NFL Odds Divisional Playoff Round: Texans vs Ravens Lines, Spreads, Betting Trends

Patrick Everson Sports Betting Expert

4 minute read

Here's everything you need to know about the NFL odds for Divisional Playoff Round: Texans vs Ravens lines, spreads, betting trends and more.

The second round of the NFL Playoffs kicks things off with a highly anticipated AFC rematch between the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens. The betting odds see Houston as a 9.5-point underdog coming off a blowout win over Cleveland last week. Coverage begins from M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Saturday, January 20 at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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Houston Texans vs Baltimore Ravens

• Opening point spread: Ravens -9.5
• Opening moneyline: TBA
• Opening total: Over/Under 46 points scored
• Time: 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday (ABC/ESPN)

UPDATE 3:30 P.M. ET SATURDAY: Sixty minutes before kickoff, the Ravens have adjusted slightly on BetMGM's NFL Divisional Round odds board. Baltimore had been at -9.5 flat since Thursday, but just moved to -9.5 (-115).

The Ravens opened -8.5 last Monday night and quickly went to -9.5. The Ravens spent the middle of the week at -8.5, before returning to -9.5 Thursday.

It's two-way spread play, with 58% of tickets on Houston/57% of money on Baltimore. Moneyline action has shifted quite a bit over the past few hours. This morning, 78% of tickets/72% of dollars were on the Texans. Now, it's still 77% of tickets, but just 57% of dollars.

"Ideal outcomes [today] are just for the 'dogs to cover. But we won't complain if they win outright. It would break up any moneyline parlays," BetMGM trader Christian Cipollini said. "

The total opened at 45 and peaked at 45.5 Monday night and again Tuesday morning. But the number then made its way down to 43.5 by Wednesday evening. Earlier this afternoon, it nudged up to 44. Tickets are running 3/1 and money 2/1 on the Over.

In player props, Ravens running back Gus Edwards is a popular play. He's got the most tickets in Anytime Touchdown (-105) and First TD Scorer (+500) markets. In fact, his ticket count in Anytime TD is the most of any player in any player prop market.

UPDATE 2 P.M. ET THURSDAY: TwinSpires Sportsbook opened the Ravens -8.5 in the NFL odds Divisional Playoff market. Baltimore has since advanced to -9 and -9.5, but early point-spread action isn't aligned with that move.

Houston is netting 77% of tickets/70% of money.

"The public is lining up to bet the Texans +9.5 like it's free money," TwinSpires director of retail sports Zachary Lucas said. "We saw some sharp play on Ravens -8.5, but we're drowning in Texans liability. The Ravens will be our biggest need this weekend."

TwinSpires opened the total at 46 and is down to 43.5, with stops along the way. It's two-way play with a lean toward the Under, at 58% of tickets/52% of money.

UPDATE 9 P.M. ET MONDAY: Houston (11-7 SU/10-8 ATS) took Joe Flacco and Cleveland to the woodshed on Super Wild Card Weekend. The Texans got two pick-sixes en route to a 45-14 rout, shutting out the Browns in the second half.

Houston cashed big time as a 2.5-point home underdog. Rookie QB C.J. Stroud and his Texans are on a 4-1 SU and ATS run, winning and cashing their last three.

On Saturday, Houston will face No. 1 seed Baltimore (13-3 SU/11-6 ATS). The Ravens are rested up after a bye that was secured via a 6-0 SU run late in the season (5-1 ATS). That included an impressive 33-19 Week 16 win as 6.5-point underdogs at San Francisco.

Baltimore opened nearly a double-digit favorite vs. Houston on The SuperBook's NFL Divisional Playoff odds board.

"It's a pretty similar situation to Green Bay-San Francisco," SuperBook risk supervisor Chase Michaelson said tonight. "Baltimore's power rating is really high, and it's a tougher test for Stroud and Houston."

Click here for Vegas Insider senior reporter Patrick Everson's full NFL Odds Divisional Playoff Round Report containing spreads, lines, and trends for every NFL matchup.

Texans vs Ravens Pick, Prediction

Action Network NFL betting expert Brandon Anderson offers this prediction:

From the moment I dug into this matchup, I knew I wanted Ravens tight end overs. The Texans allowed 107 receptions to opposing tight ends in the regular season – more than any other team – and they allowed the fifth-most yards. And what happened in the first playoff game? Cleveland's top two receivers were David Njoku with 7/93 and Harrison Bryant with 4/65, both tight ends combining for 158 yards on 11 catches.

The question was which Baltimore tight end it would be, with Mark Andrews practicing in an attempt to return. But with Andrews likely out, Isaiah Likely is the guy. He's playing around 75% of the snaps since Andrews went out and compiled 19 catches for 291 yards and four scores, not counting Week 18. That's 3.8 receptions for 58.2 yards a game, with at least 40 yards in all five games.

Likely has five TDs in his last five games, which probably makes his Anytime TD odds of +200 (FanDuel) viable, but I love the receiving yards since Likely has 40, 83, 70, 56 and 42 in those five games. He's a big athlete who can bust a long one on any catch, so think about an escalator too. He's +194 to hit 50 yards and +450 to hit 70 (FanDuel), and he's done that in three and two of the past five games so those odds are in our favor. Let's ride that escalator.

Pick: Isaiah Likely over 34.5 Receiving Yards (-115)

For more NFL picks, check out Action Network's NFL Divisional Round Playoffs: How to Bet Every Game & Every Team.

The One Stat to Know About Texans vs Ravens

Action Network NFL researcher Evan Abrams offers his top betting stat:

Ravens: Lamar Jackson is 1-3 SU/ATS (4-0 to under) in the playoffs.

For more NFL betting stats, check out Action Network's NFL Divisional Round Playoffs Betting Trends, Stats, Notes.

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Patrick Everson

Patrick Everson is a senior reporter for VegasInsider. Based in Las Vegas since 1994, he's worked in the sports betting journalism/content space for more than a decade. He's most known for his deep roster of contacts behind sportsbook counters, providing readers and viewers with the ins-and-outs of how events are being bet. He's also a thought leader in the sports betting space, often appearing on or moderating panels at national conferences. More from Patrick Everson