[1:00 PM] Texans @ Colts

Who will WIN this matchup?

Houston Texans (6-6)

@ Indianapolis Colts (6-6)

 

• It’s a three-team battle for the AFC North, with the Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts all tied for the top spot at 6-6. The Texans, who already own one win over the Titans, can clinch the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Colts when they host the showdown on Sunday. Houston might be playing the worst football of the three teams at the moment, enduring a three-game losing streak due in large part to its lackluster offense.

• Indianapolis’ offense is back to operating in high gear with Andrew Luck out of the league’s concussion protocol and is coming off a season-best 41-10 shellacking of the New York Jets on Monday.

• Osweiler is 31st in the NFL among 32 qualified quarterbacks with a 74.2 rating and is last in yards per attempt at 5.77, but coach Bill O’Brien put the team’s struggles on himself after a 21-13 loss at Green Bay last week. Houston’s defense has carried the team most of the season but is starting to spring leaks with defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (wrist/elbow) and cornerback Johnathan Joseph (ribs) sitting out practice this week.

• Luck and the offense could be asked to do even more down the stretch with the defense losing middle linebacker D’Qwell Jackson to a four-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs. Jackson, who is the signal-caller on defense and has recorded 78 tackles and a sack this season, is not eligible to return to the team until the day after the end of the regular season.

• Osweiler threw for 269 yards and two TDs in a 26-23 overtime home win over Indianapolis in Week 6.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Indianapolis Colts

Confidence: 5/10

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