The Indianapolis Colts are now a perfect 1-0 all-time without Andrew Luck. However, their overtime win against the lowly Jaguars also showed how much they need their star quarterback to return in time for their visit to the division rival Houston Texans on Thursday. Can the Colts get the win that lifts them above .500 for the first time this year?
Read on for our comprehensive preview of Thursday night’s AFC South rivalry game. And for more of Week 5’s top matchups, check out our previews of the 49ers vs. Giants and Bears vs. Chiefs.
[sc:Football ]Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans Preview
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston
When: Thursday, October 8, 8:25 PM ET
Line: Indianapolis Colts (pk) at Houston Texans (pk); total: 44.5 – view all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: CBS/NFL Network
Betting on the Indianapolis Colts
The good news for the Colts: with Andrew Luck’s ailing shoulder causing him to miss the first ever game of his NFL career, 40-year-old Matt Hasselbeck stepped up with 282 passing yards and a touchdown to lead the Colts to a 16-13 overtime win over the Jaguars.
[sc:NFL240banner ]42-year-old Adam Vinatieri kicked in the game-winning field goal for the Colts, who improved to 2-2 on the season, but are still winless (0-4) against the spread.
The not-so-good news for the Colts, though, was that their running game is still showing no signs of consistency. Running backs Frank Gore and Josh Robinson combined for only 55 yards on 20 carries, and each lost a fumble against the Jags.
The run defense didn’t look too hot, either, as it allowed rookie TJ Yeldon to rush for 4.8 yards per carry. Starting inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman injured his groin and could weaken that run defense even further. Meanwhile, the secondary, which was already missing cornerbacks Greg Toler and Darius Butler, lost another corner in Jalil Brown to a groin injury.
The silver lining for the Colts is that top corner Vontae Davis is still relatively healthy. Davis is definitely good enough to take the Texans’ top (and sometimes only) receiving threat, DeAndre Hopkins, out of the game.
Andrew Luck will not be rejoining his team this week. Once again the reins will go back to Matt Hasselbeck. Experience pays dividends though and he’s got a lot of it. Not to mention, the Colts have beaten Houston five straight times (4-0-1 against the spread).
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Betting on the Houston Texans
No one had their butts whooped harder in Week 4 than the Texans at Atlanta. Houston was simply humiliated by the Falcons, who were up 42-0 through three quarters. Starting quarterback Ryan Mallett (12-of-27, 150 yards, one INT) was benched for Brian Hoyer, who went 17-of-30 for 232 yards and two touchdowns in garbage time. The Texans now drop to 1-3 on the season.
Arian Foster (eight carries, 10 rushing yards) made no impact in his season debut as the struggling Texans running game rushed for just 54 yards. Meanwhile, the Texans lost wide receiver Cecil Shorts, who showed signs of life with 87 receiving yards and a touchdown against Atlanta, to a shoulder injury.
With no one other than DeAndre Hopkins (31 catches, 358 receiving yards, three touchdowns this season) producing offensively for Houston this season, the Texans desperately need Foster to rediscover his old form. He’ll have less time to recover from his first action of the year because of the short week, but if there’s any team he’d rather face to get going, it’s the Colts.
Last season, Foster had 218 rushing yards and two touchdowns in two games against the Colts, and had 261 yards with a touchdown in two meetings against them back in 2012.
The Colts have been at their most vulnerable this season against defenses that can pressure Luck into poor decisions, and the Texans have the personnel to do just that. J.J. Watt is arguably the single best interior pass rushing force in the game today, while Jadeveon Clowney can also cause chaos on that porous Colts O-line through the edge.
Writer’s Prediction
Hasselbeck sparks the Colts (+5) to a 27-23 road win.
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