Browns at Texans: Preview, prediction, odds and pick

The Houston Texans will host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon in Week 6. Here is a game preview, the betting odds and a final score prediction.

It’s already Week 6 of the 2017 NFL season. One game going on in the early afternoon between two AFC teams will feature the Cleveland Browns (0-5) and the Houston Texans (2-3). Kickoff from NRG Stadium in Houston will be at 1:00 p.m. ET. CBS will have the telecast with Andrew Catalon and James Lofton in the booth.

Cleveland is one of three winless teams in the NFL, along with the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers. This has not been the start to the year that Hue Jackson and company could have hoped for. So far he has one win in his second stint as an NFL head coach. That came last year on Christmas Eve versus the then San Diego Chargers.

Houston is 2-3 on the year but seems to have found something at quarterback in rookie Deshaun Watson. His offensive skill set is still a tad unrefined, but his mobility gives the Texans offense bite it hasn’t had since that one year where Matt Schaub was playing out of his mind for Kyle Shanahan.

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Houston -10
Moneylines: Houston -450, Cleveland +350
Over/Under: 47

According to SportsBook Review, the Texans will be laying 10 points at home to the visiting Browns. The associated moneylines for this game are Houston -450 and Cleveland +350. This game’s over/under comes in at a combined 47 points.

Given that we saw Houston put up a bunch of points on the Kansas City Chiefs last week, let’s go with the slight over in this one. A lot of that will be contingent on if the Browns can hold their own offensively. Being a 10-point underdog at 0-5 is not a great spot for the Cleveland professional football team.

Houston is far from a great team but will have no problem pushing around the Browns in their building. If the Texans play like they did in the fourth quarter versus the Chiefs in Week 5, they could blow out the Browns before halftime.

It will be a closer game than many expect. Houston may only lead by a touchdown throughout most of the contest. The Texans have some holes to fill on defense with J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus now out for the year due to injury.

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Look for Watson to deliver a late fourth-quarter strike to fellow Clemson Tiger in receiver DeAndre Hopkins to go up by more than the 10-point spread. This one goes over, Houston covers and Cleveland falls to a terrible 0-6.

Prediction: Texans 31, Browns 20