Sport: NFLPick Selection: Denver Broncos vs. Houston Texans: Texans
I'm playing on HOUSTON. These teams have identical records and they've had an identical pattern in winning three of their past five games. Both teams won two in a row, then both lost two in a row. Last week, they both earned impressive victories. The Broncos beat up on the Chiefs while the Texans handled what had been a red hot Tampa Bay team. Both teams still have an outside shot at a wildcard spot, making this a "must win" game for both teams if they want to keep those slim hopes alive. I expect home field to prove the difference. The Broncos have won two straight and 12 of 20 in the thin air of Denver. However, they've lost their last two on the road and are a money-burning 2-8 ATS in 10 road games dating back to last November. Note that Cutler was 16-of-32 for 214 yards with two interceptions and a career-low rating of 45.6 in their most recent road game, a double-digit loss at Oakland. Conversely, the Texans have won two straight home games and are now 6-2 SU/ATS in eight home games dating back to last December. Sage Rosenfels comes off a 27-of-36 performance (three touchdowns) and is now 2-0 as a starter for the Texans this season. The Wildcard spot notwithstanding, this is a big game for the Texans for a couple of other reasons. For starters, Texans Coach Gary Kubiak was the Broncos' offensive coordinator for 10 years. Naturally, he'd like a strong showing against his former team. Additionally, Houston is one victory shy of matching the single-season franchise record set in 2004. Look for another solid and highly motivated team effort as the Texans tie the team record for wins and improve to 500 on the year. *Roast
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