The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were rumored to be sellers at the October 31 trade deadline, but they opted to stand pat and push for an NFC South title. Given the state of their division, it is definitely a possibility, although it’s hard to see whichever team wins the South making it through to the divisional round. The New York Jets reportedly tried to make a deal for Bucs wideout Mike Evans, but that did not come to fruition. Linebacker Devin White had requested a trade in the early going but withdrew that request after mending fences with team management. This week finds the Buccaneers in the Lone Star State, ready to take on the Houston Texans. Read on to get our NFL betting prediction on this matchup between Buccaneers vs Texans with identical 3-4 records that are grinding hard but not getting much in the way of consistent results.
NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Houston Texans Betting Odds
When: Sunday, November 5, 2023, 1:00 pm ET
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston
TV: CBS
Radio: WXTB 97.9 FM Tampa / KILT 610 AM Houston
Live Stream: Hulu
Why should you bet on the Buccaneers?
The Buccaneers roared out of the gate to a 3-1 start, but now they are riding a three-game losing streak into Houston. In each of those losses, they have scored no more than 18 points. The running game has been particularly to blame as the team has just one rushing touchdown on the season. Baker Mayfield has thrown 10 touchdown passes, but without a balanced offense, the Tampa Bay attack has been increasingly easy to stop. They tried a comeback last Thursday against Buffalo, as they entered the fourth quarter down, 24-10, but ended up falling short, 24-18. Mayfield threw for 237 yards and two touchdowns. Rachaad White only carried the ball nine times, picking up 39 yards, but he was also the team’s top receiver with 70 yards on seven catches.
The Buccaneers haven’t done well lately against AFC competition, with a six-game losing streak in interconference play. As road underdogs, though, the Buccaneers have come out strong, scoring the first touchdown in seven of their last nine such contests. However, the team has not bounced back well from road losses, as they have gone 0-10 against the spread in road games coming after setbacks away from home. If you like the Bucs, you see Mayfield having a strong game and controlling ball security – and you see the O-line doing a better job against a mediocre Houston defense.
Bet on the Buccaneers to Win Today
| Buccaneers vs Texans Week 9 Odds | SPREAD | MONEYLINE | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Texans | -2.5 | -145 | U 40 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | +2.5 | +125 | O 40 |
Why should you put your money on the Texans?
Even though the Texans have slid from 2-2 to 3-4, those last two losses have come by a combined four points. When Houston’s offense gets touchdowns, they usually come through the air, as they have 10 passing touchdowns against just three on the ground. In last week’s loss to Carolina, rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud had some uncharacteristic struggles, going 16 of 24 for just 140 yards. Noah Brown was the top receiver with 57 yards on three catches, but Dameon Pierce had a hard time finding running room, picking up just 46 yards on the day.
Houston has struggled against teams with losing records at home, currently in an eight-game skid in those matchups. They also haven’t done well as favorites, going 0-6 against the spread in their last six Sunday games favored to win. However, in four of their last five games, they have scored the first touchdown, and given how precious points will be in this game, that could make the difference.
Bet on the Texans to Win Today
Buccaneers vs Texans Final Score and Prediction
The Houston Texans clearly have a new culture brewing, but it’s hard to tell if they have the consistency to turn that culture into regular winning. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are getting a lot better play out of Baker Mayfield than many expected, but the struggles in the running game have paralyzed their offense. I see the Buccaneers as a little better on both sides of the ball, but this will be a grinder of a game. I predict a final score of Tampa Bay 16, Houston 13.
2023-24 NFL Conference Championship Odds
Odds to Win 2024 AFC Championship
| AFC Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs | +255 |
| Miami Dolphins | +440 |
| Baltimore Ravens | +620 |
| Buffalo Bills | +630 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | +980 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | +1000 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | +1800 |
| Cleveland Browns | +1875 |
| New York Jets | +3800 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | +4000 |
| Houston Texans | +6400 |
| Tennessee Titans | +6600 |
| Indianapolis Colts | +11000 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | +12000 |
| Denver Broncos | +14000 |
| New England Patriots | +16000 |
| AFC Lines to Win | |
Odds to Win 2024 NFC Championship
| NFC Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles | +224 |
| San Francisco 49ers | +250 |
| Dallas Cowboys | +420 |
| Detroit Lions | +630 |
| Seattle Seahawks | +1425 |
| New Orleans Saints | +2500 |
| Atlanta Falcons | +3100 |
| Minnesota Vikings | +4500 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | +5800 |
| Los Angeles Rams | +6200 |
| Green Bay Packers | +6400 |
| Washington Commanders | +1000 |
| New York Giants | +18000 |
| Chicago Bears | +24000 |
| Carolina Panthers | +30000 |
| Arizona Cardinals | +50000 |
| NFC Lines to Win | |
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Buccaneers vs Texans
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