Coming into Week 17 of the NFL season, the Jacksonville Jaguars were not expected to be on top of the AFC South standings. But that is exactly where they are going into the final two weeks of the year, as they control their destiny about qualifying for the postseason.
This week, they face off with the Houston Texans, who have been playing inspired football despite struggling through most of their NFL matchups this year.
Jaguars vs. Texans Best Picks Week 17
Before bettors make any NFL picks pertaining to this game, they should read this preview of Jaguars vs. Texans. Here, we will break down each team on both sides of the ball and look at some of the players to watch in the prop markets ahead of this AFC South contest.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Houston Texans
Matchup Information
- Venue: NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
- Matchup Time: 1:00 PM ET
- How to watch: CBS
- Where to watch: Nationwide
Jacksonville Jaguars Analysis
Offense
The offense of the Jacksonville Jaguars is the main reason they are the favorites for this game, according to NFL odds. Their running game has been rock solid of late, with Travis Etienne Jr. helping the Jaguars to regularly move the ball on the ground. But it has been the inspired play of Trevor Lawrence that has really legitimized this team as a postseason contender.
Lawrence has had some of the best NFL player stats at his position over the last few weeks. He has thrown just one interception over the last seven games he has played in. That ability to protect the football has been a huge step forward for him and should help the Jaguars to keep the ball moving in this game against Houston.
Defense
Defensively, the Jaguars’ success could come down to how they look on this week’s NFL injury report. Travon Walker missed last week’s game against the New York Jets with an ankle injury. If he returns for this game, the Jaguars could make things even more difficult on the Texans, while a prolonged absence could make this game closer than anticipated.
Houston Texans Analysis
Offense
While the Houston Texans have only won two games on their NFL schedule this season, they have been playing some improved football as of late. That is especially true on the offensive side of football. They scored into the 20s against the Chiefs and Cowboys, two teams with their sights set on the Super Bowl, and they will look to pull off that feat for a third time in four weeks here.
For that to happen, the Texans will need their running game to play well despite Dameon Pierce being on injured reserve. A combination of Royce Freeman and Dare Ogunbowale is hardly the ideal running back group, but Houston will have to make that work for the rest of the regular season.
Defense
The main reason the Texans are all the way at the bottom of this year’s NFL standings is their defense. They are in last place in this year’s NFL team stats against the run, giving up over 160 yards per game to opposing rushing attacks. That could be a real problem against a Jaguars team that features one of the league’s up-and-coming rushers in Travis Etienne Jr.
NFL Stats and Standings
Before making a Jaguars vs Texans prediction, it is worth noting where these teams stand and what they hope will happen over the last couple of weeks of the season. The Jaguars lead the AFC South and are two wins away from clinching their division and hosting a playoff game.
Meanwhile, the Texans are two losses from clinching the top pick in next year’s NFL Draft, which is worth keeping an eye on.
Most Remarkable Player for this Matchup
It may be worth investing in a Jaguars vs Texans prediction in the player prop market for Travis Etienne to go over his rushing yardage total. Against the worst run defense in the league, Etienne should be able to eclipse the 100-yard mark with relative ease. If he does, he could help the Jaguars win this game in a big way.
Another Jaguars vs Texans prediction worth making is for Davis Mills to go over his passing yardage total. If the Jaguars get an early lead in this game with their rushing attack, Mills and the Texans will need to chase the game through the air. That would be big for prop bettors, and Mills should help them with an over this week.
Finally, it is worth targeting the anytime touchdown scorer market for the Jaguars. Jones has scored four touchdowns in his last three games for Jacksonville, including three in the team’s overtime win over the Cowboys. He has been a target in scoring range for the Jags and will continue to be just that this week.
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