Detroit Lions vs Houston Texans Point Spread Picks

Detroit could have a serious problem if Jared Goff goes down with an injury, as Hendon Hooker has not looked good in the first two games, while Kyle Allen is in line for the No. 2 job. The Lions have lost two of their first three preseason games following a 24-17 defeat against Miami. Allen was a bright spot, completing 14 of 17 for 124 yards and two scores. However, Allen has appeared in only 16 regular-season games the past five years with 26 TDs and 21 interceptions. Dan Campbell is 6-9 straight up and 10-5 OVER in the preseason for Detroit. DeMeco Ryans is 6-3 straight up for Houston, 3-1 in true road games. The Texans have won the final preseason game in their first two years. C.J. Stroud threw a touchdown pass and went 6 for 8 for 44 yards in two series as the Texans beat Carolina 20-3. Davis Mills threw for 61 yards on 8 of 14 passing, and Kedon Clovis finished 5 of 12 for 51 yards for Houston. The Lions have allowed 22.7 points per game in their first three preseason games. Take the Texans on the moneyline and the OVER.

Detroit has been rolling all season, including 4-0 SU/ATS on the road. The offense is seventh in total yards and on third down, plus No. 1 in points scored (32.3 per game) behind QB Jared Goff (14 TDs, 4 INTs) and RB Jahmyr Gibbs (656 yards, 6.4 ypc). The Lions are on a 20-6 spread run. Houston's offense is 17th in points (22.3 per game) and 16th on third down (38.40%). Wide receivers Nico Collins (hamstring) and Stefon Diggs have been injured, and Diggs has been out for the year. They come off a 21-13 loss to the Jets and have dropped two of three. The Texans are on a 9-12-1 ATS run. Play Detroit. 

Thanksgiving Day hasn't made much difference in Detroit's fortunes as they are as bad on that day than any other as the Lions have lost 12 of their last 16 Turkey Day games, including a 24-20 loss to the Bears last year in yet another game Detroit should have won. The Lions come off a pitiful performance losing 20-0 to Carolina on Sunday and Matthew Stafford was sacked five times as he tried to play with a thumb injury while finishing 18 of 33 for 178 yards. Houston defeated New England 27-20 as Deshaun Watson threw for 344 yards and accounted for three touchdowns. It was the Texans' best performance of the season and their defense, led by J.J. Watt, has had two good showings in a row. Detroit has the #25 ranked offense in the league and are #29 in rushing yards per game. Watson hasn't thrown an interception in five games and he holds the advantage over the injured Stafford (thumb). The Lions are just 3-7 ATS their last 10 home games and 4-9 ATS versus teams with losing records. Detroit also posts a 4-11 ATS record as the underdog. Houston is a slight favorite but go with the Texans on the moneyline.

Houston played a rare preseason game where one quarterback played the entire game as Joe Webb completed 25-of-40 for 286 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions. Coach Bill O'Brien didn't want to risk injury to starter Deshaun Watson, and AJ McCarron is out with a thumb injury. Even so, the Texans piled up 412 total yards in losing 28-26 to Green Bay. Webb also ran for 47 yards as the Texans recorded 138 yards on the ground. Houston signed rookie QB Jordan Ta'amu out of Ole Miss to fill the gap. O'Brien is 12-8 straight-up, 12-7-1 ATS in the preseason, and 13-7 UNDER. Detroit looked as bad as could be in all phases of the game as the Lions are breaking in yet another new offense. Coach Matt Patricia's specialty is defense, but you wouldn't know it as New England racked up 459 total yards in annihilating the Lions 31-3 in the opener. Detroit managed only 93 yards of total offense, and the QBs were sacked nine times as the team was booed off the field by the long-suffering Detroit fans. Matt Stafford's backup, David Fales, was 5-of-14 for 62 yards and an interception, and Tom Savage completed 2-of-3 for 40 yards. Patricia was 1-3 straight-up and ATS in his first preseason in 2018, and it looks bleak again this year with a totally incompetent offense. Play the Texans and the UNDER.