MNF Betting Odds – Texans vs. Bengals Spread at Cincinnati -11

Carrie Stroup here with your MNF betting odds for the Texans vs. Bengals.  The spread was coming in at Cincinnati -11, Total: 47.5

HOUSTON TEXANS (3-5) at CINCINNATI BENGALS (8-0)

The Bengals try to keep their unbeaten streak alive at home Monday night against the Texans.

The Houston Texans (3-5 SU and ATS) hope to kick off the second half of the season with a bang off of their bye week, taking on the undefeated Cincinnati Bengals (8-0 SU and 7-0-1 ATS) who are hot on the heels of a commanding 31-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

The Texans have had a slight edge over their opponents all-time (5-4 SU and 6-3 ATS), though they are 11-point underdogs in this week’s matchup. Betting trends largely favor the Bengals this week, as the team is 15-4 ATS in home games over the past three seasons, and their opponent is 2-10 ATS in road games versus good offensive teams (averaging 5.65+ yards per play) in franchise history.

Bettors looking to the Texans to cover the spread will note that underdogs who are poor rushing teams (less than 3.5 yards per run) are 23-4 ATS when playing a poor rushing defense (allowing 4.5+ yards per run) after gaining 99 or fewer rushing yards in three straight games.

Houston’s offense, now in the hands of QB Brian Hoyer after an early season quarterback controversy, has scored 21.8 PPG (20^th in NFL) on 369.4 YPG (9^th in league). WR DeAndre Hopkins is the team’s unrivaled first offensive option, being targeted 112 times for 66 catches, 870 yards, and six TDs. Hopkins’ pace has leveled off in recent weeks, but he’s still among the league leaders in receptions (4^th), receiving yards (3^rd), and receiving TDs (6^th).

The loss of RB Arian Foster for the season is a blow to the Texans’ already anemic running game. The team averages just 88 YPG on the ground (29^th in NFL), has scored only four rushing TDs (21^st in league), and produces a league-worst 3.3 yards per attempt. RB Alfred Blue, starting for the injured Foster, has shown flashes of brilliance this year, rushing for 139 yards on 31 carries with a TD in a Week 3 game against Tampa Bay – though that single outing represents more than half of his total rushing yards all season.

The Texans’ defense, traditionally the focal point of the team, has been lackluster this season, allowing opponents to score 25.6 PPG (22^nd in NFL), and is particularly susceptible to the run, spotting opposing rushers 123.5 YPG (27^th in league), seven TDs (21^st in NFL), and a generous 4.4 yards per attempt (23^rd in league). The team is especially bad on the road, giving up 34.0 PPG and 406.2 YPG to their hosts.

As one would expect of any team that has been perfect through the first half of the season, Cincinnati has been excellent playing both sides of the ball. Led by the stellar play of QB Andy Dalton, the team has scored 28.6 PPG (3^rd in NFL) and generated 391.1 YPG (6^th in league). Dalton has thrown for 18 TDs (5^th in NFL) on an outstanding 8.1 yards per passing attempt (2^nd in NFL), while giving up just four interceptions (4^th in league), good for the league’s second best passer rating (111.0). He has historically struggled against the Texans, however, going 1-3 SU and ATS in his career, averaging 201.5 yards per game and amassing just two TDs while giving up five interceptions for a passer rating of 66.5.

The rushing corps of RB Jeremy Hill and RB Giovani Bernard are good for 120.4 YPG (11^th in NFL) and have found the end zone 10 times (2^nd in league). Bernard has carved out a role for himself in the Bengals’ passing game as one of Dalton’s primary targets, along with fellow offensive weapons WR A.J. Green and TE Tyler Eifert. Eifert, in particular, has been key to the team’s success, and leads the league in receiving TDs with 9.

The Bengals’ defense has been just as formidable, allowing opponents just 17.8 PPG (4^th in NFL), 10 passing TDs (7^th in league), and 3 rushing TDs (4^th in NFL), though they do allow opposing rushers to amass a league worst 4.9 yards per run. DE Carlos Dunlap and DT Geno Atkins have been the cornerstones of the team’s defense, and are among the league leaders in sacks with 8.5 (tied for 2^nd) and 6.0 (tied for 5^th), respectively.