Los Angeles Rams at Houston Texans: Betting Guide

Visiting Team

Next game: vs Tennessee Titans

Last Game

The Rams are coming off of a 28-19 victory over the Detroit Lions, in which Stafford marked facing his former team with 334 yards and three touchdowns. The running game did not have much of an impact, although 156 yards and two touchdowns from Cooper Kupp provided enough of a boost.

The defense was also impressive, holding the Lions to just 374 total yards and forcing two turnovers. This marked the third straight week that LA has kept its opponent under 20 points, which is encouraging for their championship aspirations.

Injury Report

Cam Akers is still out with an injury he suffered during the offseason, while Andre Whitworth is questionable at tackle. Defensively, both Jordan Fuller and Sebastian Joseph-Day are also questionable and did not practice Wednesday.

Home Team

Next game: at Miami Dolphins

Last Game

The Texans came out to a surprisingly hot start against the Arizona Cardinals last week, assuming a 5-0 lead in the second quarter, only to be shut out for the rest of the game while giving up 31 unanswered points. This loss marked the team’s sixth straight defeat, though they are still 3-4 against the spread. Houston finished with 160 yards of total offense and a terrible 3.3 yards per play.

Injury Report

Tyrod Taylor is still on the injured reserve, while offensive linemen Justin Britt and C.J. McCray and running back Rex Burkhead are questionable.

Betting on the Game

The NFL has gone through an evolution similar to that of the NBA in recent years. Whereas the increasing pervasiveness of the three-point shot has meant the scores are higher and teams can recover from larger deficits, NFL teams are now able to put more points on the board due to the speed of the game.

This plays into the hands of the Rams, in particular, who are a pass-first team with a pair of intermediate threats in Kupp and Robert Woods, and a legitimate deep threat in DeSean Jackson. For that reason, a 14.5-point is not as intimidating as it was ten years ago.

The Rams were a popular pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, and their 6-1 start has shown exactly why. LA has always had talent, namely Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey, but adding Stafford into the mix seems to have taken them over the top.

On the flip side, Houston is struggling in the wake of the Deshaun Watson controversy and Tyrod Taylor’s injury. QB Davis Mills just does not look acclimated to the speed of the professional game, and now that Mark Ingram III has just been shipped to New Orleans, it is tough to see where the offense will come from for the Texans.

On the defensive side, Houston’s defense has given up 31 points in its last two outings. This team truly is a shell of its former self and needs to spend multiple years in the rebuilding process.

For more NFL predictions, click here.

Final Score: LA Rams 38, Houston Texans 10