Netflix signed a three-year deal with the NFL, giving the streaming service access to multiple NFL games on Christmas Day. The second game of Wednesday’s double-header looks to be a strong matchup as the Baltimore Ravens (10-5) head south to face the Houston Texans (9-6).
Baltimore has won two straight games, including a much-needed 34-17 victory over the Steelers last week. The Ravens are tied with Pittsburgh for the AFC North’s top spot, meaning this game has significant meaning for Baltimore.
Houston has already clinched their division, taking away the need for the Texans to win this contest to ensure a playoff berth. What Houston can do, however, is improve their playoff position with a victory on Wednesday.
Will Baltimore earn their second victory of the season in Texas this season, or can Houston improve on its 5-2 home record in 2024? We’ll cover that and our three favorite player prop bets for this Christmas Day contest.
After his impressive rookie campaign, quarterback C.J. Stroud has taken a slight step backward this season. Through 15 games, he’s thrown for over 600 fewer yards this season and been picked off twice as many times in 2024 as he was last season.
The Ravens have not been strong against the pass this year, allowing over 272 yards per game to opponents. While Baltimore has been better in its previous four outings – allowing just 744 total passing yards to three playoff teams – five quarterbacks have exceeded 300 yards against them in 2024.
Despite a weakened receiving corps, bettors should expect Stroud to post a strong game against Baltimore on Christmas Day. In four of his previous five games, Stroud has surpassed this player prop mark, and Wednesday’s opponent gives him another excellent opportunity to increase his passing totals.
Baltimore running back Derrick Henry is making a strong case for his fifth Pro Bowl trip this season. Henry has run for 1,636 yards and 13 touchdowns on 278 carries, stats that all rank in the top three among all players through Week 16.
Outside of Tennessee’s Tony Pollard and Indy’s Jonathan Taylor, no other running backs have surpassed 90 yards against the Texans. Expect Henry to add his name to that list and have at least 100 yards on Wednesday against Houston.
The Houston Texans signed running back Joe Mixon this offseason to a three-year, $27 million deal to lure him away from the Cincinnati Bengals. He’s been electric for the Texans this season, rushing for 967 yards and 11 touchdowns on 231 carries.
He’s also been formidable through the air, catching 33 of his 48 targets for 291 yards and another score. The Ravens have allowed over 40 receiving yards per game to running backs, making Mixon a prime candidate to surpass this player prop mark on Christmas Day.
For the record, I like Baltimore on the road against the Texans, and the Ravens have won by double-digit margins during their past two outings. But Houston’s two losses at home have come by a combined eight points. Taking the Ravens with a 5.5-point spread is a risky proposition.
The safer bet is to take the over on this game. Although Houston has struggled offensively this season – and losing Dell will be a big blow – the Texans will find a way to match Baltimore on the scoreboard. Expect this to be a close game throughout with a final combined score breaching the 50-point plateau.
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