GameScope NFL research

HOU at PIT uncertain forecast

Sun, Dec 6 at 8:20 PM ET · Acrisure Stadium

Most likely outcome
PIT wins — 61.3%
HOU win
38.8%
PIT win
61.3%

Expected score: HOU 20.4 – PIT 25.8

Total anchored to the league-wide baseline of 46.2 points — a shared baseline, not a matchup-specific forecast.

Home-field adjustment included (+65 Elo rating points)

Fair odds (display only): HOU 2.58 · PIT 1.63

How this forecast is calculated

Team ratings (Elo): HOU 1523.4 vs PIT 1537.9. 393 games trained (Oct 30).

Model: nfl-elo-v2 — Elo ratings trained on real ESPN results (2025 regular+postseason and 2026 regular season to date), chronological replay, K=20, home advantage = 65 Elo rating points, applied only at true home venues: games the feed flags neutral-site get no home bonus, in training and in prediction. Totals baseline is the mean total points of the training games (measured, not assumed). Score-model spread/total probabilities use the engine's bivariate-normal assumptions (score std 13.5, correlation 0.3) — documented approximations, not measured NFL parameters. No backtest against closing lines exists; treat all outputs as experimental uncertain forecasts.

What the win probability uses: Elo ratings only, plus a home-field adjustment of 65 Elo rating points at true home venues (no adjustment at feed-flagged neutral sites).

Contextual research (displayed, not in the calculation): Contextual research only — form, rest, injuries, head-to-head, weather, and travel do not change the win probability above.

Totals: Expected scores are centered on a shared league-wide totals baseline of 46.2 points (the mean total of the training games) — a baseline, not a matchup-specific forecast.

Score-distribution assumptions: Spread/total probabilities assume team scores are bivariate normal (score std 13.5, correlation 0.3) — documented approximations, not measured NFL parameters.

Validation status: No backtest against closing lines exists. Treat all outputs as experimental uncertain forecasts.

Data used

Form & rest contextual research

HOU (2-5) — 42 days rest

Last 5: 2-3 (1 straight loss)

Oct 25, 2026NYGL21-27
Oct 18, 2026JAXW34-31
Oct 11, 2026TENW26-3
Oct 4, 2026DALL30-34
Sep 27, 2026INDL17-19

PIT (5-2) — 42 days rest

Last 5: 4-1 (3 straight wins)

Oct 25, 2026NOW16-10
Oct 18, 2026TBW26-19
Oct 11, 2026INDW34-22
Oct 1, 2026CLEL24-27
Sep 27, 2026CINW30-27

Head-to-head contextual research PIT 0 - HOU 0

Coverage: 2024-2026 regular+postseason schedules (ESPN)

DateScoreWinner
No meetings in coverage period

Injuries contextual research

Week 8 report — availability for Week 13 unknown. These designations were published for Week 8's games. They are the latest available report, kept as dated context; they do not say who will be available in Week 13.

HOU

Jaylin NoelInjured ReserveNoel, who was placed on injured reserve earlier Wednesday, is expected to require surgery to address his toe injury and will miss the remainder of the season, Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Jalen PitreQuestionablequestionable
David MontgomeryQuestionablequestionable
Reed BlankenshipQuestionablequestionable
Blake FisherQuestionablequestionable
Show all 25 (20 more)
Azeez Al-ShaairActiveAl-Shaair recorded nine tackles (two solo) in a Week 7 overtime loss to the Giants on Sunday.
Henry To'oTo'oActiveTo'oTo'o notched 10 tackles (three solo), including 0.5 sacks, in Sunday's Week 7 overtime loss to the Giants.
M.J. StewartActiveStewart finished with 12 tackles (five solo), including 0.5 sacks, and a defensed pass in Sunday's overtime loss to the Giants.
Foster MoreauActiveMoreau played 21 offensive snaps and nine special-teams snaps in the Texans' 27-21 overtime loss to the Giants on Sunday.
Dare OgunbowaleActiveOgunbowale didn't record an offensive touch or target in Sunday's 24-21 overtime loss to the Giants.
Tank DellActiveDell caught his only target for 43 yards and added a two-yard rush during Sunday's 27-21 overtime loss to the Giants.
Kayshon BoutteActiveBoutte caught one of two targets for 25 yards during Sunday's 27-21 overtime loss versus the Giants.
Marlin KleinActive
Febechi NwaiwuActive
Nate ThomasActive
Dalton SchultzActiveSchultz caught five of six targets for 45 yards in Sunday's 27-21 overtime loss to the Giants.
Xavier HutchinsonActiveHutchinson caught three of six targets for 17 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-21 overtime loss to the Giants. He added 12 rushing yards on two attempts.
Ka'imi FairbairnActiveFairbairn went 2-for-2 on field-goal attempts and converted his only PAT in Sunday's 27-21 overtime loss to the Giants.
Marvin Harrison Jr.ActiveHarrison caught one of four targets for a six-yard touchdown in Sunday's 27-21 overtime loss to the Giants.
C.J. StroudActiveStroud completed 17 of 28 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 27-21 overtime loss to the Giants. He added two rushing attempts for four yards and threw a successful two-point conversion.
Woody MarksActiveMarks rushed 19 times for 66 yards and caught his only target for 15 yards in Sunday's 27-21 overtime loss to the Giants.
Nico CollinsActiveCollins caught two of five targets for six yards in Sunday's 27-21 overtime loss to the Giants.
Brevin JordanActiveJordan (foot) does not have any injury designation ahead of Sunday's game against the Giants, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
Logan HallActive
Jadeveon ClowneyActive

