Here is info and a pick on Thursday Night Football Texans Dolphins odds spread line with teaser advice.
An AFC battle between the Miami Dolphins (4-3) and the Houston Texans (4-3) is on tap this Thursday night at NRG Stadium (8:20 p.m., FOX). The Texans, winners of four straight after a disastrous start to the season, were installed as 7.5-point favorites at most sportsbooks, while the betting total is listed at 44.5 points.
You can bet on Dolphins versus Texans right now at FanDuel Sportsbook if you are in the state of New Jersey.
Houston has been getting it done the old-fashioned way, letting their smashmouth defense carry the team. Though DeShaun Watson and company haven’t topped 20 points since Week 4, no team has scored more than 16 against the Texans in that span. Houston’s fearsome pass rush, led by J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, should disrupt Miami’s struggling offense, who will be hard-pressed to move the ball against the third-best defensive unit by yards per play allowed.
Brock Osweiler, 1-1 since taking over for the injured Ryan Tannehill, will start for the Dolphins once more. Wide receiver DeVante Parker is expected to return from injury, but Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson are expected to hit the sidelines after suffering injuries in Week 7. Kenyan Drake can only do so much out of the backfield against the NFL’s eighth-best rush defense, so Miami appears to be in trouble on offense.
Houston may have righted the ship straight-up, but against the spread they’re still a losing proposition on the year at 2-5. Miami has an identical spread record and straight-up record but is heading in the wrong direction, going 1-3 in their last four games.
Historical negative trends abound in this matchup, as the Dolphins are 1-7 against the spread in their last eight road games, and 2-6 in their last eight as an underdog. The Texans are 2-10 against the spread in their last 12, and have failed to cover in each of their last five at home. As a touchdown favorite or better, Houston has covered just twice in their last 10 opportunities.
Looking at the betting total and the trends, the Under appears to be the smart play. Miami’s shorthanded offense will struggle to score and has gone Under in four of their last five road games. Houston’s offense is far from dynamic, resulting in a 2-7 Over/Under record over their last nine contests. Additionally, four of the last five games at NRG Stadium have gone below the total.
The Texans are far too big a favorite to endorse against the spread, but they look like a safe bet to win on Thursday night. We can combine this along with an Under play in a six-point teaser that pays off at a standard -110.
Prediction: Texans win, 24-17
The play: Six-point Teaser of Texans -1.5 and Miami vs. Houston UNDER 50.5 (-110)
