jacksonville jaguars vs houston texans pick

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Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans Pick and Preview

Monday Dec.1st, 8:45 est. ESPN: Jaguars +3 (4-7, 3-2 road) at Texans -3 (4-7, 3-2 home) over/under 48

In the NFL, teams showing improvement must start by winning within their own division. For the Houston Texans, such improvement has been difficult to find in the tough AFC South, including a 0-4 divisional mark this season.

But the Texans have a chance to break into the win column in the AFC South when they host the reeling Jacksonville Jaguars at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN's Monday Night Football. Houston is favored by about a field goal at
diamond sportsbook international in what should be a big night for Reliant Stadium and for the Texans' franchise: It's the first appearance on Monday Night Football for the Texans in their seven seasons of existence.

Both teams enter the game with 4-7 records, although the Jaguars have mustered a 2-2 record within the division. Jacksonville defeated Houston 30-27 in overtime in Week 4 in a tight game, where neither team led by more than a touchdown at any point in the game. However, since that win, the Jacksonville Jaguars have struggled, going 2-5, including handing the lowly Cincinnati Bengals their only win on the season. In its last five games, Jacksonville's only win has come at the hands of the winless Detroit Lions.

Houston, meanwhile, has shown some signs of life since a 0-4 start. Houston won three straight games before a knee injury to quarterback Matt Schaub in a loss to Minnesota forced Sage Rosenfels into the starting spot. Houston lost Rosenfels' first two starts before winning 16-6 at Cleveland last week. Schaub will not return this week, and Houston also could be without veteran running back Ahman Green on Monday Night Football, as Green injured a knee in last week's game.

Any discussion of Jacksonville-Houston has to focus on offense, as both teams have struggled on that side of the ball a little bit of late. In the last five games, the Jacksonville Jaguars have scored more than 20 points only once. In addition, Jacksonville's once-powerful rushing game has been held in check lately, putting more pressure on quarterback David Garrard, who surpassed the 300-yard mark in passing for the first time all season last week in a 30-12 loss to Minnesota.

Houston still has the 2nd-ranked team in total offense in the AFC (Jacksonville ranks 9th), but in the three games since Rosenfels entered the starting lineup, Houston has not thrown for 300 yards in a game, and rookie running back Steve Slaton has surpassed the 75-yard mark on the ground only in only one of the three games. In addition, after four straight 100-yard receiving games with Schaub as the starter, Houston's star wide receiver, Andre Johnson, did not surpass 66 yards receiving in either of Rosenfels' first two starts. Last week at Cleveland, however, Johnson looked more comfortable with Rosenfels, recording 116 yards on 10 catches. Houston has been held to two of its three lowest point totals of the season during the past three games (13 points against Baltimore and 16 against Cleveland).

The Houston Texans have been a home favorite three times this season, covering the spread only once. Meanwhile, the Jacksonville Jaguars have been a road underdog only twice this season, winning both games outright (at Indianapolis and at Denver).

In the first Jacksonville-Houston meeting this season, the Jaguars were a 6.5-point favorite on their home field. Jacksonville did not cover the spread, but it did win the game outright.

In last season's Jacksonville at Houston matchup, the Texans were 7-point favorites and posted a 42-28 victory. Houston has won two straight games over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Reliant Stadium and four of the last five meetings in Houston. Three of those four recent victories by Houston over Jacksonville were by two or more touchdowns.