San Diego at Houston Week 12 Betting Pick & Prediction

The Houston Texans are one of NFL’s three undefeated home teams entering Week 12, and they’ll be looking to maintain that flawless home record when they host the San Diego Chargers this coming Sunday. The Chargers (4-6) are all but out of the postseason race, but they should still have a lot to fight for, if not for their pride, then for their head coach who will most likely be on the hot seat if the team doesn’t crack the .500 mark by the end of the season. For the AFC South-leading Texans (6-4), well, there’s pretty much everything to fight for, so you can expect a strong showcase from them as they seek to prove their doubters wrong. How should you place your wagers in this game’s NFL lines? Find out as we analyze it all for you in the online betting preview below.

San Diego at Houston Week 12 Betting Pick & Prediction

Who’s out and who’s in? Full #SDvsHOU Injury Report: https://t.co/PBNq8Qabwf pic.twitter.com/wmNSABlCEz

— San Diego Chargers (@Chargers) November 25, 2016

Where: NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas When: Sunday, November 27, 1:00 PM ET TV: CBS Radio: San Diego / Houston Live Stream: NFL Live NFL Lines: San Diego (-1.5), OVER/UNDER 47

Why Bet on San Diego?

It is no secret that the Chargers have been mayonnaise-soft when it comes to defending the ball, but with Houston’s offense ranking among the worst in the NFL this season in terms of scoring, this game doesn’t figure to cause that much trouble to San Diego’s D. And even in the off chance that the Texans get their act together offensively, San Diego’s solid offense should be able to keep the Chargers in the game. Philip Rivers (#4 in the NFL in TDs, #6 in passing yards) is easily one of the best arms in the league, a big reason why San Diego ranks #5 in the NFL in passing yards per game and #2 in scoring offense. With Rivers doing his thing and the likes of Melvin Gordon and Antonio Gates helping in moving the chains, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to expect a good offensive showcase from San Diego this week. And as far as statistics are concerned, the Bolts are 4-1 SU and 5-0 ATS in their five all-time meetings against Houston; numbers that speak strongly of San Diego’s potential to claim the win this Sunday.

Why Bet on Houston?

While the Texans haven’t been lighting it up in offense for the majority of the season, they’ve certainly been playing better in offense recently, averaging 22 points in their last two outings, which is decently above their season average of 18.1 points per game. A big reason behind this improvement is the fact that Houston has been able to run the ball better, tallying 180 rushing yards and 124 rushing yards in its last two games versus the Jags and Raiders. Against the soft San Diego defense, Houston’s offense should be more than capable of putting up a decent number of points on the board, led by an improving Brock Osweiler at QB and a stud rusher in RB Lamar Miller. Meanwhile, Houston’s defense should be as good as ever, especially in regards to feeding off the miscues from San Diego’s turnover-friendly offense.

Expert NFL Predictions and Picks

Predicting this game is head-scratchers for many reasons. On one hand, the Texans have a superior defense and a strong home record, which looks to make life difficult for the mistake- prone and road shaky Chargers (1-4 away from home this season). On the other hand, the Chargers have a solid history against the Texans and San Diego’s offense can cause all kinds of trouble even to the best of defenses. This contest could therefore go either way, depending on who makes the least mistakes. And going by Houston’s edge in terms of limiting its own turnovers while making the most off mistakes from opponents, we feel that the best betting value in the game will on Houston. Final Score Prediction: Houston 25, San Diego 24 Writer’s NFL Pick: Houston (+1.5)