WEEK 18
HOUSTON TEXANS (2-13-1) @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4-11-1)
DATE: Sunday (1/8/23)
STADIUM: Lucas Oil Stadium
TIME: 1:00 PM ET
REFEREE: Jerome Boger
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY
LEADER Colts lead all-time series, 31-9-1
STREAKS Colts are 4-0-1 over last 5
LAST GAME 9/11/22: Colts 20 at Texans 20
LAST GAME AT SITE 10/17/21: Colts 31, Texans 3
HOUSTON TEXANS
LAST WEEK: L 31-3 vs. Jacksonville
COACH VS. OPP. Lovie Smith: 2-3-1
PTS. FOR 16.1
OFFENSE 278.8
PASSING Davis Mills: 270-441-2,820-14-13-78.0
RUSHING Royce Freeman: 34-102-3.0-0
RECEIVING Brandin Cooks: 52-593-11.4-2
PTS. AGAINST 24.3
DEFENSE 378.4
SACKS Jerry Hughes: 9
INTs Jalen Pitre (R): 5
TAKE/GIVE -1 (24/25)
PUNTING (NET) Cameron Johnston: 48.3 (42.8)
KICKING Ka’imi Fairbairn: 105 (21/21 PAT; 28/30 FG)
TEXANS NOTES
• QB DAVIS MILLS passed for 202 yards & had career-high 33 rush yards last week. Passed for 240 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 98.9 rating in Week 1 meeting. Needs 180 pass yards for 1st-career season with 3,000+ pass yards.
• RB ROYCE FREEMAN has rush TD in only career game at Ind. (10/27/19 w/ Den.).
• RB REX BURKHEAD had season-high 70 scrimmage yards (40 rush, 30 rec.) & 5 catches in Week 1 meeting.
• WR BRANDIN COOKS aims for 4th in row with 4+ catches. Had 7 catches for 82 yards in Week 1 meeting. Has 5+ catches & 50+ rec. yards in 5 of 6 career games vs. Ind. Is 1 of 4 in NFL (Mike Evans, DeAndre Hopkins & Travis Kelce) with 500+ rec. yards in each of past 9 seasons.
• TE JORDAN AKINS aims for his 3rd in row vs. Ind. with 40+ rec. yards.
• TE O.J. HOWARD tied career high with 2 rec. TDs in Week 1 meeting.
• DB JALEN PITRE had 13 tackles & 5th INT of season last week, tied 2nd-most among rookies. Aims for 6th in row with 9+ tackles & 3rd in row with INT. Has PD in 5 of past 6. Had 10 tackles in Week 1 meeting. Leads rookies & all DBs with 139 tackles this season, 2nd-most ever by Hou. rookie.
• DB DESMOND KING had 8 tackles, 2 TFL & 2nd INT of season in Week 17. Had 2 PD & TFL in Week 1 meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Ind. with 6+ tackles.
• LB CHRISTIAN KIRKSEY is 1 of 4 in AFC with 5+ tackles in 16 games this season. Had 9 tackles, TFL & FR in Week 1 meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Ind. with FR.
• DE JERRY HUGHES had team-high 9th sack of season last week. Had 2 sacks, INT & FF in Week 1 meeting. Has sack in 2 of his past 3 vs. division.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
LAST WEEK L 38-10 at N.Y. Giants
COACH VS. OPP. Jeff Saturday: 0-0
PTS. FOR 16.1
OFFENSE 306.3
PASSING Sam Ehlinger: 41-66-364-1-1-75.6
RUSHING Zack Moss (2022): 75-342-4.6-0
RECEIVING Michael Pittman: 96-895-9.3-3
PTS. AGAINST 24.7
DEFENSE 332.4
SACKS DeForest Buckner: 8
INTs Rodney Thomas (R): 3
TAKE/GIVE -13 (18/31)
PUNTING (NET) Matt Haack: 44.4 (40.3)
KICKING Chase McLaughlin: 104 (17/17 PAT; 29/35 FG)
COLTS NOTES
• QB SAM EHLINGER completed 9 of 14 atts. (64.3 pct.) with TD vs. 0 INTs last week.
• RB ZACK MOSS rushed for 74 yards in Week 17. Aims for 4th in row with 70+ scrimmage yards. Rushed for 61 yards & TD in his last game vs. Hou. (10/3/21 w/ Buf.).
• WR MICHAEL PITTMAN had 6 catches for 41 yards & 3rd rec. TD of season last week. Had 9 catches for 121 yards & TD in Week 1 meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Hou. with 6+ catches & 75+ rec. yards. Needs 105 rec. yards to become 4th player in franchise history with 1,000+ rec. yards in consecutive seasons, joining HOFer Marvin Harrison, T.Y. Hilton & Reggie Wayne.
• WR PARRIS CAMPBELL had 52 rec. yards in Week 17. Had 51-yard TD catch in last home meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with 50+ rec. yards & rec. TD.
• DT DEFOREST BUCKNER aims for 3rd in row with 5+ tackles. Has sack in 2 of past 3. Had FR in Week 1 meeting. Has 7 sacks in 6 career games vs. Hou.
• DE DAYO ODEYINGBO has 1.5+ sacks in 2 of past 3.
• LB ZAIRE FRANKLIN had 10 tackles & 2 PD last week. Aims for 8th in row with 9+ tackles. Is 1 of 4 in AFC with 5+ tackles in 16 games this season & ranks 4th in NFL with career-high 159 tackles in 2022.
• LB BOBBY OKEREKE had 2 TFL, FF & career-best 17 tackles last week. Aims for 4th in row with 9+ tackles. Had 7 tackles & PD in Week 1 meeting.
• CB STEPHON GILMORE has 29 career INTs, tied 6th-most among active players.
• S RODNEY MCLEOD had TFL & 1st FR of season in Week 17.
• S RODNEY THOMAS (rookie) aims for 3rd in row with 6+ tackles. Has INT & TFL in 2 of past 3. Ranks tied-4th among rookies with team-high 3 INTs this season.
