I’ve been studying the ‘total’ for the NFL Playoffs odds for quite some time, and I’m ready to make my Wild Card picks for the clash between the Houston Texans and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Cincinnati vs. Houston kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET at Reliant Stadium, and I’m going to show you which way to bet on the NFL playoffs to make your NFL pick on for this great game.

Wild Card Playoff Picks
Cincinnati Bengals (10-6, 9-6-1 ATS) +5
Houston Texans (12-4, 9-7 ATS) -5
Over/Under 44

Last season, there was a whole heck of a lot of defense in the game played between the Texans and the Bengals in the playoffs, but that was a totally different game. QB Matt Schaub is going to be given the chance to stretch the field, something that QB TJ Yates really didn’t have at the time, while QB Andy Dalton and WR AJ Green are both clearly on the up and up right now and make one of the best young tandems in football. That doesn’t immediately mean that I’m going after an ‘over’ play by any stretch of the imagination, though.

In spite of the fact that there was a defensive touchdown and several big time plays, there were still only 41 points scored in last year’s playoff game between Houston and Cincinnati. This year, the Texans haven’t been all that bad defensively. Yes, this unit has had some bad games, but if you take away what QB Tom Brady and QB Aaron Rodgers did to this team, you’ve got a defense that ranks incredibly highly. DE JJ Watt is still one of the best defensive players in the league, and DE Antonio Smith has had a great year as well. On the other side of the field, the Bengals played some solid defense, and they quietly came up with a great year out of DT Geno Atkins, who had 12.5 sacks.

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In the end, I really do think that the Texans are going to get back to running the football. QB Matt Schaub has just one touchdown pass over the course of his last four games, and he has generated just one offensive touchdown for the team in the last 10 quarters of football. That just doesn’t cut it when push comes to shove. Still, Foster could have one of these games where he carries the ball 30 times for 110 yards with a couple of scores, and if that turns out to be the case, this is a game that is probably going to ultimately not reach the ‘total’.

Cincinnati vs. Houston Picks & Tips: Under 44

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The Cincinnati Bengals and the Houston Texans are going to square off on the NFL Playoffs odds and betting lines. Join us here at Cappers Info, as we make our Bengals @ Texans picks & predictions for football for what should be a great game on Saturday.

NFL Playoffs Picks: Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans
Date: Saturday, January 5th, 4:30 ET
Location: Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX
NFL Playoffs Betting Odds: Houston -5
Cincinnati vs. Houston Live TV: NBC

The NFL playoffs schedule kicks off on Saturday the exact same way that it did last year with the Texans taking on the Bengals. This year though, the story is significantly different for both of these teams. Houston is coming into the playoffs limping after losing three out of four games to end the season. The team lost the No. 1 seed in the AFC on the final day of the season and was forced into this game, and one can’t help but wonder whether this team ultimately has a chance of going on the road and beating teams like the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos, or what the mindset is going to be for the club coming back home. The Bengals are a year older and a year wiser, and they have last year’s loss to the Texans by three touchdowns here at this venue in this very same fixture.

The problem that the Bengals have in this one though, is that they probably still have all of the same problems that they did last year, too. RB Arian Foster and WR Andre Johnson both had big time games in the first round of the playoffs last year, and both had great seasons. We think that Houston is going to get back to the ground game and get Foster running again after failing to get to 100+ yards in four of his last five outings. This year too, it isn’t then-third string rookie QB TJ Yates calling the shots, as QB Matt Schaub is going to be in the saddle for his first career postseason start. Defensively, DE JJ Watt was a monster in that playoff game, including picking off a pass and returning it for a touchdown that gave the Texans a lead that they would never relent. Watt had one of the best years that a defensive lineman has ever had, and he is still going to be a force in this one.

Granted, we do know that Cincinnati has done a lot this year to improve itself. QB Andy Dalton had nearly 3,700 passing yards this year, and he has another year under his belt with WR AJ Green, one of the best receivers in the game, too. That being said, when you really look at the whole grand scheme of things, the Bengals just don’t have the better of the two teams. Yes, they won six road games this year, but most of those wins away from Paul Brown Stadium came against lousy teams. We’re afraid of the potential that this could be a game that comes down to the wire, but in the end, we do think that Houston gets back in the saddle and picks up the second postseason win in franchise history.

Cincinnati vs. Houston Pick: Houston Texans -5
Bengals @ Texans Score Prediction: Houston 27 – Cincinnati 21