Houston Texans vs Indianapolis Colts Matchup

Check out our free Colts vs Texans pick and preview for this NFL week 8 game in Houston. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this week 8 regular season matchup.

The Colts are +192 on the money line as they head to Houston to face the Texans at 1:00 ET on Sunday, October 27th at NRG Stadium. The Texans are favored at -231 on the money line and -5 on the point spread. This AFC South matchup will be televised on CBS, and the over/under line is set at 45.5 points.

Colts vs. Texans Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NFL
Teams: Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans
Where: Houston at NRG Stadium
Date: Sunday, October 27th
Betting Odds HOU -5, IND +192 | HOU -231 O/U 45.5

Colts Preview:

After two straight wins, the Colts are now 4-3 and sit 2nd in the AFC South. They have a 56.7% chance of making the playoffs and a 20.6% chance of winning the division. Heading into week 8, they rank 23rd in our NFL power rankings.

Against the spread, the Colts are 6-1 this season, including five straight covers. They are 4-0 as underdogs and 2-1 as favorites. Their O/U record is 3-4, with the under hitting in two consecutive games.

Colts Offense Breakdown

Heading into week 8, the Colts rank 18th in our offensive power rankings. They sit 16th in the NFL in both points per game (22.1) and total yards per game (329.3). Indianapolis is 17th in passing yards per game (206.3) and 14th in rushing, averaging 123 yards per game on the ground. They have been strong on 3rd down, converting 40.9% of their attempts, which ranks 11th in the league.

In week 7, the Colts defeated the Dolphins 16-10, with Anthony Richardson throwing for 129 yards on 10/24 passing. Michael Pittman Jr. led the team with 63 receiving yards, while Richardson added 56 rushing yards on 14 carries. The Colts scored 7 points in the 3rd quarter and 6 in the 4th.

Colts Team Defense

In their 16-10 win over the Dolphins, the Colts' defense gave up 188 rushing yards on 40 attempts but held Miami to just 149 yards passing. The Colts' defense allowed just 15 completions to the Dolphins, and Miami managed only one touchdown against them. Overall, the Colts allowed 337 yards of total offense and held the Dolphins to a 40% third-down conversion rate. Indianapolis also had two sacks in the game.

Texans Preview:

Heading into week 8, the Texans hold a 5-2 record, putting them in first place in the AFC South. They have a +0.9 scoring margin this season and rank 11th in our NFL power rankings. Our projections give Houston a 76.5% chance of winning the division and an 89.2% chance of making the playoffs.

Against the spread, the Texans are 3-4 this season, but they have covered in three straight games. In week 7, they lost 24-22 to the Packers but covered as 3-point underdogs. The combined score of 46 points fell short of the 47.5-point line, putting the over/under record in Houston’s games at 2-5 this season.

Texans Offense Breakdown

Heading into week 8, the Texans rank 17th in our offensive power rankings. They are 12th in the NFL in points per game, averaging 23.6, and 11th in yards per game with 349.7. Houston has been strong early in games, ranking 3rd in the league in 1st quarter scoring. C.J. Stroud struggled in week 7, throwing for just 86 yards on 10/21 passing after posting a passer rating of 100 in week 6 and 97 in week 5.

Joe Mixon rushed for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 carries in week 7. Dalton Schultz led the team in receiving with 28 yards on a single catch. The Texans will be without Nico Collins, who is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Collins had 567 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns before his injury.

Texans Team Defense

In their 24-22 loss to the Packers, the Texans' defense gave up three passing touchdowns but did manage to force two interceptions. Despite allowing just 195 passing yards, Green Bay was efficient, with a 72.7% completion rate. The Texans' run defense held up well, allowing 82 yards on 20 attempts (4.1 yards per attempt).

On the defensive front, Houston recorded three sacks and held Green Bay to a 40% conversion rate on third down. The Texans' defense will be looking to improve in the red zone, as the Packers were able to capitalize on their limited scoring opportunities.

Colts vs Texans Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Colts have a straight up record of 5-5 while going 6-4 vs. the spread. The team averaged 19 points per game in this stretch.
Across the Texans last ten home games, the team averaged 20 points per game while allowing 24. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 5-5, while going 5-5 straight-up.
Going back to their previous ten games as the underdog, Indianapolis has an ATS mark of 5-5 while going 2-8 straight up.
The Texans have played well in their last three games as the betting favorite, going 3-0 straight up and 2-1 against the spread.