St. Louis at Houston

Texans QB Matt Schaub has to be a nutcase. Last week he has set a dubious NFL record by throwing a pick-6 in four consecutive games. The problem is magnified by the fact that Houston has now lost three straight games. Fans are calling for his head and he has to be a bit leery of throwing the ball. I expect a conservative game from him this week as he wants to avoid another pick-6 at all costs. The Texans offense has struggled, but the defense continues to improve under Wade Phillips. Houston is #1 in fewest yards allowed per game at 260.2. That will be problematic for a St. Louis team that has difficulty moving the chains, converting just 29.9% of their third downs, and ranking No. 29 overall in yards gained per contest. That certainly sets the stage for a low-scoring game. The Rams went for over 30 points last week, but that isn't their norm. After doing so, they have followed by playing 10-1 to the UNDER in their last 11. In the Gary Kubiak era in Houston, the Texans are 21-10 UNDER as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points. The UNDER gets the nod in this one.