PIT

Ben SkowronekQuestionableSkowronek (calf) practiced in a limited capacity Thursday, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.
Alex HighsmithQuestionablequestionable
Doneiko SlaughterQuestionablequestionable
Brandin EcholsQuestionablequestionable
Sebastian Joseph-DayInjured ReserveJoseph-Day (triceps) was placed on injured reserve by the Steelers on Thursday, Teresa Varley of the team's official website reports.
Show all 25 (20 more)
Jalen RamseyActive
Payton WilsonActiveWilson totaled six tackles (three solo) and an interception during Pittsburgh's win over the Saints on Sunday.
Patrick QueenActiveQueen compiled 10 tackles (seven solo), including 1.0 sacks, during Pittsburgh's win over the Saints on Sunday.
Germie BernardActiveBernard caught three of five targets for 27 yards in Sunday's 16-10 win over the Saints.
Brandon SmithActiveSmith reverted to the Steelers' practice squad Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.
Darnell WashingtonActiveWashington caught his lone target for a four-yard touchdown in Sunday's 16-10 win over the Saints in Paris.
Will HowardActive
Drew AllarActive
Eli HeidenreichActive
Terell SmithActive
Pat FreiermuthActiveFreiermuth caught two of four targets for 20 yards in Sunday's 16-10 win over the Saints.
Chris BoswellActiveBoswell made each of his three field-goal attempts and his lone extra-point try in a 16-10 victory over the Saints on Sunday in Paris.
DK MetcalfActiveMetcalf two of six targets for 56 yards in Sunday's 16-10 win over the Saints.
Rico DowdleActiveDowdle carried the ball nine times for 41 yards and caught all six of his targets for 45 yards in Sunday's 16-10 win over New Orleans.
Aaron RodgersActiveRodgers completed 19 of 30 passes for 212 passes and a touchdown in Sunday's 16-10 win over the Saints. He added six yards on three carries.
Jaylen WarrenActiveWarren carried the ball 18 times for 101 yards and caught three of four targets for 36 yards in Sunday's 16-10 win over the Saints.
DeShon ElliottActiveElliott (knee) is active for Sunday's game against the Saints in Paris.
Mason RudolphActiveRudolph is active for Sunday's game against the Saints in Paris, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.
T.J. WattActiveWatt (calf) practiced fully Friday and doesn't carry an injury designation into Sunday's game against the Saints.
Jaquan BriskerActiveBrisker posted seven tackles (four solo) during the Steelers' 26-19 overtime win over the Buccaneers on Sunday.

Labels: Out = confirmed unavailable; Doubtful = projected unavailable; Questionable = projected uncertain.

Weather & travel contextual research

44.6°F, wind 8.3 mph, precip — mm (next 1h),
Forecast for Sun, Nov 8 at 7:00 PM ET (updated Oct 30). Weather data: MET Norway (api.met.no), CC BY 4.0 / NLOD 2.0

Travel (HOU): ~1,142 miles, 1h time-zone shift east

Research only — not betting advice. All probabilities are uncertain forecasts from a simple model, never guarantees or 'locks'. GameScope places no wagers.
Scores/records/injuries: ESPN unofficial API (live). Weather: MET Norway.