Monday Night Football Picks: Houston Texans vs. New York Jets

Houston Texans at New York Jets
Monday, 10/8/12, 8:30 PM EST, TV: ESPN
Opening Point Spread: Houston -7
Current Betting Line: Houston -8
Opening Total: 42
Current Total: 40.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

Texans Vs Jaguars Preview — Houston Texans QB Matt Schaub has put up incredible numbers in winning his last eight starts

Houston has proven to be among the top NFL teams through four weeks, as it comes off a 38-14 victory over the Tennessee Titans as 13-point home favorites, while going OVER the total for the second consecutive week. The Texans are averaging 31.5 points per game, while giving up just 14.0, which is certainly a recipe for success. “They’re feeding off each other,” commented Texans head coach Gary Kubiak about the situation. “Those two things together win games in this league.” Houston is 6-2 ATS as a road favorite the last two-plus seasons, while the UNDER is 5-4 in that situation.

The Texans have won their last eight games with a healthy Matt Schaub under center, outscoring opponents by an average of 32-12 in that stretch. He currently ranks third in the NFL in passer rating, while getting sacked just three times. Offensively, the team is tied for the league lead in committing only two turnovers, while sitting second with an average time of possession of 35:32.

New York head coach Rex Ryan isn’t going to give up on the season despite alternating wins and losses over the last four weeks, while also losing key players on the roster to injury. “We do have to rally around each other,” stated Ryan this week. “It does check the resolve of your team, but that’s one of our strengths.” The Jets offense has managed to score just two touchdowns in the last three games, which has stirred up a quarterback controversy between Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow. New York is 1-6 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points, with the OVER going 5-2 in that situation.

The Jets are sticking behind Sanchez despite going 13-for-29 for 103 yards in their most recent loss against the San Francisco 49ers. New York will need to lean heavily on its 5-0 all-time record in this series, including a 3-0 mark at home. Running back Shonn Greene needs to show up in a big way in this primetime event, gaining just 191 yards on 68 carries this year.