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The Texans are a +4 road dog in Kansas City after the Chiefs opened at -6. Their home loss to the Colts last week has many a sports bettor and fan doubting them. With around 65% of the public backing the Chiefs, the line drop suggests the books do have an opinion on Houston worth monitoring.
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The road team is 5-1 Against The Spread in their last 6 meetings dating back to 2010.
NFL.com still ranks the Chiefs 3rd in its Power Ratings.
“The best offense in football looked anything but on Sunday night, managing just 13 points in an eye-opening loss to the Colts at Arrowhead. The Chiefs took a turn for the mortal when Patrick Mahomes aggravated an ankle injury after being stepped on by a teammate in the third quarter. The reigning MVP had a noticeable limp for the rest of the game and lacked the mobility that helps make him the game's most dangerous talent. With the reigning MVP compromised, the rest of the Chiefs were unable to pick up the slack. The run game managed just 2.6 yards per carry, and the defense was unable to come up with a big stop, as the Colts ran the ball repeatedly in the final quarter. So ... is this game an aberration for the Chiefs, or is it a hint of more struggles to come? We imagine a lot of that depends on how quickly Mahomes heals up.”
NFL.com writs of Texas:
"Sunday was another reminder that the Texans can look like a bona fide AFC superpower when they hammer the throttle down. Deshaun Watson had one of his Jordan-like days against the Bucs, finishing 28-of-33 for 426 yards and five touchdowns in a 53-32 win over the Falcons. It was a totally different scene after the Panthers shut down the Houston offense in Week 4. Watson is a superstar on a team that has a few. DeAndre Hopkins is a top-five wide receiver, while defensive lineman J.J. Watt is one of the greatest to ever play. No. 2 receiver Will Fuller isn't in that club yet, but he played like a damn Hall of Famer against Atlanta. The incredible 14/217/3 line was Fuller playing at the top of his abilities -- as we saw before last year's knee injury, when he had 15.7 yards per catch, he's a special talent in his own right. The Texans are scary."
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Chiefs -4. O/U: 55.5
ABOUT THE TEXANS (3-2): Houston's dynamic offense finally hit its stride against the Falcons, as Watson picked apart Atlanta's secondary and Will Fuller had career highs in catches (14), receiving yards (217) and touchdowns (three). The Texans also put up 166 rushing yards - their second-highest total of the season -as Carlos Hyde continued to carry the load. Houston's defense has been steady, holding three straight opponents under 100 yards rushing while forcing at least one turnover in every game this season.
ABOUT THE CHIEFS (4-1): Kansas City's second-ranked offense had a rare bad day against the Colts, although it still managed to record a respectable 324 total yards. The Chiefs have had difficulty getting the running game going at times, but Patrick Mahomes typically exploits defenses with a bevy of dangerous receivers, and speedster Tyreek Hill is expected to return this week. Kansas City's defense had one of its best all-around showings of the season last week, but the run defense is a continuing concern as the Chiefs have allowed at least 180 yards on the ground in three straight games and permit 5.3 yards per carry - the second-most in the league.
Mahomes is one of five players in NFL history with at least 300 passing yards in each of his team's first five games of a season.
- Dan Shapiro, Gambling911.com
