Colts at Texans
The Houston Texans are coming off their worst beating of the season but can still clinch the AFC South title and move a step closer to the top overall seed in the conference with a win over the visiting Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. As tantalizing as that prospect is, the Texans also are well aware that a loss to the Andrew Luck-led Colts could put their hopes for both a division title and home field in peril, particularly with a trip to Indianapolis looming in the regular-season finale. The Colts have won three straight to move within two games of Houston and put them two games clear of Cincinnati and Pittsburgh for the fifth seed. A victory Sunday would clinch a playoff berth for Indianapolis and improve their slim chances of wresting the division crown away from the Texans.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Texans -9, O/U 48
ABOUT THE COLTS (9-4): Luck has directed Indianapolis to seven wins in its last eight games with a flair for the dramatic, producing six fourth-quarter comebacks - the most by a rookie since the merger in 1970 - to negate some stretches of erratic play. The top overall pick in April's draft has thrown 18 touchdown passes and is tied for the league lead with 18 interceptions, yet he has the Colts five games above .500 despite a minus-37 point differential. Luck has been picked off 10 times and not had a passer rating above 80.1 in his last five but Indianapolis has gone 4-1 in that stretch. Rookie running back Vick Ballard is coming off his best game with 94 yards on 19 carries, and the Colts could use a similar effort to defuse Houston's pass rush.
ABOUT THE TEXANS (11-2): Houston had its six-game winning streak come to a crashing halt in Monday night's 42-14 rout by the New England Patriots. The Texans' defense has been among the league's best for much of the season but has surrendered at least 31 points in three of the last four games. Houston's two losses have come against high-octane passing attacks led by Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. Falling into an early 21-0 hole at New England essentially removed one of the team's best weapons in Arian Foster, who has scored a league-high 16 touchdowns and needs 52 yards for his third straight season with 1,200 yards rushing. J.J. Watt has an AFC-high 16.5 sacks and leads a defense that has registered 15 interceptions and forced 14 fumbles.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Eight of Indy's wins have been decided by seven points or fewer and six have come by four points or fewer
2. The Texans have won the last two against the Colts and are 9-2 in their last 11 against AFC South opponents.
3. Indianapolis was winless through 13 games last season.