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When the season began, it would have been easy to believe the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts could be matchup up in the regular season finale with the division on the line. Instead, both have been hit hard by injury at the quarterback position and are each finishing up disappointing seasons when they meet in Week 17.
The Colts have been without Andrew Luck all season, ending their playoff hopes before they truly began. The Texans had a promising start behind star rookie Deshaun Watson, but he was lost for the year due to a torn ACL. Both of these teams have coaches on the hot seat so it will be interesting to see if either team plays with motivation in this showdown.
The Colts are the home team so they will be favored, but it’s hard to peg how this one will finish.
This matchup in Week 17 of the regular season will take place on Sunday, December 31, 2017, at 1 p.m. ET at Lucas Oil Dump.
Opening NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Houston Texans +4
Indianapolis Colts -4
Over/Under 41
Odds Analysis
The Colts have rarely been favored this season but Houston has serious issues at quarterback and will therefore be the underdog. The Texans are 4-11 on the season while the Colts are 3-12, so the home field advantage may be very slight in this one.
The scoring total is pretty low, which isn’t a surprise with so little talent at the quarterback position. The “under” has been the more popular choice early in the week.
Injury Report
Donte Moncrief — The Colts wide receiver has missed the past several weeks with an ankle injury. T.Y. Hilton is the best pass-catcher on Indianapolis while tight end Jack Doyle is the No. 2 option, but Moncrief can be another weapon when healthy. He has 26 catches for 391 yards and two touchdowns on the season but it’s unknown if he can play.
T.J. Yates — The Texans’ third-string quarterback is the guy at this point because both Watson and backup Tom Savage are done for the year. Yates was briefly pulled from the game on Sunday against the Steelers to get checked for a concussion but returned to the game. He has been ineffective this year but the Texans don’t have many other options.
Kevin Johnson — The Texans cornerback injured his knee in Monday’s game against the Steelers. Johnson didn’t return to the game and his availability for this one could be in doubt.
Coaching Angle
Colts coach Chuck Pagano has seemingly been on the hot seat for a couple of years but has kept his job. It’s tough judging him on a season without Luck but Pagano might be out of chances at this point. It will be interesting to see how the front office feels about his coaching ability. There could be a change after this game.
Bill O’Brien has similarly dealt with a key injury to Watson. The team was playing well when the quarterback was on the field but has completely fallen apart since. His job doesn’t seem as much in peril like Pagano’s but there are always surprise firings and it’s not a given that he keeps his job.
Free ATS Pick
While the playoffs aren’t on the line, both coaches could be feeling the heat and this one could mean a lot to them. The Texans must go on the road and are having next to no success without Watson. This is a winnable matchup against a team low on talent, but Yates’ presence under center makes Houston the underdog.
The Colts have not won very many games this season, but do get this one at home. Indy is not in as bad of a spot as Houston mentally. Take the Colts to win this game, but the Texans are the choice to cover.
NFL Odds: Colts 23, Texans 22
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