The top-seeded Baltimore Ravens will make their 2024 NFL playoff debut on Saturday when they host the Houston Texans in the divisional round. Baltimore (13–4) won the AFC North and won six in a row before resting their starters in Week 18. Meanwhile, the Texans (10-7) have won three in a row after defeating the Browns 45-14 in the wild card round. , These teams met in Week 1, with the Ravens winning 25–9 at home, and Baltimore has defeated Houston in each of their last four meetings.
Kickoff is at 4:30 pm ET in Baltimore. The Ravens are 9.5-point favorites, while the SportsLine consensus has the latest Ravens vs. Texans odds according to Vegas over/under, or a total of 43.5 points. Before you make any Texans vs. Ravens picks, you need to see what SportsLine NFL expert Mike Tierney has to say, given his expertise in picks involving the Ravens.
A veteran sports writer whose work appears periodically in The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, Mike Tierney has covered the NFL for decades and has reported from seven Super Bowls. He is coming off a generally strong 2022 NFL season in which he went 68-54-6, and returned $815 to $100 players.
Furthermore, he has gone an amazing 48-18-2 in his last 70 NFL selections in games involving the Ravens and has earned a whopping $2,810. Whoever has followed him has come a long way.
Now, the model has turned its attention to Texans vs. Ravens and revealed its picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see their picks. Now, here are several NFL odds and betting trends for Texans vs. Ravens:
- Ravens vs. Texans Spread: Baltimore -9.5
- Ravens vs. Texans Over/Under: 43.5 points
- Ravens vs. Texans Money Line: Baltimore -451, Houston +348
- HOU: Texans are 10-7-1 against the spread this season
- BAL: The Ravens are 11-6 against the spread this season
- Ravens vs. Texans picks: Watch the picks on SportsLine
- Ravens vs. Texans Live Stream: Fubo (Try Free)
Why can ravens cover
Despite Lamar Jackson scoring zero total touchdowns, Baltimore handily shut out Houston earlier this season. Baltimore’s defense shined in that matchup, keeping Houston out of the endzone, and the Ravens defense is statistically the best in the NFL. It led the league in points allowed and forced turnovers, while ranking second in redzone defense and sixth in total defense. That unit is performing at its best in the divisional round as the Ravens have held each of their last four opponents — all of whom finished the season above .500 — to 19 points or less.
On offense, Baltimore ran a complex running scheme that led the league in rushing yards and was third in rushing average. Gus Edwards and Lamar Jackson both had over 800 rushing yards, the latter of whom led the NFL with 5.5 yards per carry. Houston, meanwhile, struggled against the run, as only four teams allowed more rushing TDs than the Texans. They have been particularly plagued by mobile quarterbacks like Jackson as no NFL team has allowed more rushing touchdowns to a QB than the Texans. Here’s a look at which team to pick.
Why Texans can cover up
Houston has a strong array of pass catchers in the air attack. Nico Collins has stepped up in 2023 and has become the No. 1 weapon for the Texans. Collins has strong body control and tracks the ball well when it is in the air. The Michigan product was eighth in the NFL in receiving yards (1,297) and eighth in receiving touchdowns (eight). During the regular season, Collins reached over 100 receiving yards in five games.
In the wild card win over the Browns, Collins had six grabs for 95 yards and a score. Tight end Dalton Schultz brings a sense of stability to the Texans. Schultz has safe hands with good speed and runs solid routes. He finished the year with 59 receptions for 635 yards and five touchdowns. In his last outing, he had a 37-yard touchdown grab. Here’s a look at which team to pick.
How to Make Texans vs. Ravens Picks
Tierney has analyzed the Texans vs. Ravens and while we can tell you he’s leaning on the point total, he’s also discovered a significant X-factor that has him jumping on one side of the spread. He’s sharing only on SportsLine what it is and which side to support.
Who wins Texans vs. Ravens in the Divisional Round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs and what key X-factor warrants one side of the spread? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Texans vs. Ravens spread has the most hits, get it all from the expert who is 48-18 on picks related to Baltimore, and find out.
