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The Jimmy Garoppolo era got off to a great start last week, as the San Francisco 49ers won just their second game of the season in his starting debut. The fans of the team will really get excited if the 49ers can pull off a second consecutive road victory in Week 14 against the Houston Texans.
Houston has not been the same team since rookie sensation quarterback Deshaun Watson went down. Tom Savage has not been nearly as effective at quarterback, which is why the spread on this game has pegged the Texans as just a small favorite.
While neither of these teams are going to the playoffs, there is some intrigue surrounding the game because of the presence of Garoppolo.
This contest in Week 14 of the regular season will go down Sunday, December 10, 2017, at 1 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium.
Opening NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
San Francisco 49ers +3
Houston Texans -3
Over/Under 43
Odds Analysis
The spread started lower but has moved up to three points, which seems about right. Garoppolo seems like the superior quarterback but the Texans are at home and have better weapons elsewhere, including a star wide receiver in DeAndre Hopkins. Houston is getting more than 60 percent of the action to cover even as the spread has increased.
The scoring total is a bit higher than expected, although the Texans’ defense has been prone to giving up points this season. The “over” is actually the more prominent choice, which is a bit of a surprise.
Injury Report
C.J. Fiedorowicz — The Texans’ tight end suffered a concussion in Sunday’s loss to the Titans. It was his third concussion of the season and has subsequently placed on injured reserve which ends his year.
Bruce Ellington— The Houston wide receiver was also placed on injured reserve this week after injuring his hamstring against Tennessee. Ellington had 29 receptions for 330 yards and two touchdowns this season.
Braxton Miller —The Texans’ wide receiver had a career day Sunday against the Titans before leaving the game with a concussion in the third quarter. Miller, a former college quarterback who had to learn a new position when coming to the NFL, caught four passes for 71 yards. With Ellington on IR, Miller’s workload could increase once he’s cleared to return.
Player To Watch
Garoppolo — The 49ers traded a second-round pick to the Patriots for the promising young quarterback, and will likely need to give him a big-money extension this offseason. He showed why he was so coveted last week, completing 26-of-37 passes for 293 yards in helping his team to a 15-14 victory.
Garoppolo threw an interception that really wasn’t his fault and the team didn’t score a touchdown in five trips to the end zone, so there are still things to work on. However, he has invigorated the group and seems to be a key piece for the future.
The Texans hope star linebacker Jadeveon Clowney can get in the backfield often and give Garoppolo some trouble under duress. While the early returns are good, it remains to be seen how well Jimmy G will do in this matchup on the road.
Free ATS Pick
The 49ers are improving but they are still a poor football team. The Texans aren’t much better, but they have two mega talents in Hopkins and Clowney. If those guys make big plays, coupled with the home field advantage, it should be enough to get the Texans a win.
The spread is accurately pegged now after is started too low. Take the Texans to cover the spread, but just barely. The “under” is the easy call as there could be a lot of punts in this game. Garoppolo is going to be a good player, but he’s still inexperienced and doesn’t have a lot of weapons to throw to in the passing game.
NFL Odds: Texans 21, 49ers 17
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