Closing spread
IND -11.5
Total
39.5
Model margin
+5.1est.
IND perspective
Push chance
None
half-point line — cannot push
Win probability
- Colts
- Texans
How each play moved the game.
Matchup
Where the edges are
Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.
- -0.226EPA / play+0.016
- 33.0%Success rate44.3%
- -0.172EPA / dropback+0.112
- -0.307EPA / rush-0.138
- 5.8%Explosive rate7.7%
- 25.7%Third-down rate44.5%
- 39.5%Red-zone TD rate61.1%
- 0.66Points / drive1.70
- 2.4%Turnover rate2.8%
- -0.083EPA / play allowed-0.065
Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.
The rivalry
IND lead 34–15–1 since 1999
Meetings average 45.6 points. IND are 28-19-3 ATS in the series.
Possession by possession
How it unfolded
Every drive: who had the ball, how far it went, how it ended, and the score as it settled.
| Ball | Start | Plays | Yards | Result | HOU–IND |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOU | Q1 15:00 | 3 | -3 | Punt | 0–0 |
| IND | Q1 13:13 | 4 | 41 | Punt | 0–0 |
| HOU | Q1 11:16 | 1 | 3 | Turnover | 0–0 |
| IND | Q1 11:07 | 3 | 3 | Field goal | 0–3 |
| HOU | Q1 9:00 | 0 | 0 | Touchdown | 0–9 |
| IND | Q1 8:52 | 1 | 16 | Touchdown | 0–10 |
| HOU | Q1 8:47 | 6 | 15 | Punt | 0–10 |
| IND | Q1 4:53 | 8 | 20 | Punt | 0–10 |
| HOU | Q1 0:08 | 3 | 6 | Punt | 0–10 |
| IND | Q2 14:01 | 4 | 34 | Field goal | 0–13 |
| HOU | Q2 11:47 | 4 | 18 | Punt | 0–13 |
| IND | Q2 8:34 | 3 | 9 | Punt | 0–13 |
| HOU | Q2 6:00 | 5 | 2 | Punt | 0–13 |
| IND | Q2 3:35 | 3 | 6 | Punt | 0–13 |
| HOU | Q2 1:57 | 6 | 35 | Punt | 0–13 |
| IND | Q2 0:30 | 0 | 0 | End of half | 0–13 |
| IND | Q3 15:00 | 3 | 8 | Punt | 0–13 |
| HOU | Q3 13:17 | 4 | 22 | Punt | 0–13 |
| IND | Q3 11:51 | 3 | 0 | Punt | 0–13 |
| HOU | Q3 10:42 | 6 | 23 | Punt | 0–13 |
| IND | Q3 7:16 | 7 | 35 | Punt | 0–13 |
| HOU | Q3 3:57 | 3 | 6 | Punt | 0–13 |
| IND | Q3 2:07 | 6 | 31 | Punt | 0–13 |
| HOU | Q4 13:59 | 3 | 2 | Punt | 0–13 |
| IND | Q4 12:29 | 10 | 65 | Touchdown | 0–19 |
| HOU | Q4 8:11 | 9 | 34 | Punt | 0–19 |
| HOU | Q4 4:38 | 5 | 4 | Field goal | 3–19 |
| IND | Q4 3:45 | 3 | 0 | Punt | 3–19 |
| HOU | Q4 3:13 | 4 | -2 | Turnover on downs | 3–19 |
| IND | Q4 2:01 | 2 | 12 | End of half | 3–19 |
Box score
Individual performances
Texans
Passing
| Player | C/Att | Yds | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Carr | 20/35 | 137 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing
| Player | Car | Yds | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Allen | 16 | 64 | 4.0 | 0 |
| David Carr | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 |
| Jonathan Wells | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Rec | Tgt | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Allen | 10 | 10 | 49 | 0 |
| Billy Miller | 4 | 7 | 41 | 0 |
| JaJuan Dawson | 2 | 4 | 20 | 0 |
| Jabar Gaffney | 2 | 5 | 18 | 0 |
| Jabari Holloway | 1 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| Jarrod Baxter | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Corey Bradford | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Colts
Passing
| Player | C/Att | Yds | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peyton Manning | 15/28 | 190 | 1 | 0 |
Rushing
| Player | Car | Yds | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edgerrin James | 20 | 65 | 3.3 | 0 |
| James Mungro | 4 | 13 | 3.3 | 1 |
| Ricky Williams | 5 | 12 | 2.4 | 0 |
| Peyton Manning | 3 | -2 | -0.7 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Rec | Tgt | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvin Harrison | 9 | 11 | 101 | 0 |
| Reggie Wayne | 3 | 5 | 43 | 0 |
| Qadry Ismail | 1 | 6 | 26 | 0 |
| Marcus Pollard | 1 | 1 | 16 | 1 |
| Joe Dean Davenport | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Edgerrin James | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| James Mungro | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Where this game is likely to land
- Model
- Smooth (normal)
- Betting line
Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.
Positive margins favour Colts; negative favour Texans.
Half-point at risk
1.30%
outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5
Model home win
62.6%
Expected total
41.6est.
Model
Where the number comes from
Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.
- Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)+2.52
- Home-field advantage+2.56
- Quarterback adjustment0.00
- Rest differential0.00
- Expected margin+5.08



