Steve Quinne previews the biggest games on this week’s NFL slate

The Texans are, without a doubt, the worst team in the NFL this season. It’s hard not to be when a team has one win through 11 games.

On offense, the Texans rank second to last in points per game and last in yards per game. They aren’t any better on the defensive side of the ball, either. They are 29th in opponent yards per game and 23rd in opponent points per game.

Houston also features the worst rushing defense in the NFL and 27th in giveaways per game. Needless to say, the Houston Texans are a bad team, and it doesn’t seem to be getting much better.

They lost to the Miami Dolphins in Week 12 by a score of 30-15, but they were down 30-0 at the half. They’re unraveling as the season progresses.

What is interesting about this game, though, is what both teams will do at quarterback. Will the Texans stick with Kyle Allen or go back to Davis Mills? Either way, their options aren’t the best.

As for the Cleveland Browns, they will also have a change at quarterback for the first time this year. Up until this point it has been Jacoby Brissett. Brissett led the team to a 4-7 record, which sits them third in the AFC North. It was a decent stint as the starter, but not quite good enough.

The Browns will now be going with Deshaun Watson, who was previously suspended for 11 games. Watson has returned to practice and will finally return to the field after nearly two years.

It doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone, given the fact that the Browns gave him a five-year, $230 million, fully guaranteed contract that he’ll be on the field. But this raises the question, will the Browns be better or worse with Watson at QB?

If Watson is the same player he used to be, they will be better. But his first game back will surely be tricky. It’s compounded by the fact that he’s playing in Houston, where his former fans will be hostile.

The Texans may be bad, but this looks like a winnable game. Even if they don’t come away with the win, they won’t lose by more than seven. 

Steve Quinne’s pick: Houston +7.0 (-110)

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Aaron Rodgers vs. Justin Fields or Jordan Love vs. Trevor Siemian? That is the major question heading into this divisional matchup between the Packers and Bears.

Both teams are dealing with major concerns for their starting quarterbacks. Fields (shoulder) wasn’t able to play in Week 12 and his status for Sunday is unclear. Rodgers (ribs/thumb) hasn’t practiced all week and his status is also up in the air.

But does it even matter? Siemian proved himself to be the average backup quarterback we all thought he was, going 14-of-25 for 179 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Jets. The Bears missed Fields, who had been playing lights out before the injury to his non-throwing shoulder.

On the other side of things, Love exceeded all expectations when he filled in for Rodgers on “Sunday Night Football.” The young QB completed 6-of-9 passes for 113 yards and touchdown in his short stint. What was more shocking, however, is that he arguably played better than Rodgers and kept his team alive with a 63-yard TD to Christian Watson.

If Love is in fact the starting QB on Sunday, you won’t see Packers fans complaining. Would they rather have Rodgers? Of course. Who wouldn’t? But Love put on a performance that no one expected and the third-year quarterback looks to be as ready as he’ll ever be.

Whether Fields plays or not, the Packers have a chance with either quarterback under center. Go with Green Bay to win, but don’t give the points given the uncertainty.

Steve Quinne’s pick: Green Bay M/L (-185)

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Patrick Mahomes doesn’t have to deal with revenge very often. The All-Pro quarterback already has a Super Bowl win, an MVP award and four-straight Pro-Bowl selections. Year after year, he is regarded as the best quarterback in the league, and for good reason.

Mahomes has thrown for more than 4,000 yards four seasons in a row and has 180 touchdowns midway through his fifth year as a starter. His success has come with the team that drafted him and he’s had the same head coach for all of his years in the league.

But every now and then, Mahomes gets beat in the playoffs. First, it was Tom Brady in New England, and then Brady again with the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl. This past year, however, Mahomes lost to Joe Burrow and the Bengals in the AFC Championship Game.

The Chiefs and Bengals will face off for the first time since that game, and the Chiefs are just a 2.0-point favorite. Two points? Two points for arguably the best team in the league right now? In Mahomes’ revenge game? Seems low. Seems far too low.

Sure, the Bengals are a good team. Cincinnati is 7-4 and tied with Baltimore for the division lead in the AFC North. The Bengals may also be getting their best offensive weapon back this week in Ja’Marr Chase. But even with the elite wide receiver, the Bengals aren’t the Chiefs. They aren’t even on the same level right now.

The Chiefs are 9-2, sitting in first place in the AFC West and have won their last five games. They are playing lights out football, mostly thanks to Mahomes. This one will mean more to him, because in his eyes, the Bengals robbed him of a second Super Bowl ring.

Steve Quinne’s pick: Kansas City -2.0 (-110)

Prop Shop

Commanders/Giants under 40.5 (-110)

It’s been a season of unders in the NFL. Defenses have been good, while offenses have sputtered. Expect that to continue this week at the Meadowlands in what will be an old-school NFC East battle between Washington (7-5) and New York (7-4). This is Taylor Heinecke vs. Daniel Jones, so expect both teams to try to run the ball on offense and lean on their defense. That adds up to a game in the teens, as the Giants average only 20.5 points per game, while the Commanders are putting up just 19.4 per outing.

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Jalen Hurts over 221.5 passing yards (-115)

The Eagles quarterback is averaging 232.7 passing yards per game this season, so this number seems low. But Hurts has been below 200 yards through the air in each of his last three games, which has pushed this number down. Is that a concern? Nope. It creates an opportunity. Not only is the QB due for a bounce back, but he’s facing just the right defense to get it done. The Titans are surrendering 266.7 passing yards per game, 31^st in the NFL. Hurts will have a lot of success on Sunday.

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Kenneth Walker III over 70.5 rushing yards (-115)

The Seahawks rookie running back got off to a hot start, but he’s struggled of late. In his last two games, Walker has amassed just 17 and 26 yards, respectively. Look for him to return to form this week against the Chargers. Los Angeles 151.4 yards per game on the ground, so Seattle will try to establish the run. They need to keep Justin Herbert on the sidelines, burn some clock and try to shorten the game. That means Walker will get a heavy workload.

Around the Nation

Headlines to note heading into the college football weekend.

A Big Blow – While Michigan got a big win last week at Ohio State, all but assuring the Wolverines place in the College Football Playoff, it’s not all good news in Ann Arbor. This week, it was announced that the team’s leading rusher, Blake Corum, will have to undergo knee surgery. After injuring his knee against Illinois, the running back tried to play against the Buckeyes, but he wasn’t the same player. No timetable for his return has been announced.

Prime Time in Boulder? – Colorado was arguably the worst team in college football this season. The Buffs finished 1-11, one of the worst years in the history of the program. So, they need a huge boost to get back on track. That’s why the Buffaloes are looking at Deion Sanders, looking to lure the head coach away from Jackson State. If they do, look for an immediate impact on CU’s recruiting.

A Spicy Rematch – Remember how the first matchup between Utah and USC finished? The Utes converted a two-point conversion in the waning moments of the game to win 43-42 in an instant classic. Tonight, the two teams face off again, this time in the Pac-12 title game. The Trojans have a chance to secure in a spot in the CFP, while the Utes are trying to play spoiler in what should be a great start to championship weekend.