Here’s a look at a key AFC South matchup plus a pair of interconference plays for Week 15 of the NFL regular season.
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans (-3)
Moneyline: Texans +145, Titans -165
Betting Total: 48.5 points
Time (Eastern): 1 p.m.
First place in the AFC South is up for grabs at Nissan Stadium on Sunday afternoon as the inconsistent Houston Texans (8-5) visit the surging Tennessee Titans (8-5). No matter which version of the Texans shows up on Sunday, Ryan Tannehill and company will do their part in ensuring that this game exceeds the total.
The Titans’ offense is running like a well-oiled machine over the seven games started by Tannehill, scoring 31.4 points per tilt. It has not merely been an air show in Tennessee though. Running back Derrick Henry has been one of the better ball-carriers in the NFL over the last month, averaging 149.8 yards over his last four games. The Titans should have few issues moving the chains against a Texans defense that ranks 27th in yards allowed per play.
Tennessee’s defense has coincidentally regressed since Tannehill relieved Mariota under center, allowing 23.3 points per game. That’s gone a long way in helping each of the last seven Titans games exceed the total. Houston signal caller Deshaun Watson, seventh in passing yards and fifth in touchdown passes this season, should have a fine day through the air against Tennessee’s 26th-ranked pass stoppers.
The play: Texans v. Titans Over
Seattle Seahawks (-5) at Carolina Panthers
Moneyline: Seahawks -250, Panthers +210
Betting Total: 48.5 points
Time (Eastern): 1 p.m.
Carolina’s mid-week firing of Ron Rivera failed to light a fire under the Panthers (5-8). In fact, they laid an egg at home against the division-rival Falcons last week, losing 40-20. The Seattle Seahawks (10-3), looking for vengeance after a Sunday Night Football loss to the Rams, should run roughshod over a Carolina team that may be phoning it in.
The Seahawks had won and covered in four straight games prior to Sunday night, but their fourth straight meeting with a .500-or-better team proved to be too much for them. Russell Wilson and company get a class drop in Carolina this week as they face a Panthers defense that’s 27th in points allowed per game. Seattle running back Chris Carson should get plenty of touches against a rush defense that’s fourth-worst in the NFL.
Meanwhile, Panthers tailback Christian McCaffrey has regressed over the last month, failing to top even 75 yards rushing over his last four contests. Rookie quarterback Kyle Allen has a 6-7 TD-INT ratio over his last five games, which has gone a long way in explaining Carolina’s woeful minus-12 turnover ratio in that span. The Seahawks’ defense is more than capable of creating turnovers as they’re third in the league in that department.
The play: Seahawks spread
Minnesota Vikings (-2.5) at Los Angeles Chargers
Moneyline: Vikings -140, Chargers +120
Betting Total: 44.5 points
Time (Eastern): 4:05 p.m.
The Minnesota Vikings (9-4) have played solid football over their last nine games, winning seven times while keeping the margin of defeat to one score in tough losses to the Seahawks and Chiefs. The underachieving Los Angeles Chargers (5-8) should have a hard time staying within the number here.
The Vikings bring the NFL’s fourth-rated rushing attack into this one against the Chargers’ 17th-rated run stoppers. Dalvin Cook and rookie Alexander Mattison should be able to establish themselves on the ground in this one, setting things up for quarterback Kirk Cousins through the air. Minnesota has averaged 28.3 points over their last nine contests, and they’re 11-4 against the spread in their last 15 games as the betting favorite.
L.A.’s offense is fourth in yards per play but just 18th in scoring, and that can be attributed to their carelessness with the football. In their last nine games, their turnover differential is minus-9. By contrast, the Vikings’ differential in the same span is plus-5. The Chargers usually have a tough time establishing the ground game (22nd) and Minnesota allows the fourth-fewest passing yards to running backs in the league, so Austin Ekeler’s effectiveness will likely be limited in this one.
The play: Vikings spread
