The Texans and Chargers, two teams in the heat of the AFC playoff race, meet in the first of two Saturday NFL games.
Trailing the Jaguars by one game in the AFC South, Houston rolls into the game riding a seven-game win streak — currently the longest in the league — while the Chargers have taken four straight and are one game back of the Denver Broncos in the AFC West.
The game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET on NFL Network.
Below, we'll break down our Texans and Chargers prediction and Saturday game picks for Week 17, including the top player picks on PrizePicks real money NFL game, including Texans QB C.J. Stroud and WR Nico Collins, and Chargers QB Justin Herbert.
Texans vs. Chargers Over/Under Picks, Spread, Over/Under
The Texans and Chargers meet for the first time since Houston's 32-12 win in the AFC Wild Card round last January. Overall, the Chargers lead the series 6-4, but Houston has won four of the last six games.
Texans vs. Chargers Over/Under, Spread
The Chargers enter the Week 17 rumble as 2.5-point favorites, returning a 1.75x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win.
The Texans are big underdogs with a 2x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
- Spread: Los Angeles Chargers -2.5
- Total: 39.5
- Game Winner Payout: Chargers 1.75x | Texans 2x
Texans vs. Chargers Prediction on Over/Under
The listed total of 39.5 is the third-lowest total of Week 17, only ahead of Christmas nght’s Broncos-Chiefs tilt (36.5) and Sunday’s Steelers-Browns matchup (35.5)
- The Texans have played 10 of their 15 games to the under this season, which includes hitting the over in the last two games.
- The 10 unders for Houston are third-most this season, one less than Kansas City and New Orleans, both with 11.
- The 39.5 listed over/under marks the fourth game this season under 40 for the Texans. Houston is 2-1 to the over in the three previous outings, including going over last week’s 39.5.
- The main reason for Houston’s 10 unders has been its defense, which has allowed the fewest points at points per game at 16.6.
- The Texans also lead the NFL in total defense (272.3 yards per game) and pass yards per play (5.61).
- DVOA has the Texans as the second-best rated defense, behind the Seahawks.
- On the offensive side of the ball, they sit at 18th with 23.1 points per game.
- The Chargers have played nine of their 15 games to the under this season, just one less under than the Texans.
- The last three, and five of the last six Chargers games have gone below the listed over/under.
- Saturday’s game marks the first over/under of the season below 40 for the Chargers. By comparison, last week’s over/under was listed at 51.5 (totaled 51).
- Los Angeles’ defense is eighth in the NFL, allowing 20.1 PPG, and third in total defense, allowing 283.1 yards per game.
- On the offensive side, the Chargers are also in the middle of the pack at 16th, averaging 23.3 points per game.
Texans vs. Chargers Picks for PrizePicks
Here are three Texans vs. Chargers player picks for Saturday's game for PrizePicks real money NFL game, including Texans QB C.J. Stroud and WR Nico Collins and Chargers QB Justin Herbert.
Pick More or Less on these projections on PrizePicks — plus thousands more — to win real money this NFL season.
Texans QB C.J. Stroud Projection vs. Chargers: 223.5 Pass Yards
- Texans QB C.J. Stroud has reached his projected passing yards in six of 12 games.
- The former Buckeye has had the same listed projection of 223.5 passing yards each of the past three weeks, recording more once and less once. For all 12 games, Stroud’s passing projection has been between 200.5 and 234.5.
- Since returning from injury in Week 13, Stroud has thrown 5 TD passes with 1 INT, averaging 231.5 passing yards per game.
- The Texans’ QB ranks 15th of 27 QBs with a 93.6 passer rating.
Texans WR Nico Collins Projection vs. Chargers: 64.5 Receiving Yards
- Texans WR Nico Collins has hit more than his projected receiving yards in eight of 14 games.
- The listed projected receiving mark of 64.5 yards is the lowest projection since Week 10.
- Collins has recorded 65+ yards in six of the last eight games.
- The Michigan product averages 15.6 yards per catch, fourth-best in the NFL.
Chargers QB Justin Herbert Projection vs. Texans: 216.5 Pass Yards
- Chargers QB Justin Herbert failed to reach his passing projection in eight of 15 games this season, but has recorded more in each of the last two weeks.
- Herbert’s projected passing mark of 216.5 yards is the second-lowest of the season, only ahead of Week 15’s 208.5 (threw for 210).
- The former Oregon standout passed for 300 yards last week vs. Dallas, his first game over 250 yards since his Oct. 19 outing against Indy.
- The Chargers QB has 25 passing TDs on the season, tied for fifth-most in the NFL.
Make Texans vs. Chargers Predictions on PrizePicks
Can the Texans stretch their winning streak to eight games and clinch a playoff spot? Or will the Chargers inch closer to the Broncos in the AFC West race?
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