Does the Flacco fairy tale continue in Houston?
Crazy NFL, because few would have thought before the season that our Texans vs. Browns betting tip would be so important for the playoff spots this year. Especially if it had been mentioned that the two quarterbacks in this game would be Keenum vs. Flacco.
But that matchup is now happening on Christmas Eve, as C.J. Stroud is also very likely to be out. After everything looked like a return at the beginning of the week, he is still not out of the Concussion Protocol until Friday
We definitely expect a duel of the backups and that could lead to a strange, maybe even crazy game. Since the offenses in particular are so difficult to assess, both kickers could have their work cut out for them – even over longer distances of more than 50 yards.
In any case, our prediction for Houston vs. Cleveland is a game dominated by the defenses that could tip in either direction. The team that has fewer turnovers is likely to win the game in the end. Because they both have good kickers
Kickoff for this AFC matchup is Sunday at 7:00 pm in Houston. The game can be watched live on DAZN.
Houston Texans – Statistics & current form
The Texans are back in the playoff race. Thanks to their narrow but deserved 19-16 overtime win against the Titans and the Jaguars’ simultaneous loss, they are now tied with the leaders of the AFC South – and have a much better form curve.
All this without C.J. Stroud, who not only had to sit out last Sunday, but is now also in danger of missing the upcoming matchday. The Concussion Protocol is not to be trifled with. So it will probably be “It’s Keenum Time” again on Sunday
The Texans’ defense is challenged
Case Keenum was solid against the Titans, but he wasn’t the reason for their success. That was thanks to their defense, which put its stamp on the game with seven sacks and an interception caught. It was sacks number 8-14 in the last three games.
Their D-line around Perryman, Greenard and Collins is getting better and better and is also working its way up the NFL ladder. With 21.2 points allowed per game, they now have a top 15 defense. Now, against the Browns, we definitely see a battle of the defenses coming up.
Although the Browns are statistically ahead in this one, we see the Texans defense only just behind that of Cleveland. Our tip: The defense that can keep the opponent under 18 points will help their team to victory
Ball security a major strength of Houston
In addition to their defense, one other strength stands out: their ability to take care of the ball. The Texans only committed 12 turnovers, the best total in the NFL (tied with 3 other teams). The Browns, on the other hand, have already given the ball away 30 times – the worst figure in the league.
In this respect, the No. 1 team in terms of ball security is playing against the No. 32 team, so the odds on Houston are definitely worth considering for Texans vs. Browns – although without C.J. Stroud this is of course associated with a certain risk.
Key Players:
- QB: Case Keenum
- RB: Dameon Pierce
- WR: Noah Brown
- TE: Dalton Schultz
- K: Matt Ammendola
Cleveland Browns – stats & current form
As much chaos as there has been at times for the Browns, calm has returned of late. They have found their quarterback for the rest of the season in Joe Flacco and he is doing a more than decent job. He and the team have won two games in a row, bringing the playoffs very close.
With a win, the Browns could possibly qualify for the postseason as early as this matchday. If that’s not an incentive. Nevertheless, all that glitters is not gold for Cleveland either
Turnovers remain the Browns’ problem
We’ve already described it above: The Browns have already lost the ball 30 times this season, more than any other team. Of course, 18 interceptions stand out, but they have also been spread across four quarterbacks who have started for the Browns in 2023.
However, Joe Flacco is not the most reliable playmaker either. He has already thrown five interceptions in his three games. A danger that is also present on Sunday against the Texans – they have already intercepted 12 balls from the opposing quarterback
Bets on Cleveland are deceptive
Even if Stroud is ruled out, betting on Cleveland is therefore less advisable. We tend to favor kicker bets here. Because both teams have really strong kickers in the team. The Texans Ka’imi Fairbairn, the Browns Dustin Hopkins.
Fairbairn recently kicked four field goals against the Titans, Hopkins two against the Bears. With 33 field goals already made, Hopkins is also the kicker with the most successful attempts this season.
This means that both kickers should make at least three field goals between them, especially as neither team is playing with its regular quarterback. Thus, for Houston vs. Cleveland, a bet on over 3 field goals is our clear betting recommendation for this matchup.
Key Players:
- QB: Joe Flacco
- RB: Jerome Ford
- WR: Amari Cooper
- TE: David Njoku
- K: Dustin Hopkins
Houston Texans – Cleveland Browns head-to-head / H2H record
The last three meetings between these teams have all gone to Cleveland. Before that, however, the Texans were successful five times in a row. All in all, however, these results are negligible, as both teams have recently started with completely new quarterbacks.
This also makes picks very difficult, as anything can happen. Another top game from Flacco, another turnover-festival from Cleveland or simply a game in which both teams struggle to play fluidly down the field.
Then it would be up to the kickers to put the points on the scoreboard. For Texans vs. Browns, the odds on over 3 field goals are also excellent. As another player bet, we could at most recommend a tip on a TD from David Njoku, who is also in strong form
Houston Texans – Cleveland Browns betting tip
Will Stroud play or not? Will we see a defense battle? And who will handle the pressure better? There are many questions and uncertainties that make this matchup difficult to predict. But we have found a pretty good way out.
For Texans vs. Browns, a bet on a total of over 3 field goals is our bet of choice. Both kickers had a lot to do recently. Fairbairn with four field goals against Tennessee, Hopkins with a total of 33 field goals over the season (NFL-high)
Alternatively, you can also bet on under points for this matchup. The last results for both teams were 19:16 (Texans) and 20:17 (Browns). We now expect a score below the 40-point mark again on Sunday
