It is get-well time for QB Brock Osweiler. If he cannot lift the Texans' sickly No. 30 passer rating against this vulnerable defense, maybe they can get their money back on him. Even if Osweiler is so-so against Indy, the visitors will not pile up points at their usual rate, so 24 might do the trick for Houston. DE Jadeveon Clowney is easing the pain from J,J. Watt’s absence. Colts QB Andrew Luck has suffered 20 sacks, and Houston ranks fourth with 38 QB hits. The evening kickoff tips the scales further.

The Brock Osweiler signing is looking terrible for the Texans. It’s early, so there’s still time for him to prove his worth. The Colts have many issues coming into this game, but one of them isn’t at QB. I think ultimately, what you’ll see from the Colts is an inspired defensive effort that’ll result in a few 3-and-outs and a turnover. Both of which puts the ball back in the hands of Andrew Luck and a Colts offense that’ll be in must-win mode from the outset.

How much longer can the Colts go on before the bottom falls out? I'm anticipating a semi-destructive affair Sunday night against a Texans team that's lost its early-season fanfare. Without JJ Watt, the Texans suffered losses in unfathomable fashion to a Jacoby Brissett-led Patriots team and last week to the Vikings. But for the Colts, their formula is just not sustainable. Indy has been in every game but those are the types of teams that get crushed near the midpoint of seasons. Lay it.

My ratings have the Texans -3.5 in this game. While everyone is down on Brock Osweiler, let's remember his two worst performances and the Texans' only two losses were at Minnesota and at New England, two of the best defenses in the league on the road. I think Osweiler will be fine at home where Houston has gone 3-0 and covered all three. Houston has also gone 6-0 ATS in its last six against AFC South teams. The Colts just struggle too much and Andrew Luck has been sacked a league-high 20 times. Their defense is also one of the NFL's worst and they could easily be 0-5.

The Colts have looked like a mess this year, but they haven't played nearly as poorly as the Texans, a team that's having trouble getting its top playmakers involved on a weekly basis. The Texans are last in the league in offensive DVOA, net yards per pass attempt and points per drive, and they still don't have a rushing TD this year. In fact, they have just six offensive touchdowns in five games overall. That's bad news against a Colts team scoring 27.4 points per game. The Colts are 23-5 all-time against the Texans, and that trend continues this week.

The Texans have followed a pattern this year: win and cover at home, lose and don't cover on the road. In fact, they're 7-1 SU and ATS in their last eight regular-season games at NRG Stadium. Now they go from facing the Vikes' elite defense to playing the soft Colts' D. It's a put-up-or-shut-up game for Brock Osweiler, and the Texans should respond well like they did after the embarrassment in New England. Houston's pass rush is in for a big night vs. an Indy team that's given up an NFL-high 20 sacks.