The Indianapolis Colts are getting ready for a huge game in Week 13. Indianapolis will face off against a surging Houston squad that is threatening their dominance in the AFC South. The Texans have won three games in a row without QB C.J. Stroud to come out of nowhere and compete for the division title.
Houston's winning streak, paired with Indy's recent loss to Kansas City, completely changes the complexion of this matchup.
If the Colts can get a win, they will put themselves in great position to lock up the division. But if the Texans can pull off the upset, they will be firmly back in the conversation for the division title.
This is the first time both teams have played this season. Their rematch will take place in Week 18 and could end up deciding the division. Assuming the Colts don't lock it up first.
But which team will come out on top this Sunday?
Below we will explore three Colts bold predictions ahead of their AFC South showdown against the Texans.
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Daniel Jones does a little bit of everything in Week 13 vs. Texans
The hype around Daniel Jones has decreased over the past few weeks. But he is still playing some great football for the Colts.
Jones is still on pace for a career season, having already logged 2,840 passing yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions through 11 games played.
The veteran quarterback has been reliable, but some of his turnover issues have popped back up in recent weeks. For example, he threw three interceptions against the Steelers.
I am still confident that Indiana Jones can lead the Colts to some playoff success. But it won't be a smooth ride to get there, because it never is for him.
I could see Jones reminding the entire NFL both of his brilliance and penchant for making mistakes in Week 13.
This is a bit of an odd prediction, so bear with me here.
I am predicting that Jones “does a little bit of everything” against the Texans.
What does that mean exactly? Well, there will be some good (Jones goes over 250 passing yards, has at least one rushing touchdown) and some bad (Jones is sacked multiple times, throws at least one interception.)
Oddly enough, I think this is the most realistic outcome against a ferocious Texans defense that could force Jones outside of his comfort zone early and often.
Jonathan Taylor gets back on track, has multiple explosive runs vs. Texans defense
Remember when Taylor had 244 rushing yards and three touchdowns against the Falcons just a few weeks ago? What a game.
Taylor did not look quite as dominant against the Chiefs last week, but that is to be expected.
Indy did not go away from the running game against Kansas City. However, it was less efficient than normal. I believe that game revealed just how important explosive running plays are to the Colts' offense.
I believe that Indy will have more of those plays against the Texans.
I'm predicting that Jonathan Taylor will rush for over 100 yards against a solid Texans defense. But it's not just important that JT will get yards. It's also important how he earns those yards.
Of those 100+ rushing yards, Taylor will contribute at least two explosive running plays over 20 yards each.
Those are the types of plays that can swing a game into a one team's favor. Hopefully it will be enough to give Indianapolis an edge over Houston.
Sauce Gardner gets his first INT as a Colt, leading to big win over Texans
It can be difficult to isolate the production of a cornerback with stats alone.
Sauce Gardner has been involved ever since being acquired from the Jets at the trade deadline. He's played well, but has not had a signature “splash” play or anything of that nature.
That could easily change if backup Davis Mills remains under center this week. The veteran backup has played well, but he hasn't faced an elite corner like Sauce this season.
C.J. Stroud returned to practice on Wednesday for the Texans. That suggests that he could return for Sunday's game, but it is too early to tell.
But regardless of which quarterback is under center, I believe that Sauce will make his impact known in this game.
I'm predicting that Sauce gets his first interception as a Colt in Week 13.
If the Colts get an extra possession from a turnover, I think they'll have a great chance to win this game.
Let's give the Colts a 10-point win over the Texans.
