The Tennessee Titans try to improve on the AFC’s best record when they play host to the division rival Houston Texans on Sunday for the first of two meetings this season. The Titans have won six in a row and lead the AFC South while the Texans have dropped eight straight since an opening-week win. If you’re going to bet online on this divisional showdown, take a read of our closer look at the NFL lines for this game before you make your wagers.
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Betting Lines
| Team | Point Spread | Moneyline | Over/Under |
| Houston | +10½ | +375 | 44½ |
| Tennessee | -10½ | -475 | 44½ |
Head-to-Head
These two division rivals are very familiar with each other, squaring off twice a season. This is the first of two matchups in 2021, with the second one scheduled for the regular-season finale in Week 18.
The Titans have won the last three matchups, including sweeping last year’s two contests. Both games were close, though, with one going to overtime and the other a six-point Tennessee victory.
Overall, the Titans lead the all-time series 21-17. Tennessee is 12-7 against the Texans when playing at home, including taking four of the last five such contests.
Houston Texans
Next game: vs. New York Jets
Last Game
Prior to their Week 10 bye, the Texans fell 17-9 at Miami in a game marred by a combined nine turnovers. Four of those miscues were committed by Houston, which struggled to put together any offense against an equally-struggling Dolphins squad.
Quarterback Tyrod Taylor finished 24 of 43 for 240 yards and three interceptions while Phillip Lindsay was the Texans’ leading rusher with just 28 yards on eight carries. Houston managed just three Ka’imi Fairbairn field goals in the game, the third time in four contests that the Texans have failed to find the end zone.
The Houstons Texans fell to 4-5 against the spread , failing to cover the four-point spread. Houston is 1-4 ATS on the road, dropping their last four such contests.
Injury Report
The week off between games will hopefully get Taylor more comfortable after he returned against the Dolphins following a hamstring injury that kept him out since Week 2. Taylor didn’t look good in his return, but having some more time to recover may help him get back to form against the Titans.
Tennessee Titans
Next game: at New England
Last Game
The Tennessee Titans extended the longest active winning streak in the NFL to six games with a 23-21 home victory over the New Orleans Saints. The win was Tennessee’s fifth straight over playoff teams from the previous season, making it only the second team in NFL history to accomplish the feat.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill battled a stomach bug but still threw for 213 yards and a touchdown as well as run for another score. Marcus Johnson had five catches for 100 yards to lead the Tennessee receiving group.
The Titans lost against the spread for only the third time in 10 games, just missing out on covering the three points they were favored by. Tennessee is 3-2 at home.
Injury Report
The Titans continue to patch together their offensive lineup with stars Derrick Henry and Julio Jones sidelined with injuries. The defense is also dealing with some injured players. Linebackers Bud Dupree, Rashaan Evans and David Long Jr. are all considered questionable for Sunday’s contest.
Betting on the Game
The Titans have the best record in the AFC thanks to a defense that is making timely plays to keep opponents off the scoreboard. That’s not good news for the Texans, who have struggled to score at all over the past few weeks.
Tannehill should be better with a week passed from his stomach troubles, and he’s found a solid receiver in Johnson, who should have another big day against Houston. The Texans allow 136.9 rushing yards per game, so we may see some Adrian Peterson carries early to test how much they can stop the veteran running back.
The game has stayed steady at 10½ points in favor of the Titans and we don’t anticipate it moving much from that mark. Tennessee is playing very well and is at home, while the Texans are struggling wherever they play. This is certainly a solid play to go with the favored Titans at home.
If you like the Titans but don’t want to give the points, a moneyline bet of -475 is available, but it’s certainly going to cut into your winnings. As far as the over/under being among your NFL picks, 45 seems like a tough hill to climb since the Texas are having their troubles putting points on the board. Better to be safe and not count on Houston changing things around against Tennessee.
