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NFL Divisional Playoffs
Top 100 NFL Fantasy Players According to Our Statistics ($9.95)
Houston Texans vs. Cleveland Browns
by Kris Lazaro
11/23/07
After surviving and winning a crazy game 33-30 against the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday, the Cleveland Browns head back home as a slim field goal home favorite against the Houston Texans.
The Browns were outscored 16-3 in the fourth quarter by the Ravens and almost lost the game if not for a lucky bounce into the field goal that tied the game in regulation. The Browns proceeded to drive down the goal in overtime and eventually kicked the winning field goal against the struggling Ravens.
Cleveland enters this game with a 6-4 record, 4-1 at home, and an impressive 8-2 against the spread statistic. These Browns are the real deal this year with the offense clicking behind quarterback Derek Anderson. The Browns are also an amazing 9-0-1 for the over in their last 10 games.
The Houston Texans are a mediocre 5-5 team, 2-3 on the road, and 5-5 against the number so far in the season. The Texans hope to start stringing together victories, as they have defeated the Oakland Raiders and the New Orleans Saints by a combined score of 44-27. They defeated their last opponent (the Saints) by a margin of 23-10 as a 1.5 point home favorite.
In terms of betting, the oddsmakers actually opened up the Browns as a 6 point favorite, but betting has driven the line down to as low as 3 points in some shops. The interesting thing occurring in this game is actually the fact that the betting public is favoring the Browns by a 70 percent margin. Smart money may be on the visiting Houston Texans.
The author’s opinion mirrors that of the smart money. When teams in the NFL start doing well, oddsmakers and the betting public notice this fact. Lines usually become shaded by the public falls in love with such a team. Hence the shaded favorites sometimes do not cover the number, yet still win the game. In this case, though, a 3 point swing is a major event.
Game Prediction: 31-30 Houston.
