Baltimore Ravens vs Houston Texans Matchup

Check out our free Ravens vs Texans pick and preview for this NFL week 17 game in Houston. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this week 17 regular season matchup.

Wednesday, December 25th at 4:30 ET, the Ravens and Texans will face off at NRG Stadium in Houston. The Ravens are the road favorite with a point spread of -4. The Ravens need to add their record, and the Texans are +176 on the money line. This week 17 AFC matchup can be viewed on NFLX, with the over/under line set at 47.5 points.

Ravens vs. Texans Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NFL
Teams: Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans
Where: Houston at NRG Stadium
Date: Wednesday, December 25th
Betting Odds BAL -4, BAL -210 | HOU +176 O/U 47.5

Ravens Preview:

At 10-5, the Ravens have a 100% chance of making the playoffs and a 52.6% chance of winning the AFC North. They rank 2nd in our power rankings and have won two straight games, including a 34-17 victory over the Steelers in week 16. Baltimore was a 7-point favorite in that game, and they covered the spread, bringing their ATS record to 8-6-1 this season.

The over has hit in 12 of the Ravens' 15 games, including the last two. Their games have averaged 53.4 points, while the O/U line has averaged 47.6. Baltimore’s conference record is 6-4, and they are 5-3 on the road and 5-2 at home.

Ravens Offense Breakdown

Heading into week 17, the Ravens are 1st in our offensive power rankings. They lead the NFL in yards per game (423.7) and are 3rd in points per game, averaging 30.1. Baltimore ranks 26th in passing attempts but is 5th in passing yards per game, with 242.5. They are 3rd in rushing attempts and 2nd in rushing yards per game, averaging 181.2.

Lamar Jackson threw for 207 yards (15/23) and 3 touchdowns in week 16, with one interception and a passer rating of 115. Derrick Henry rushed for 162 yards on 24 carries, and Zay Flowers had 5 receptions for 100 yards. Baltimore scored in every quarter against the Steelers, putting up 10 points in both the 2nd and 4th quarters.

Ravens Team Defense

Despite allowing 117 rushing yards to the Steelers, the Ravens' defense played well in their latest game, coming away with three sacks and an interception while holding Pittsburgh to 40% on third down. They gave up 198 passing yards on 22 completions, with two passing touchdowns. Baltimore's defense also limited the Steelers to 315 total yards in their 34-17 win.

The Ravens' defense put pressure on the quarterback, leading to a positive differential in both tackles for loss and quarterback hits. Although they gave up two passing touchdowns, the Ravens' defense made things difficult for the Steelers throughout the game.

Texans Preview:

Despite their week 16 loss to the Chiefs, the Texans remain atop the AFC South with a 9-6 record, including a 4-1 mark in division play. This gives them a +1.3 scoring margin and a 6-8-1 record against the spread. They are 4-6-1 as favorites and 2-2 as underdogs. Their O/U record is 5-9-1, with their games averaging 44.9 points compared to a 44.8-point line.

Our power rankings place Houston 11th heading into week 17, and they have clinched a playoff spot and the division title. They will host the Ravens in week 17, looking to improve their 5-2 home record.

Texans Offense Breakdown

Heading into week 17, the Texans rank 20th in our offensive power rankings, averaging 23.1 points per game, which places them 13th in the NFL. They are 20th in passing yards per game (213.7) and 18th in rushing yards per game (109.6), with 25.9 rushing attempts per game. On third down, they rank 15th with a conversion rate of 38.2%, and they are 19th in red zone conversion percentage.

C.J. Stroud threw for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns in week 16, but he also had 2 interceptions. Joe Mixon led the team in rushing with 57 yards on 14 carries, while Tank Dell had 6 receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown. Dell, however, is out for the season with a knee injury.

Texans Team Defense

In their 27-19 loss to the Chiefs, the Texans' defense allowed 375 total yards and 124 rushing yards on 28 attempts. They gave up 251 passing yards, with Kansas City completing 68.3% of their passes. Houston struggled on third downs, allowing the Chiefs to convert on 53.8% of their third down chances. The Texans' defense managed just one sack and lost the QB hit and tackles for loss differentials.

Ravens vs Texans Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Baltimore has played well in their previous three road games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 27 points per game while allowing 18. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
In their last three games at home, the Texans have a straight up record of 2-1 while going 1-1-1 vs the spread. The team averaged 25 points per game in this stretch.
Looking back on the team's last three games as the underdog, the Texans have a straight up record of 0-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 1-2.
Through their last three games as the favorite, the Ravens have an ATS record of 2-1 and a straight up mark of 2-1.