and the teams have surpassed the total in just two of their previous 10 games. We like the Under.
PREDICTION: Under 45 (-110)
Team Total Pick
The Texans are pegged for 27 points here—and that seems high. Houston has averaged just 15.7 points over its previous three games, and its 22.5-points-per-game scoring average ranks tied for 22nd in the NFL.
Cincinnati, meanwhile, has held four of its past five opponents to 20 or fewer points. There's surely a path to 30+ points for the Texans, but we don't see them getting there.
PREDICTION: Houston team total Under 27 (-110)
Bengals vs Texans Betting Card
- Cincinnati +9 (-120)
- Under 45 (-110)
- Houston team total Under 27 (-110)
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