Colts vs. Texans: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time and More

Winners of three straight, Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts take a trip to Houston for an AFC South clash with the three-win Texans on the Week 6 edition of Thursday Night Football.

The Colts are slowly climbing the ladder and showing an ability to contend with the NFL's best. While two wins have come against lowly divisional rivals such as Jacksonville and Tennessee, a Week 5 win over Baltimore—a game where Luck did not have to do it all on his own for once—suggests that Chuck Pagano's team is on the right path.

Things are a tad more complicated for Houston, a team with wins over Washington, Oakland and Buffalo (whose total records add up to 4-9) but coming off an overtime loss in Dallas. The first AFC South test of coach Bill O'Brien's tenure comes on prime time against a Colts team that has routinely whipped the Texans since they came into existence.

It amounts to a critical landmark in the journey of both teams. All the hard work the Colts have put in goes out the window with a loss. Houston can announce its renaissance after a 14-loss season with a win, or it can simply continue to float around as one of the worst teams with a good record.

Ground Wars

USA TODAY Sports

As seems to always be the case, Houston is most effective on the ground.

The attack has been rather inconsistent at times this year thanks to injuries, but Arian Foster and a stable of names still average 127.0 yards per game, good for No. 11 overall. While Dallas has a laughably bad defense, it is still worth mentioning that Foster found room for 157 yards and a pair of scores on an average of 6.8 yards per carry.

It is important that Foster and the ground game click Thursday against a unit that happens to only allow an average of 101.8 rushing yards per game (inflated due to contests against Jacksonville, Tennessee and Baltimore).

Perhaps the only huge mistake O'Brien has made to date was skimping at the quarterback position in the draft, instead opting to roll with veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick. The journeyman has thrown more touchdowns than interceptions just twice this season. 

Believe it or not, the ground game is just as important for the Colts. Now that the organization has stopped trying to justify its mistake in trading for Trent Richardson, Ahmad Bradshaw as emerged as the team's primary running back, and the Colts have a formidable, balanced attack.

That said, both looked strong for their respective usage rates last week against the Ravens:

	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD	LG
A. Bradshaw	15	68	4.5	0	20
T. Richardson	9	37	4.1	0	14

It is important that the duo is just as effective Thursday in Houston. This will not only prevent Foster from taking the field and doing his damage but keep pressure off Luck, who will be tasked with evading a defensive front led by J.J. Watt that has already amassed eight sacks, 37 quarterback hits and 51 hurries, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Thursday Blues and Predictive History

Tim Sharp/Associated Press

After close encounters for both teams a mere days ago, Foster has once again openly spoke his mind about the prospects of mandatory Thursday games.

Tania Ganguli of ESPN provided the honest musings:

Interestingly enough, O'Brien revealed days before his team's clash with the Cowboys that him and his staff were also already preparing for the Colts. Speaking to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, O'Brien described the burden the Thursday game had placed on the coaches.

"At the end of the week," O'Brien told McClain, "I’m able to get going on the next opponent. For this week, it’s definitely accelerated because the game’s on Thursday. Usually we have our family dinners or family movie night on Friday nights and Saturdays. That ain’t happening this week.”

It is an interesting thing to take into consideration going into this matchup. 

Also of interest is Houston's all-time record against Indianapolis: 4-20.

Foster and Co. seem to be at a disadvantage despite being at home for this one. A demoralizing loss on a short week before going against an opponent that historically wins this encounter makes for a dangerous environment for a team on the brink of a .500 record.

When: Thursday, October 9, 8:25 p.m. ET

Where: NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

Watch: CBS, NFL Network

Betting Info: (via Odds Shark)

• Over/Under: 46
• Spread: Indianapolis (-2)

Team Injury Reports

Player	Position	Status
Bjoern Werner	LB	Probable
Jerrell Freeman	LB	Questionable
Darius Butler	FS	Out

Player	Position	Status
J.J. Watt	DE	Probable
Ryan Fitzpatrick	QB	Probable
Johnathan Joseph	CB	Probable
Brian Cushing	LB	Probable
Darryl Morris	DB	Out
Damaris Johnson	WR	Probable
D.J. Swearinger	SS	Probable
Andre Johnson	WR	Questionable
Alfred Blue	RB	Probable
Arian Foster	RB	Probable

Injury info will be updated once released, via ESPN.com.

Prediction

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

All signs point to an Indianapolis win Thursday. Luck and the league's No. 1 passing attack may be grounded in the face of an elite rush, but an emerging rushing attack will make things easier in a hostile environment.

Remember, this is a Colts team that went to Denver and only lost by a touchdown despite the fact it didn't have much of a running game.

A historical task rests in front of Foster's tired legs after leaving it all on the field in a bitter in-state rivalry. Not only is Fitzpatrick a major disadvantage when compared to his Thursday counterpart, but the defense has done little against a weak schedule outside of rush the passer well.

Expect something similar to what the New York Giants were able to do to Houston in a 30-17 encounter in Week 3. As long as Luck takes care of the football and hits his tight ends consistently when the ground attack is taking a breather, this one should be rather ho-hum in nature.

Prediction: Colts 28, Texans 17

Note: Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus (subscription required).