Last Sunday was another day to forget for the Texans, as the Packers plowed them in the snowy Lambeau Field with a 21-13 win. The third straight loss was also enough for them to lose the solo lead in the AFC South standings.
There is now a three-way tie in the division, with the Texans, Colts, and Titans all being 6-6.
The final score could’ve easily been 21-7, but Brock Osweiler completed a 44-yard TD to DeAndre Hopkins with less than two minutes left, which probably made a lot people say “Finally!”
Osweiler came in having one of the worst deep throw success rates in the league, with 18.5-percent, while Hopkins had his first TD reception in seven games.
The QB is having an underwhelming season. His 209.1 passing YPG, 59.8-percent completion rate, and 12-13 TD-INT ratio are not numbers from a player who has a $72 million dollar contract. Co-off-season signee Lamar Miller, meanwhile, is trending down. After a strong start, the RB is now just putting up 63.8 rushing YPG in his last six. He plummeted in the Green Bay game, and only managed to get 1.6 yards per carry (14 runs for 22 yards).
With their struggles, the Texans have fallen to 29th in scoring (17.3 PPG) and 28th yards (316 total YPG).
They will now look to bounce back against the Colts, who they beat in OT back in Week 5, when they were led by Miller’s 149 yards on the ground and two scores.
Defensively, there’s not much to look forward to aside from being fifth in passing yards allowed (208.4 per game), which is also not that good since they are producing just as much on offense.
The Texans are only 3-6 SU (2-5-2 ATS) against the Colts in the Andrew Luck era.
With a playoff spot still hanging in the balance, the Colts made sure they have a firm stance on capturing a berth, as they dismantled the New York Jets on Monday Night Football, 41-10.
The passing game was on fire, with Andrew Luck going 22-for-28 for 278 yards and four TDs. It was his most accurate game of the season (78.5-percent completion rate). Five different receivers had at least four receptions, but it was TY Hilton and Dwyane Allen that put on a show – Hilton had nine catches for 146 yards, while Allen had three TD grabs.
The team will need Luck and his receiving corps to have a similar performance this coming Sunday. It’ll be a big challenge, since the Colts are only 13th in passing yards, and they are going against an aerial defense ranked in the top five.
On defense, they have to be better on all ends. They allow the second-most passing yards (3,280 – 273.3 per game), and seventh-most rushing yards (1,315 – 109.5 per game). Also, as mentioned, the last time they faced the Texans, Lamar Miller burned them with his elusiveness.
Indy is 3-3 SU and ATS at home this season.
Writer’s Prediction
The Colts (-6) win and move ahead of the Texans in the standings, 30-24.
