Task Enterprises presentsNFL Intelligence

2024 · Week 1 · Division

Final

Texans

Houston

QB C.J. Stroud

29·27

Colts

Indianapolis

QB Anthony Richardson

Lucas Oil Stadium · closed · fieldturf

Closing spread

HOU -3

Total

49

Model margin

+1.6est.

IND perspective

Push chance

7.1%est.

the line sits on a key number

Win probability

  • Colts
  • Texans

How each play moved the game.

Colts winsTexans wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

Texansedge mapColts
  • -0.038EPA / play-0.045
  • 39.1%Success rate40.6%
  • +0.008EPA / dropback-0.025
  • -0.120EPA / rush-0.071
  • 8.3%Explosive rate10.3%
  • -2.77CPOE-5.38
  • 38.2%Third-down rate37.8%
  • 54.6%Red-zone TD rate53.0%
  • 1.84Points / drive1.87
  • 1.6%Turnover rate2.7%

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 33–15–1 since 1999

HOU have won 5 straight. Meetings average 45.8 points. IND are 27-19-3 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2025 · W18IND @ HOU3038HOU
2025 · W13HOU @ IND2016HOU
2024 · W8IND @ HOU2023HOU
2023 · W18HOU @ IND2319HOU
2023 · W2IND @ HOU3120IND
2022 · W18HOU @ IND3231HOU
2022 · W1IND @ HOU2020Tie
2021 · W13IND @ HOU310IND

Box score

Individual performances

Texans

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
C.J. Stroud24/3223420

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Joe Mixon301595.31
Tank Dell2199.50
Dameon Pierce3165.30
C.J. Stroud4133.30
Stefon Diggs166.00

Colts

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Anthony Richardson9/1921221

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Anthony Richardson6569.31
Jonathan Taylor16483.01

Receiving

PlayerRecTgtYdsTD
Alec Pierce331251
Ashton Dulin11541
Michael Pittman48310
Adonai Mitchell1520
Mo Alie-Cox0100
Kylen Granson0100

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.

line -34.1%2.8%7.1%7.5%3.0%4.6%2.9%

Positive margins favour Colts; negative favour Texans.

Half-point at risk

7.13%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

53.5%

Expected total

42.8est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)-0.07
  • Home-field advantage+1.71
  • Quarterback adjustment0.00
  • Rest differential0.00
  • Expected margin+1.64