The Titans want to hold onto the No. 1 seed in the AFC, and beating the Texans in Week 18 has to be of the utmost priority to hold that claim.
The Tennessee Titans are perfectly poised to retain their hold as the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture heading into the postseason.
All they need to do is go on the road and knock off the lowly four-win Houston Texans in Week 18.
It seems like an easy proposition. Yet head coach Mike Vrabel won’t want a repeat of what happened the last time these two AFC South rivals faced, a shocking 22-13 victory for Houston, paired with the fact the Texans have surprisingly won two of their last three games.
But it’s important to remember that Week 11 defeat was in the middle of what turned into a tough stretch for Tennessee, a time when the team wasn’t anywhere close to healthy.
It’s possible the Titans are starting to get healthier now.
Let’s take a look at some of the latest injury news, as well as your updated betting odds and how you can watch this regular-season finale.
Titans injury report vs. Texans Week 18
Tennessee listed the following players on its Week 18 injury report versus Houston:
- DT Naquan Jones (knee): OUT
- DT Teair Tart (ankle): OUT
That’s it. The team is getting healthy at the right time after riding a long wave of injuries.
Of course, the biggest injury wonder is the status of running back Derrick Henry, who has been poised to come off injured reserve after suffering a foot fracture earlier this season.
And while some may argue the first-round bye would be the best for Henry to have one more week’s rest, should Tennessee secure the No. 1 seed, it’s still hard not to get excited over something like this:
https://twitter.com/jwyattsports/status/1478826204404793351
Titans vs. Texans odds, spread, over/under & betting pick Week 18
Getting Henry back for Week 18, assuming he plays a big load, would effectively make the difference against a scrappy but vulnerable Texans defense.
Nevertheless, the oddsmakers at WynnBET dropped Tennessee’s favorable line from -11 points down to -10, although it’s an awfully big spread anyway for a road favorite.
Tennessee’s moneyline is still a whopping -525, while Houston is at +400.
The over/under is 42.5.
Our initial prediction for the matchup was having the Titans not only covering, but winning big by a score of 28-10.
No reason to change that now on game day.
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What channel is the Titans game on Week 18?
CBS will broadcast Sunday’s contest between Houston and Tennessee, which will kick off at 1 p.m. ET from NRG Stadium on Jan. 9. NFL Network and Paramount+ will also broadcast this AFC South showdown.
Titans vs. Texans live stream
fuboTV offers up a free seven-day trial for first-time users if they’re unable to tune into the live television broadcast.
Titans next game and schedule
With the division secured but the No. 1 seed still up for grabs, it’s not yet clear if Tennessee will enjoy a first-round playoff bye during the Wild Card round.
The way things stand now, it would.
Nevertheless, here’s the remaining schedule for this season’s NFL playoffs:
- Wild Card rounds: Jan. 15-17
- Divisional rounds: Jan. 22-23
- Conference championships: Jan. 30
- Super Bowl LVI: Feb. 13