Written by Rohit Ghosh

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Texans vs Steelers: Monday Night

Coming off a pair of losses to the Cowboys and Colts, the Houston Texans head to Heinz Field for the first time since 2008. They'll face a 3-3 Pittsburgh squad that will be looking to keep its head above water after losing to Cleveland last week.

Other than J.J. Watt wreaking havoc in the backfield, the Texans have a poor pass defense. In terms of yards allowed per game, Houston is No. 28 in the NFL. If Houston CB Kareem Jackson can at least contain Antonio Brown, Houston has a great chance at pulling the upset at home. Brown is No. 5 in the NFL with 41 receptions, No. 2 with 629 receiving yards, and has made at least one 20-yard completion in 10 straight games.

The Texans running attack does possess some characteristics that could make for a very difficult matchup for the Steelers. According to Jim Wexell of Steel City Insider, the Steelers young defense might have issues stopping the Texans' 3-WR, zone-running scheme.

AccuScore Monday Night Football Picks

AccuScore has the Steelers as solid 66.7 percent favorites to win: For picks against the spread and on the Over/Under: Click here - NFL Expert Picks

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Texans vs Steelers: Betting Trends

• Houston is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games.
• Houston is 8-15 ATS in its last 23 games.
• Houston is 3-17 SU in its last 20 games.
• The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Houston's last 9 games.
• Pittsburgh is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games.
• Pittsburgh is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games.
• Pittsburgh is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home.
• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games at home.

Projected Leaders

Ryan Fitzpatrick: 258 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, 78.9 QB Rating
Ben Roethlisberger: 274 yds, 1 TD, 96.4 QB Rating

Arian Foster: 19 carries, 72 yards
Le’Veon Bell: 16 carries, 59 yds

Andre Johnson: 6 receptions, 78 yds
Antonio Brown: 6 receptions, 86 yds

Texans vs Steelers: What to Watch For

Turnovers: In the 33 percent of simulations where the Texans wins, Fitzpatrick averages 1.14 TD passes vs 0.61 interceptions; in losses, he averages just 0.64 TDs to 1.01 interceptions. For the season, Fitzpatrick has thrown for six touchdowns and six interceptions, currently owning an 86.1 passer rating.

McCain vs Houston Receivers: Keep an eye on the matchup between Brice McCain and Andre Johnson. McCain has covered Johnson in the past in practice, making this live matchup that much more enticing. McCain hasn't been tested a whole lot this season, giving up 2 completions in 8 targets. When Johnson is targeted this Monday, expect McCain to be somewhere nearby.

Pittsburgh Running Game: The Steelers enter this week’s matchup No. 3 in the league in total rushing yards. On the other side, Houston is just No. 27 in the league in stopping the run. Rather than pass the ball and involve J.J. Watt, expect Pittsburgh to attack early on the ground. Both Le'Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount are projected to have more than 50 rushing yards.