Baltimore Ravens vs Houston Texans Betting Pick & Prediction 12/25/24
The Ravens are favored on the money line at -210 as they prepare to take on the Texans at 4:30 ET on Wednesday, December 25th. The Texans are the underdog at +176, and the point spread favors the Ravens by -4. The over/under line is set at 47.5 points for this week 17 AFC matchup, which is being televised on NFLX.
BALTIMORE RAVENS VS HOUSTON TEXANS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Houston Texans +4
This game will be played at NRG Stadium at 4:30 ET on Wednesday, December 25th.
WHY BET THE HOUSTON TEXANS:
- We have the Texans winning this one by a score of 29 to 25
- Not only do we have the Texans winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at +4
- Look for this game to go over the line of 47.5 points
Will The Ravens Win As Road Favorites?
With a 10-5 record, the Ravens sit 5th in our power rankings and have a 100% chance of making the playoffs. They’ve 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 covered the spread, improving their ATS record to 8-6-1. Their O/U record stands at 12-3, with the over hitting in their last two games.
Heading into week 17, the Ravens have a 52.6% chance of winning the AFC North. They are 3-2 in division games and 6-4 in conference play. Baltimore is 5-2 at home and 5-3 on the road.
Our offensive power rankings have the Ravens at the top heading into week 17. They lead the NFL in yards per game with 423.7 and are 3rd in points per game, averaging 30.1. Baltimore ranks 5th in passing yards per game, despite being 26th in pass attempts. They lean heavily on the run game, ranking 3rd in attempts and 2nd in rushing yards per game with 181.2. On 3rd downs, the Ravens convert 48.2% of the time, which is 3rd best in the NFL, but they are 30th in red zone conversion percentage.
Lamar Jackson threw for 207 yards and 3 touchdowns in week 16, posting a passer rating of 115. Derrick Henry had 24 carries for 162 yards, and Zay Flowers led the team with 5 catches for 100 yards. Baltimore scored in every quarter against the Steelers, putting up 10 points in both the 2nd and 4th quarters. Before that, Jackson had a 5-touchdown game in week 15, and he threw for 237 yards in week 14.
Despite giving up 117 rushing yards to the Steelers, the Ravens’ defense came away with a 34-17 win. They allowed 198 passing yards on 22 completions, with Pittsburgh finishing with 315 total yards. Baltimore’s defense also forced one interception and recorded three sacks.
On the day, the Ravens held Pittsburgh to a 40% third-down conversion rate and won the battle in quarterback hits, finishing with a +6 differential. Even though the Steelers managed to run for 117 yards, they averaged 4.9 yards per attempt.
Are The Texans Going Win In At Upset At NRG Stadium
Despite their week 16 loss to the Chiefs, the Texans have locked up the AFC South with a 9-6 record. They are 4-1 in the division and 7-3 in conference play, putting them 4th in the AFC standings. Our power rankings have them 11th heading into week 17, when they will host the Ravens.
Houston has a +1.3 scoring margin this season and is 6-8-1 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 (O/U line: 44.8).
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 3rd down, they rank 15th with a conversion rate of 38.2%, and they are 19th in red zone conversions, scoring on 21.6% of their opportunities.
In week 16, C.J. Stroud threw for 244 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions against the Chiefs, completing 23 of 39 passes. Joe Mixon led the team in rushing with 57 yards on 14 carries, while Tank Dell had 6 catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. Dell is now out for the season with a knee injury.
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 53.8% of their chances.
The Texans’ defense managed just one sack in the game and struggled to generate consistent pressure, as they lost the quarterback hit and tackles for loss differentials. Giving up 27 points, Houston’s defense was unable to slow down the Chiefs’ offense enough to come out with a win.