Indianapolis Colts visit the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. Here’s our complete guide to Colts Texans Bet Tips.
All odds and lines from PointsBet, current as of Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. ET.
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Indianapolis Colts (7-4) at Houston Texans (4-7)
Colts Texans Bet Tips
Colts Texans Odds and Betting Lines
- Against The Spread: Colts -3 (-110)/Texans +3 (-110)
- Moneyline: Colts (-165)/Texans (+140)
- Total: 51 — Over 51 (-115)/Under 51 (-105)
- Implied Team Totals: Colts 27, Texans 24
The Colts are 4-2 in their past six games but are coming off of a crucial in-division loss to the Titans. They will attempt to rebound in another AFC South bout, this time, facing off with the Texans.
While the Texans are 4-3 under Romeo Crennel during his seven-game tenure as interim head coach, Houston’s postseason hopes are fading. This is a must-win game for two teams who need it for differing reasons.
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Colts Texans Key Injuries
Colts
Colts RB Jonathan Taylor is dealing with a knee injury and a stint on the COVID-19 list that sidelined him for last week’s loss to the Titans.
While Taylor has failed to live up to his offseason hype, he was missed in the defeat. Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines averaged 3.7 and 2.9 yards per carry, respectively, and only rushed for a combined 51 yards on 16 carries. They were both effective in the passing game, combining for 101 yards on 11 receptions, yet the Colts were trailing for most of the game. It was garbage-time production.
In Taylor’s last appearance back in Week 11 against the Packers, he had one of his best games of the second half of the year. With his 90 rushing yards on 22 carries — he had a big touchdown run called back — adding another 35 yards on three receptions, Taylor totaled 112 yards, breaking a three-game streak of totaling fewer than 37.
The Colts need Taylor’s between-the-tackles skillset to set the tone for their offense. If Taylor plays this week — and he was activated from the COVID-19 list Wednesday — he will get one of his easiest matchups of the year facing the Texans. Houston is allowing the second-most rushing yards per game this season (154.7).
An even bigger piece could be defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, who missed Week 12 due to a positive COVID-19 test. If he’s able to clear protocols and return, he would drastically shore up the run defense that wilted against Tenneesee’s Derrick Henry in Buckner’s absence.
Texans
Texans WR Will Fuller will miss the remainder of the year as he will serve a six-game PED suspension. However, Fuller is not the only hit the Texans’ wide receiver room has taken recently. They placed Randall Cobb on injured reserve last week with a toe injury and released Kenny Stills, who was dealing with a quadriceps injury before getting cut loose at the end of November.
With all of the issues, Brandin Cooks is slated to operate as the No.1 wide receiver on the team while Keke Coutee and rookie Isaiah Coulter, who is day-to-day with a neck injury, is in line to work as the No. 3.
The suspension and injuries could not have come at a worse time, however. The Texans have a rough three-game stretch facing the Colts twice with the Bears sandwiched in between. Three exceptionally tough matchups for enemy wideouts. The Colts are yielding the sixth-fewest passing yards per game (209.9).
Colts-Texans Players to Watch
Historically, Deshaun Watson smokes the Colts. In five career outings, Watson has thrown for at least 298 yards three times, including two games north of 300. He’s also rushed for at least 35 yards in 4-of-5 meetings. Despite his plus yardage totals, he’s only thrown for more than one touchdown two times against them.
This time around, Watson could have difficulty popping off a big game. Not only is DeAndre Hopkins no longer in the picture, but the injuries and suspension to Texans’ wideouts, explained in the injury section above, will surely come into play facing one of the best defenses against the pass in the league.
With no semblance of a running game, Watson may have to do it all by himself on Sunday, which spells doom for Houston.
Colts WR T.Y. Hilton is having one of the worst seasons of his career. The longtime Colts wideout has only caught 33-of-55 targets for 408 yards and one score. However, things could be looking up for Hilton. Last week, Hilton had his best game of the year, hauling in 4-of-5 targets for 81 yards and a touchdown. His yards were a season-high while his touchdown was his first of the year.
Hilton gets a Texans secondary surrendering the 10th most receiving yards per game (254.8) this season. In 17 career games facing the Texans, Hilton has hung a 90/1622/10 line on them but has only scored one touchdown in their past six meetings.
Colts Texans Weather Report
The weather at NRG Stadium calls for a clear and sunny afternoon at the time of kickoff with a 0% precipitation probability.
The temperature is forecast at 53 degrees Fahrenheit with 6 mph winds blowing NorthWest.
Colts Texans Bet Tips
BEST BET: Colts (-165)
The biggest difference between the Colts and Texans is the defense. The Colts have one of the best in the league across the board while the Texans are one of the all-around worst. Defense will be the difference on Sunday.
With Deshaun Watson working with a skeleton crew at receiver, not to mention the fact that they can’t run the football with or without David Johnson, the Texans will be playing one-dimensional football. Look for the Colts to pin their defense ears back and get after Watson.
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While Watson doesn’t turn the football over a ton, especially this season in which he has five giveaways, all picks, he’s thrown at least one interception in 4-of-5 career outings versus Indy.
The Colts are 4-2 straight up in their past six games versus the Texans and 3-1 in their past four.
CONSIDER: Colts -3 (-110)
If you are looking for slightly better odds than the Colts Moneyline and believe they will cover the three-point spread, take Indy ceding the points.
Three of the past five meetings between the Colts and Texans have been decided by three points.
The Colts are 6-2 against the spread in their past eight games facing the Texans, covering in each of their past four meetings.
The Colts are 3-1 ATS in their past four road games, but 3-4 ATS in their past seven games overall, covering in two of their past three.
PASS: Over 51 (-115)
I am not confident in either the Over or the Under in this matchup. This game could go either way, taking the Colts defense and Houston’s offensive injuries into consideration. Despite the aforementioned issues, Deshaun Watson is good enough to overcome any defense and any injuries and hang points on the best of them.
While this game looks like it will trend Under, the Over appears to be the better play given the track history on both sides this season.
The Over is 7-4 in the Colts 11 games this season while it is 6-5 in the Texans’ 11.
Anthony Cervino is 31-33-1 on his NFL Best Bets in 2020.
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