Sunday Night Football Preview: Houston Texans vs. San Francisco 49ers

Houston Texans vs. San Francisco 49ers
Sunday, 10/6/13, 8:30 PM EST
Opening Point Spread: San Francisco -6.5
Current Betting Line: San Francisco -4
Opening Total: 42.5
Current Total: 43
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

The San Francisco 49ers are 5-1 SUATS as home favorites of 3.5 to 7 points since 2011

Houston has dropped back-to-back games, including a 23-20 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks as one-point home underdogs last Sunday, while going OVER the betting total of 41. Texans quarterback Matt Schaub needs to do a better job of protecting the football, as he’s thrown a pick six in three consecutive contests, which is hard to ignore when looking over the pro football odds page. Houston is 0-5 SU and 1-4 ATS as underdogs over the last two-plus seasons, with the OVER going 3-2 in that situation.

The Texans have the ability to move the ball on the ground with running back Arian Foster, who managed to total 171 yards from scrimmage against the Seahawks, while their defense looks to sure itself up in that category. Houston was limiting opponents to 91.3 rushing yards in the first three weeks, but surrendered 179 in Week 4. Schaub completed 20 of 30 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions in the last meeting between these two sides.

San Francisco returns to Candlestick Park in this non-conference affair, as it tries to win two games in a row for the first time—after registering an impressive 35-11 victory over the St. Louis Rams as three-point favorites on Sept. 26. The 49ers defense ranks 1st in the NFC and fourth in the league in allowing just 299.8 yards per game, which has been made possible by holding opponents to a 30.9 percent conversion rate on third down. San Francisco is 5-1 SUATS as home favorites of 3.5 to 7 points since 2011, with the OVER going 5-1 in those six opportunities.

The 49ers are 64-33 all-time in primetime games, including a 13-11 mark when featured on Sunday night’s broadcast. San Francisco is known for creating turnovers and taking care of the football, as it has won the battled in that category in 24 of 36 games under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Since 2011, the team has committed just 35 turnovers, which ranks first in the NFL over that span.