Colts at Texans: Preview and prediction

The Houston Texans are not a good football team. The Indianapolis Colts are a mediocre football team. The scene has been set for Thursday Night Football, where Houston tries to pull ahead of Indianapolis in the AFC South at NRG Stadium.

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Heading into the game, the overriding question is whether Colts star quarterback Andrew Luck will be active for the game. Luck missed last Sunday’s game with a right shoulder injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and watched backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck lead the team to a 16-13 overtime victory. Indianapolis was underwhelming in the contest, needing Jacksonville to miss two field goals in the final minutes.

Going into Thursday, both Luck and Hasselbeck are listed as questionable. It seems that one or the other would be able to start, although Hasselbeck might be the better bet. Luck is dealing with a right shoulder that was widely reported as a slight separation, although the team has denied that report. If neither can go, Indianapolis signed Josh Johnson on Wednesday morning.

Houston should be able to take advantage of the situation, but it currently looks totally inept. The Texans began the season with Brian Hoyer before benching him in their Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Mallett has started the last three games and lost two of them, looking generally awful. Mallett has endured all sorts of struggles against pressure, continually throwing incompletions and interceptions.

If this is indeed Mallett vs. Hasselbeck, it’s going to be a close game. If Luck plays and is generally healthy, look for a massacre.

Pick w/ Luck: Indianapolis 27, Houston 14
Pick w/o Luck: Houston 20, Indianapolis 17