DTM’s NFL Playoff Special | OAK at HOU

Oakland Raiders (12-4) at Houston Texans (9-7)

When: 4:35 PM ET, Saturday, January 7, 2017

Where: NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

America’s Bookie Line: Houston -3.5 Total: 36.5

TV Coverage: ESPN

By Dan Leach

Follow Dan on Twitter @DanLeach971

Boy this game looks a lot different than it would have been just a few weeks ago as both starting QB’s for these teams are out due to injury. The Raiders lost MVP candidate Derek Carr, who had simply been sensational this season, and Houston lost Tom Savage who had taken over for the ineffective Brock Osweiler. This is such a rarity to see two playoff teams in the same game have to rely on backups and Oakland on their third stringer in the same game, that there are really no recent examples of it.

Bottom line is someone has to win this game and while the Raiders looked horrid last week in Denver, they are still a team that won 12 games this year and have talent all over the field. The Texans have struggled mightily to score all season long, but have a huge advantage in being at home. I just don’t see it being a big enough of one with an offense that sputters way more than it soars, especially under Osweiler.

Look for Raiders 3rd stringer Connor Cook, who had tremendous success in college at Michigan State, to rise to the occasion and give his team a true shot to win this one on the road. The Raiders might not come out on top in the end, but 3.5 points is enough for me to jump on board against a Texans team that has their own questions to deal with. Look for a slug it out, low scoring game that comes down to a late field goal to win it.

7.4 DTM Bagels and Locks on the Raiders (OAK +3.5)

Dan Leach was the world’s first human to live under the sea for more than 60 days, created what is now used as the International Olympic Flag, was the basis of Denzel Washington’s character Frank Lucas in “American Gangster”, Is often consulted on matters of national “Sports Security”, was the first human to interview Dracula, started the American Revolution on a dare, once sat in on drums with Led Zeppelin, and is a noted expert in the field of Time Travel.