The Houston Texans could become just the fifth team in NFL history to make the playoffs with a rookie quarterback and a rookie head coach when they play in a Week 18 NFL game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday the Indianapolis Colts compete. Led by coach DeMeco Ryans and quarterback CJ Stroud, Houston (9-7) will secure a spot in the postseason with a win over Indianapolis (9-7). The Texans are looking to join the 2008 Ravens and Falcons, the 2009 Jets and the 2012 Colts as the only playoff teams with a rookie coach and quarterback duo in league history.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET. Houston is a two-point favorite in the current Texans vs. Colts odds, while the over/under for total points is 47.5. Before making any Colts vs. Texans picks or NFL predictions, you need to check out the NFL betting recommendations from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, has gained well over $7,000 on top-rated NFL picks since its launch for $100 players. The model enters Week 18 of the 2023 NFL season with an incredible 181-129 record on top-rated NFL picks dating back to the 2017 season. It also has a 35-21 record among top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of last season.
The model also ranked in the top 10 in straight NFL picks on NFLPickWatch over the past six years, beating more than 94% of CBS Sports' football pick'em players four times during that period. Anyone who has followed it is way up there.
Now the model has focused on Texans vs. Colts and has just announced its picks and predictions. You can only see the model selection at SportsLine. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Colts vs. Texans:
- Texans vs. Colts Spread: Houston -2
- Texans vs. Colts over/under: 47.5 points
- Money line Texans vs. Colts: Houston -129, Indianapolis +108
- HOU: QB CJ Stroud ranks fourth in the NFL in passing yards per game (274.6)
- IND: LB Zaire Franklin leads league in tackles (170)
- Texans vs. Colts Picks: Check out the picks here
- Live stream Texans vs. Colts: fubo (try for free)
Why the Texans can cover
The Houston defense has improved greatly against the run this season. The Texans are giving up just 88.5 rushing yards per game, which ranks fourth in the league. This comes a year after he gave up an NFL-worst 170.2 rushing yards per game. The 81.7 yard improvement is the largest improvement since the Patriots in 1973-74.
Additionally, defensive end Will Anderson Jr. had a solid rookie season. Anderson, the No. 3 overall pick in April's NFL Draft, ranks second among all rookies in the league with seven sacks (seven). He had a total of four sacks in his last two games. See which team you should choose here.
Why the Colts can cover
Indianapolis showed improved defense in the second half of the season. In the last eight games, the Colts allowed 21.4 points per game and went 6-2. That's a dramatic improvement from the first eight games of the season, when they allowed an NFL-worst 28.6 points per game.
In addition, running back Jonathan Taylor comes into play with a throw. The 5-foot-10, 226-pound Taylor, whose season began with a contentious contract dispute with the organization, has scored at least one touchdown in five straight games. This is the second-longest active streak in the league. See which team you should choose here.
Here's how to choose between Texans and Colts
SportsLine's model leans under the total points, predicting 47 total points. The model also states that one side of the spread occurs in well over 50% of simulations. See the model's NFL picks and analysis only at SportsLine.
So who wins Colts vs. Texans on Saturday and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Texans vs. Colts spread you should fall on, everything from the advanced model with a 181-129 roll on NFL picks, and find out.