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After two games on the road, the Indianapolis Colts are heading back home. The Colts and the Houston Texans will face off in an AFC South battle at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium. Indianapolis should still be riding high after a victory, while Houston will be looking to right the ship.
You're bound to get a positive result if you outscore your opponent every quarter, and that's exactly how it played out for Indianapolis last week. They strolled past the Las Vegas Raiders with points to spare, taking the game 44-27. Indianapolis' RB Jonathan Taylor was on fire, rushing for two TDs and 150 yards on 20 carries. Taylor put himself on the highlight reel with a 62-yard TD scramble down the right side of the field in the third quarter. Taylor's sharp performance set his single-game rushing touchdown high for the season.
Special teams collected 14 points for Indianapolis. K Rodrigo Blankenship delivered a perfect 3-for-3 game.
Meanwhile, the Texans found themselves the reluctant recipients of an unpleasant 36-7 punch to the gut against the Chicago Bears last week. Houston was in a tough position by the half, with the score already sitting at 30-7. The losing side was boosted by QB Deshaun Watson, who passed for one TD and 219 yards on 30 attempts in addition to picking up 38 yards on the ground. Watson ended up with a passer rating of 142.30.
Houston is now 4-9 while Indianapolis sits at a mirror-image 9-4. Houston has been eliminated from playoff contention. Indianapolis is still in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs, so these next three games are critical for them.
The Colts are the favorite in this one, with an expected 7.5-point margin of victory. They have been consistent moneymakers against the spread when favored (8-4), so they might be worth a quick bet.
Two defensive stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: Indianapolis ranks fourth in the league when it comes to passing touchdowns allowed, with only 17 on the season. Less enviably, Houston is stumbling into the contest with the second most yards allowed per game in the NFL, having given up 406.6 on average.
