A brace of imaginable playoff teams successful nan AFC look disconnected successful Week 9 of nan 2025 NFL season, arsenic nan Houston Texans and CJ Stroud big nan Denver Broncos, who person won 5 games successful a statement and are atop nan AFC West.
Bo Nix and nan Broncos blew retired nan Dallas Cowboys successful Week 8, and they’re 1 of nan hottest teams successful nan NFL since starting nan play astatine 1-2. Houston, connected nan different hand, started 0-3 but has won 3 of its past four, including a ascendant triumph complete nan San Francisco 49ers successful Week 8.
Stroud had arguably his champion crippled of nan play successful that matchup, throwing for 318 yards and 2 scores against a stingy San Fran defense pinch some Nico Collins and Christian Kirk retired of nan lineup.
Oddsmakers person group Denver arsenic a flimsy favourite connected nan roadworthy successful this matchup, but tin nan Broncos get backmost to .500 against nan dispersed (3-4-1) this play against 1 of nan champion defenses successful nan NFL?
Here’s a breakdown of nan odds, players to watch and my prediction for this Week 9 matchup.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Moneyline
Total
Broncos vs. Texans How to Watch
Broncos vs. Texans Injury Reports
Broncos Injury Report
Texans Injury Report
Bo Nix, Quarterback, Denver Broncos
It’s been a weird play for Bo Nix, who is now up to 15 touchdown passes and conscionable 5 picks successful 8 games. He has thrown for 1,803 yards aft a four-score crippled against Dallas. Nix leads each quarterbacks successful sack percent (2.73%), and he’s a threat pinch his legs, rushing for 171 yards and 3 scores successful 2025.
This is simply a reliable matchup against a Houston defense that is No. 1 successful nan NFL successful EPA/Play and EPA/Pass truthful acold this season. Nix has struggled astatine times successful nan 2025 play (recently successful nan first 3 quarters against nan New York Giants successful Week 7), and he could person immoderate issues against this Houston secondary.
Still, nan Broncos are 6-2, and they request Nix to play much for illustration an MVP campaigner if they want to beryllium taken earnestly arsenic contenders successful nan AFC. This is simply a chance for nan Broncos backmost to make a connection against an elite defense.
Broncos vs. Texans Prediction and Pick
These teams some person elite defenses, arsenic nan Broncos sack nan backmost much than anyone successful nan NFL and rank 5th successful nan convention successful protect EPA/Play.
I’m worried astir Stroud down this Houston violative line, which has struggled pinch sacks astatine times successful 2025. Overall, nan Texans are 12th successful nan convention successful sack percentage, but they besides rank conscionable 16th successful nan NFL successful EPA/Play.
Denver’s offense, contempt immoderate down halves, ranks eighth successful nan NFL successful EPA/Play and has torched nan Giants and Cowboys complete nan past 5 quarters of action, putting up complete 70 points.
This whitethorn extremity up being a low-scoring crippled (hence nan full astatine 39.5), but I spot nan Denver onslaught overmuch much – particularly if Collins remains retired for Houston. The Texans are conscionable 20th successful EPA/Rush, and this is simply a reliable matchup for them done nan aerial arsenic nan Broncos are a top-five squad successful EPA/Pass successful 2025.
Pick: Broncos Moneyline (-118 astatine DraftKings)
Odds refresh periodically and are taxable to change.
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