Baltimore Ravens @ Houston Texans Monday Night Football Pick

Baltimore Ravens @ Houston Texans Monday Night Football Pick: The only hope Houston can cling to right now is that Jacksonville does what they always do and lose out, Peyton Manning plays less like he did on Thursday night and more like he did during key moments in the last few weeks, and that they win the rest of their games, 4 straight, against mostly teams they should beat… and Baltimore. That whole Baltimore part looks like the toughest and least likely part, and that game takes place on Monday Night, this week, in a game the Texans have to win.

In games the Texans “have to win” (which I know, is so very cliché in sports, and just about anything – but there is such a thing) Houston has been brutal. It’s in their short history, their team DNA if you will. They had to beat the Jagaurs 4 weeks ago. They had lost 2 straight to good teams, but they didn’t need to beat the Colts (again) and the Chargers. They were 4-4 with some tough games ahead but they “had to win” that game to keep from going on a losing streak (everyone knows it’s not a streak unless it’s 3 games). What did they do? They refused to run the ball early (like they often do) and quickly the Jaguars were up and all they had to do was run the ball a lot and go to play action here and there. Yhatzee. The Jags win, the Texans lose that must win, and they are 1-5 during that stretch after losing 4 straight games in that dreaded losing streak.

Now that I think about it, there is almost no hope for the Texans, which means this really isn’t a game they “must win” because they lost the games they had to win to stay in the race (realistically, you know, without a mudslide that takes out both the Colts and Jaguars) so now all they do is have to come out and play football until they get to 8-8 which is right where they are at every year. The Texans are good at that, and Arian Foster is a beast, and Andre Johnson is virtually unguardable, and these Texans will be hosting a Monday Night football game. With nothing on the line and all the lights shining, I like a surprising upset on Monday.

Baltimore Ravens @ Houston Texans (+3)