In the first game following their bye week, the New York Giants will host a slumping Houston Texans team that owns just one win entering Week 10 of the NFL season and travels to MetLifeStadium on a three-game losing streak.
The Giants are looking to restart the positive momentum they had throughout most of October before losing on the road 27-13 to the Seattle Seahawks. Meanwhile, the Texans will try to salvage their foundering campaign after failing to get their first victory at home in 2022 last Thursday night against the Philadelphia Eagles.
For the first meeting between these teams since 2018, Houston prepares to face a second straight NFC East opponent as an underdog as Caesars Sportsbook lists New York as 4.5-point favorites with the afternoon’s over/under total at 40½.
Let’s take a closer look at the odds and trends:
Houston Texans at New York Giants
Time/TV: 1 p.m. Sunday, CBS
Point spread (from Caesars Sportsbook): Giants -4½
Money line: Giants -225, Texans +185
Over/under: 40½
Analysis: The overall performance of the Texans through eight games has been dreary, which explains why the slim spread in this contest may come off as surprising to some.
A case for such a margin may rest with Houston’s rookie running back Dameon Pierce, who has emerged as one of the silver linings in the team’s otherwise slouching offense.
Pierce is coming off his best outing of the season last week against the Eagles, a game in which he posted career highs of both 139 yards on the ground and 27 carries. Such high volume for the standout rookie may be the Texans’ best path to victory, given the Giants have surrendered the fourth-most rushing yards in the NFL among teams that have played eight games through nine weeks.
One of the most fascinating facts about New York’s start is that the Giants are 6-2 despite failing to score more than 27 points in any game. Conversely, the Texans have scored more than 20 points only once and failed to eclipse 17 points in three of their last four games.
A run-heavy approach from the underdog helps drain the clock at a faster pace, which decreases the time each side has to score points. The under has hit in five of Houston’s last six clashes with teams owning winning records at home, while also cashing in all of New York’s previous six home games versus opponents with a losing road record. The Giants have also hit the under seven straight times in November games.
Given the low-scoring nature of both teams and supporting trends, the under projects as the safest available wager rather than banking on the spread in either direction.
Prediction: Giants 23, Texans 17
Gambling problem? Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369).
Categories: Uncategorized
