The Bengals are strangely only three point underdogs against the Texans in Week 16. At least that’s how the spreads at BookMaker.eu have opened at the start of the week.
The Bengals haven't had the greatest luck against the Texans, winning only one of the last seven games played between the teams, two of which were playoff games that the Texans won in 2011 and 2012.
The Bengals (5-8-1) have been eliminated from playoff contention while the Texans are in first place in the AFC South with an 8-6 record. The Texans beat the Jaguars by one point on Sunday, forcing Jacksonville to fire head coach Gus Bradley. Meanwhile, in that same game, the Texans benched their $72 million quarterback, Brock Osweiler.
Osweiler threw two interceptions in the first half of the Texans' Week 15 win and backup Tom Savage finished out the game, going 23-of-36 for 260 yards in less than three quarters of play. Texans head coach Bill O’Brien hasn’t said who will start on Saturday against the Bengals. But, the Bengals haven’t fared well against Texans backup quarterbacks, either. Just last season Bengals-enemy T.J. Yates (who led the Texans to their first-ever playoff win against the Bengals in 2011) entered the teams’ Week 10 game after Brian Hoyer suffered a concussion, and dealt the Bengals their first loss of the 2015 season.
What timing for the Texans to start a quarterback controversy with the Bengals on deck. Honestly, I’d think the Texans should be much more than three point favorites at home against the struggling Bengals. Expect this line to move throughout the shortened week.
Below are the Week 16 opening odds from BookMaker.eu:
Bengals at Texans (-3, 41)
Buccaneers at Saints (-3)
Titans (-3.5, 44.5) at Jaguars
Chargers (-6.5, 45.5) at Browns