The Oakland Raiders haven’t lost a road game this season, which is a big reason why they are tied for the best record in the AFC and off to their best start since 2001. The Raiders will look to continue that mastery away from home when they travel south of the border to battle the Houston Texans in Mexico City in the first Monday night game outside the U.S. The Texans broke the seal on their road woes and go for a third straight win in this Week 11 matchup.
This matchup in Week 11 of the regular season will take place on Monday, November 21, 2016, at 8:30 p.m. ET at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Houston Texans +6
Oakland Raiders -6
Over/Under 46
Odds Analysis
The Raiders opened as a 5.5-point favorite and the early wagers were all over them, pushing the line to -6. The game basically amounts to a neutral site affair with it being played in Mexico City, so neither team holds the edge there. Oakland hasn’t been good in recent years, but they are 4-0 ATS in their last four following the bye and are money against the spread this season going 7-2.
Injury Report
Will Fuller – Houston’s rookie receiver sat out last game with a knee injury and fellow receiver Jaelen Strong was also inactive with a bum ankle and the Texans’ passing game suffered. Brock Osweiler completed just 14 passes for 99 yards, however two of those completions went for scores and the Texans didn’t need an offensive outburst to subdue the Jaguars. It could be a different story on Monday night.
Key Stat
Derek Carr is becoming a star in the NFL and when he fully arrives he has a mammoth offensive line to thank. Behind his big uglies, Carr is putting together the finest season of his young career and he’s carrying the club with him. Through nine games Carr has completed 66.1 percent of his passes for 2,505 yards and 17 touchdowns. More importantly, he’s not turning the ball over. Carr has thrown just three interceptions in his 354 attempts. A major reason for the success is the line doing its job expertly and keeping Carr upright. The Raiders have allowed just 11 sacks, the fewest in the league, and Carr has rarely been pressured. When given time Carr has proven to be deadly.
Without defensive player of the year J.J. Watt, the Texans haven’t had as much success getting to the opposing quarterback. Houston is tied for 17th in the league with 19 sacks, but nine of those came in the first two games. The Texans have been held in check for the most part over the past seven games with a total of 10 sacks. For Houston to have success slowing down the Raiders offense, getting after Carr is a priority. Look for Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus to try and bring the pressure to disrupt Carr.
Free ATS Pick
The Texans could use a signature win to solidify their status as a contender in the AFC. And beating the Raiders would also improve their standing in the AFC South. Houston leads the division, which isn’t saying a whole lot since it’s probably the weakest in the NFL again. But somebody has to win it and Houston is the front runner. The team is still waiting for Osweiler to grow into his role as the starter and a win over a quality opponent could be the statement game. The Texans will need to score to keep up with the Raiders and that’s been a problem, especially against the better teams. In their three losses, all against quality opponents, the Texans have been outscored 85-22.
The Raiders have been very fortunate on the injury front this season and they’ve used that to turn in the best start in 15 seasons. Carr and his mates on offense have lit up the scoreboard over the past few games and the defense has turned things around after a horrific start. The Texans are still having problems scoring and Osweiler could be missing two of his top receivers. That won’t help an already struggling offense. Houston will keep the game close with a stout defensive effort, but they don’t have enough firepower to overcome the Raiders.
NFL Odds: Raiders 27, Texans 23
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