The team headed toward the number one overall pick in the draft faster than any other will put its 11 game losing streak on the line Sunday in Indianapolis. Houston meets with its division rival for the second time this year in a revenge spot after having lost the first meeting by the count of 24-21 in a n epic Sunday Night comeback for the Colts.
The Colts, likely headed to another playoff appearance, have looked weak to say the least in the weeks since that game. Losing Reggie Wayne crippled their offense a bit. Andrew Luck has been able to right the ship a bit, but Coby Fleener and company have struggled to produce sufficient offense to offset for a variety of defensive efficiencies.
Luck at home is a tough customer, and he finds ways to win virtually every outing. He has Indy in position to get to the second season, and that should lead to a focused bunch come Sunday.
But Houston, a six point underdog as of now, is also appealing to an extent despite its issues. They have performed well in the underdog role and are getting a bit of an inflated price at this point. Not a ton separates these clubs from a yards per play perspective and Houston has been one of the worst teams in the AFC when it ones to turnover differential, a stat that should regress some in the latter weeks.
Moreover, and perhaps most importantly, is the situational aspect of this game for Houston. They last played in Jacksonville on a Thursday night as a point favorite. They lost that game and fired their head coach the next day. They feature an interim coach who is a defensive mastermind in Wade Phillips. He has had a ton of success while wearing the “interim” tag while in Dallas and other places, and should have his group motivated here.
Teams coming into a game off a coaching change tend to be a bit more focus because they are professionals. While pro football can be extremely sloppy at times, it is a paid profession. The fact that the team leader has been relinquished of his duties will force every depth of this roster to pay a bit more attention this week.
Houston has some young playmakers and nearly knocked off New England two weeks ago. That game showed what they could do as a home dog getting a large number of points. This is an advantageous situation for them as well. Indy wins a close game that requires yet another late game drive to get it done, but getting the full six here should be more than enough.
HOU +7 (B 1/2)
