Are they for real? Are they frauds? We’ve been asking these questions about the Houston Texans for a few seasons now. In 2009, we may finally see the Texans in a playoff game. Of course, they could be completely derailed by the undefeated Colts this week.
Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts
Sunday, November 8 at 1:00 p.m. ET
NFL odds: Colts -9
The Colts offense has been almost unstoppable—until last week. The 49ers held the high-flying Colts to just 18 points last week. Peyton Manning, second in the NFL with 15 touchdown passes, couldn’t hook up for a score against San Fran. That’s not a huge cause for concern—Manning still threw for 347 yards—but the pathetic running game is a growing concern. A good betting system will tell you 87 yards per game on the ground won’t cut it.
The Texans aren’t much better running the ball at 92 yards per contest, but former Eagle Ryan Moats did explode for 126 yards and three scores in last week’s win over Buffalo. He’ll likely share carries with Steve Slaton and Chris Brown this week, both of whom fumble too much. Like Indy, the Texans must rely on the passing game. Matt Schaub is enjoying the best season of his career so far with 16 touchdown passes, tying him for the NFL lead.
The Indianapolis defense has very quietly played excellent. The Colts are allowing just 13 points per game, best in the NFL. Both the pass and run defense are sound, with no glaring weaknesses anywhere. It’s a much different story in Houston, where the Texans are allowing 21 points per outing. That’s not terrible by any means, but it puts more pressure on the offense to deliver. Unlike Indy’s low-scoring win over San Fran, Houston can’t count on the defense to step up and win a game for it.
Houston has puzzled sportsbook fans for years and this season is no different. After the stumble against San Fran last week, Indy seems ripe for the picking but, until the Colts give us some solid evidence, we shouldn’t go against them. Bet the Colts with your sports picks.
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