Houston Texans vs. Chicago Bears: NFL Sunday Night Football Betting Preview and Predictions

Houston Texans at Chicago Bears
Sunday, 11/11/12, 8:20 PM EST, TV: NBC
Opening Point Spread: Chicago -1
Current Betting Line: Chicago -1.5
Opening Total: 44
Current Total: 40
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

The Houston Texans will line up as underdogs for the first time this season

Houston is 7-1 at the midway point of the 2012 NFL season, as it prepares to face a non-conference opponent with the same record on NBC’s Sunday Night Football inside Soldier Field. “It’s a big game, a very big game,” commented Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson. The Texans and Bears are the only two teams in the league that possess a top-five scoring offense and defense. Houston is 4-6 ATS as a road underdog over the last two-plus seasons, with the OVER going 7-3 in that situation.

The Texans will certainly want to get the ball into the hands of running back Arian Foster, who ranks fifth in the league with 770 rushing yards, while also scoring a league-best 11 touchdowns. Houston will be the forgotten defensive unit in this matchup due to Chicago’s ability to cause turnovers, but the team is allowing just 281.1 total yards and 17.1 points per game. Defensive end J.J. Watt is the player to watch, coming in with 10.5 sacks and going against an offensive line that has yielded 28 sacks.

Chicago has won six consecutive games and comes off a decisive 51-20 win over the Tennessee Titans as 4.5-point road favorites, while going OVER the total for the fourth time in five contests. “They have the best defense in the league right now,” commented United States President Barack Obama in an interview that aired during last week’s Monday Night Football. The franchise is second in the NFL in surrendering 15.0 points per game, while being tied for third with 25 sacks. Chicago is 3-1 ATS as a home favorite of three or fewer points since 2010.

The Bears have one of the better quarterback-receiver combos in the league, but it’s still important to note that they rank 25th in gaining 324.4 yards on the offensive end. Jay Cutler completed 19-of-26 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns against the Titans, with Marshall finishing with nine catches for 122 yards. Cutler has led the franchise to wins in 12 of his last 13 starts dating back to last year.