The flood-ravaged city of Houston will be looking to get a big lift on Sunday when the Texans open their 2017 NFL season against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars as 5.5-point favourites on the NFL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
With the city in recovery mode after getting slammed by Hurricane Harvey last week, speculation was rife that Sunday afternoon’s Jaguars versus Texans betting matchup could move to EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Fla.
However, an announcement late Monday that the game would take place as scheduled at NRG Stadium is good news for the team, which posted straight-up wins in eight of nine home dates last season.
The Texans have dominated AFC South divisional rivals, compiling a 10-1 SU record over the past 11 games while covering on eight occasions. Houston has also posted wins in 11 straight against the Jaguars, going 8-2-1 against the spread, but failed to cover as 3.5-point chalk in a 21-20 home win over Jacksonville in Week 15 last season.
The Jaguars have otherwise been dismal road performers, going 2-23 SU in their past 25, but have covered in five of seven on the road, according to the OddsShark NFL Database.
Later on Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts are expected to be without star quarterback Andrew Luck when they visit the Los Angeles Rams as 3.5-point underdogs. Luck saw no action in the preseason as he recovers from shoulder surgery. However, the Colts have performed well when Luck has been sidelined by injury, going 6-4 SU in their past 10 dating back to 2015.
The Rams are looking to rebound after ending 2016 on a 1-11 SU run, and open the new season as +1200 longshots to finish the campaign atop the NFC West standings.
After signing a one-year, $12.1 million contract this past week, running back Le’Veon Bell is expected to suit up for the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend as they visit the Cleveland Browns as 8-point favourites.
Elsewhere, former MVP Adrian Peterson has been vocal about his desire to beat his former teammates when he leads the New Orleans Saints into a Monday Night Football matchup against the Minnesota Vikings as 3.5-point road underdogs.
And on Thursday night, the New England Patriots take on the Kansas City Chiefs as 8.5-point home chalk. The Patriots are unbeaten SU and ATS in five straight home contests, and are perched as +325 favourites to successfully defend their Super Bowl title.
The Patriots face a Chiefs squad that has won six straight on the road, but Kansas City is winless SU in six visits to New England since 1998.
For more info, picks and a breakdown of this week’s top sports betting news check out the new OddsShark podcast with Jon Campbell and Andrew Avery. Subscribe on iTunes, or check it out at OddsShark.libsyn.com.
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