Underdog Texans, Jaguars Look to Close Gap on Colts in AFC South Standings
Published:
Daniel Coyle, American Sports Correspondent | November 14, 2015
The Texans have won two of their last three, both straight up and against the spread, cutting the Indianapolis Colts’ lead in the division to just a half-game.
Testing time for Texans
While the 4-5 Colts enjoy a bye in Week 10, the Texans are on the road for the third time in their last four outings. The team picked up an important 31-20 win in Jacksonville, back in Week 6, but have largely struggled on the road, going 1-3 SU and ATS in four away games this season.
The Bengals, meanwhile, remain one of just three undefeated teams in the NFL this year, improving to 8-0 with last week’s 31-10 spanking of the Cleveland Browns, covering as big 13-point favourites to also remain undefeated ATS.
Not surprisingly, Cincy sits among the league leaders in offense this season, ranked third in the NFL with 28.6 points per game. But it has been their defense that has been the difference in their last two outings, holding opponents to under 285 total yards per game and just 20 total points.
The club has clearly earned their big point spread this weekend, but it is the Texans who have had the upper hand in recent meetings, winning five straight, SU and ATS, before dropping a 22-13 decision at home last season, failing to cover as 2.5-point favourites.
Jags on the up
The Jaguars also have a chance this weekend to close the gap on the division-leading Colts, when they visit the Baltimore Ravens as 5.5-point underdogs.
Jacksonville’s 2-6 record leaves them 1.5 games back of Indianapolis, but after showing dramatic improvement in their last two games, and with seven of their eight remaining contests coming against teams with losing records, there will be no better time than the present for the Jaguars to heat up.
Despite their soft schedule, and the underwhelming performances by their division rivals, Jacksonville remains a 12/1 longshot to win the AFC South, and end a seven-year playoff drought.
The Ravens ended a three-game losing streak with a 29-26 win in San Diego two weeks ago, before enjoying a bye last weekend.
It has been a disappointing season for Baltimore, which opened the season with respectable 20/1 Super Bowl odds, but have fallen to a distant 300/1 since opening with a 2-6 record, well back of the AFC North-leading Bengals.
Battling Baltimore
Baltimore has also recorded a middling 2-2 SU record in their last four against the Jags, despite being pegged as double-digits in three of those meetings, covering the spread just once.
The Colts’ weak first half has devastated their Super Bowl odds, which sat at a strong 17/2 at the start of the season.
With the team struggling to consistently record wins, and quarterback Andrew Luck sidelined for up to six weeks with internal injuries suffered in last week’s 27-24 victory over Denver, those odds have now fallen to a generous 20/1.
In other NFL Week 10 betting action at Coral, the Carolina Panthers will try to remain undefeated when they visit the Tennessee Titans as 4.5-point favourites, while the 8-0 New England Patriots visit the New York Giants favoured by 7, and the Minnesota Vikings shoot for a fifth straight victory when they travel to Oakland to battle the Raiders as 2.5-point underdogs.
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