NFL odds: Jaguars 5-point underdogs against Texans

The Jacksonville Jaguars continue they’re limp to the finish line of the 2016 season by heading to Texas to take on the Houston Texans. The Jaguars are in the midst of an eight game losing streak and it appears as if the bookies expect that to continue, rightfully so, as the Jaguars opened as five-point underdogs in Houston.

I was more surprised this line wasn’t bigger, considering the Jaguars seem to get worse later in the season and for the fact that Bill O’Brian has typically whipped the Jaguars during his tenure in Houston.

Last season after head coach Gus Bradley was given a one-year extension, the Texans blew the doors off the Jaguars in Houston and later on that offseason an article in Sports Illustrated dropped that showed the Texans coaches laughing at how easy it was to game plan for the Jaguars, on both sides of the ball. Earlier in the season the Jaguars lost to the Texans at home 24-21, but it took 10 fourth quarter points, including a touchdown in the final two minutes, for the Jaguars to make the score look more respectable than it really was.

I can’t bring myself to think the Jaguars will win the game, even though in their last matchup they held Brock Osweiler to just 99 passing yards on 27 attempts. The team gave up big running plays to Lamar Miller and Akeem Hunt and their overall defense is more depleted than it was last go-round. That "Top 5 defense" was exposed a little bit against the Minnesota Vikings, who hit some big plays down the field thanks to a non-existent pass rush. The Texans can hit similar plays, especially with Will Fuller expected back, who missed the first matchup.