Houston Texans at Detroit Lions NFL Betting Preview
The NFL kicks off Week 13 with three Thanksgiving Day games and the first of those is the Detroit Lions (4-6) hosting the Houston Texans (3-7). The Lions have hosted a game on Thanksgiving every year since 1934 posting a 37-41-2 record. The Thursday, November 26 game kicks off at 12:30 p.m. ET at Ford Field in Detroit and will be televised on CBS.
These teams have met just four times since the Texans joined the NFL and Houston has won the last three. The Texans won at home 20-13 in 2016 and won at Detroit in their only Thanksgiving appearance 34-31 in OT in 2012. The Lions lone win in the series came at home in 2004.
Houston Texans Betting Outlook: Let Watson Fling It
At a1pph.com the Texans are 3-7 ATS this season and the over is 5-5 in their 10 games. They are 1-4 ATS on the road this season and the over is 4-1 in their five games. Houston’s defense has let them down all season ranking 31st in total yards (411.7 ypg), dead last against the run (159.3 ypg), dead last in takeaways (6) and 23rd in points allowed (27.2 ppg).
Houston beat the New England Patriots 27-20 at home on Sunday with the passing game lighting up the stat board. Deshaun Watson threw for 344 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers or sacks. The defense allowed 365 yards passing but recorded two sacks and held Cam Newton to six rushing yards.
Watson led the Texans with 36 rushing yards and a touchdown run on Sunday. On the season he has thrown for 2,883 yards with 20 touchdowns and five interceptions.
With David Johnson out injured, running back Duke Johnson tallied just 15 yards on 10 carries Sunday. The run game has struggled all season with 84.5 yards per game and Watson leads the active players with 269 yards and two touchdowns.
Wideout Brandin Cooks had 85 yards on four catches Sunday while tight end Jordan Akins had 83 yards on five catches. Randall Cobb had a touchdown catch before getting injured
and Will Fuller V had six catches for 80 yards. Fuller and Cooks both have 47 catches on the season with Fuller’s six touchdowns leading the team.
Detroit Lions Betting Outlook: Find a Run Game
Betting at A1pph the Lions are 4-6 ATS this season and the over is 6-4 in their 10 games, 4-0 at home. Detroit is 1-3 ATS at home this season with a cover in their last home game on November 15. Detroit’s defense ranks 30th in the NFL against the run (139 ypg), 28th in scoring (28.7 ppg) and 27th in total yards allowed (397.4 ypg)
Nothing went right for the Lions on offense Sunday in a 20-0 loss at Carolina. They tallied just 185 yards of total offense and the Panthers had five sacks. Meanwhile the defense grabbed two interceptions but allowed 374 yards and two touchdowns.
Quarterback Matt Stafford threw for 178 yards Sunday while completing just 18-of-33 passes. On the season Stafford has 2,581 passing yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Stafford is 4-5 on Thanksgiving with 17 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and he missed last year’s game with an injury.
Rookie running back D’Andre Swift missed Sunday’s game and is questionable for Thursday. In his place, Adrian Peterson had 18 yards and Kerryon Johnson had 17. Peterson has 389 yards and three touchdowns on the season.
Star wideout Kenny Golladay missed his fifth game of the season on Sunday. Tight end T.J. Hockenson had four catches for 68 yards while wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. had four catches for 51 yards. Hockenson leads the team with 40 catches on the season while Jones has 455 yards and both have five touchdowns.
Houston Texans at Detroit Lions Betting Line
Head to our favorite pay per head bookie site at a1pph.com where the Texans are favored by 2.5 points with a total of 51 points. The Lions are a +125 moneyline underdog at home.
Betting Analysis
This game is typically the Lions Super Bowl but they haven't won on Thanksgiving since 2016 and won’t have a full house like usual. The Texans may have played their best game of the season on Sunday against the Patriots and now need to get the offense to travel on a short week. The good news is the game is indoors and that should favor Houston.
Free Pick: Texans -2.5 (-110)
