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Texans at Titans: Preview, prediction, odds and pick

By John Buhler

HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 01: Tennessee Titans running back DeMarco Murray (29) runs the ball during the NFL game between the Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans on October 1, 2017 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Daniel Dunn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 01: Tennessee Titans running back DeMarco Murray (29) runs the ball during the NFL game between the Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans on October 1, 2017 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Daniel Dunn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Tennessee Titans will host the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon in Week 13. Here is a game preview, the betting odds and a final score prediction.

It will be Week 13 in the NFL this weekend. One game of note going on in the AFC South on Sunday will be between division rivals in the Houston Texans (4-7) and the Tennessee Titans (7-4). Kickoff from Nissan Stadium in Nashville will be at 1:00 p.m. ET on Dec. 3. Greg Gumbel and Trent Green will be in the booth to call the game for CBS.

Houston enters play at 4-7 on the year. The Texans had a ton of promise entering the year. They were the two-time reigning division winners in the AFC South with a promise, mobile franchise quarterback in former Clemson Tigers standout Deshaun Watson.

However, Watson got hurt, as did many of the Texans’ best players, thus cratering their season. Though it won’t be as bad as the 2-14 year that saw the end of Gary Kubiak era in Houston, the Texans will need a handful of miracles to make the AFC playoffs. Maybe next year, guys?

Tennessee enters play at 7-4 on the year. The Titans lead the AFC South over the Jacksonville Jaguars (7-4) by virtue of the head-to-head tiebreaker. Tennessee looks to be one of the best six teams in the AFC during a very down year for the conference. The Titans and Jaguars will be duking it out for playoff positioning presumably the rest of the way.

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Tennessee -7
Moneylines: Tennessee -290, Houston +263
Over/Under: 43.5

According to OddsShark, the Titans will be laying seven points at home to the visiting Texans. The associated moneylines for this game are Tennessee -290 and Houston +263. This game’s over/under comes in at a combined 43.5 points.

Tennessee should be favored in this game, possibly by more than a touchdown with it being in Nashville. Since Tennessee is at its best in low-scoring games, let’s take the under. Not sure that Tom Savage will be able to put up a ton of points quarterbacking this Texans offense anyway.

Tennessee will come out of the gates running with a pair of rushing touchdowns by its two tailbacks DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry in the first quarter. The Titans will take a convincing 21-7 lead into halftime. Then, it becomes a defensive struggle.

Houston will actually outscore the Titans in the second half, as the Titans struggle to move the chains on a desperate Texans defense. Savage will connect with DeAndre Hopkins for a second time to make things interesting in the third quarter.

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A Ryan Succop field goal in the middle of the fourth quarter will sadly put this game out of reach for depleted Houston. The Titans improve to 8-4 and cover the seven-point spread at home with a 10-point victory over the Texans.

Pick: Titans 24, Texans 14

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