Thursday Night Football, Colts vs. Texans 2014: 1st place is up for grabs in the AFC South

First place in the AFC South is on the line when the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans meet in a key showdown at NRG Stadium in Houston on Thursday Night Football. Something's gotta give in this matchup of the division's top two teams, as the Colts go for their fourth straight win against a Texans team that is 2-0 at home this season.

The Colts are the hottest team in the league since their 0-2 start -- no team has scored more points than Indy since Week 3 and only the San Diego Chargers have a better point differential. The team is clicking on all cylinders: Andrew Luck leads the NFL with 14 touchdown passes and 1,617 passing yards, and the Colts defense is coming off its best effort of the season in holding the Ravens to just 13 points.

The Texans are looking to bounce back after a heartbreaking loss to the Dallas Cowboys, a game in which they erased a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit before losing in overtime. Houston's defense appears capable of carrying this team, but the Texans still need to improve their No. 23 scoring offense if they are going to challenge the Colts for the division title this season.

Luck is not only enjoying the best season of his short career so far, he's also putting up historic numbers through five games. No Colts quarterback has thrown for more touchdowns this early into the season than Luck (14), and only Peyton Manning in 2009 (1,645) had amassed more passing yards than Luck (1,617) in the first five games. His leadership and ability to handle pressure have fueled his success this year. He was 8-of-9 for 129 yards in the fourth quarter Sunday, and has the league's third-highest completion percentage when under duress this season (57.4 percent).

Thursday-night games this season have not been kind to the road teams, who are just 1-4 and have been outscored by an average of 29 points in the four losses. Yet if there is any team that can overcome this trend, it is the Colts. They have won their last six Thursday-night games away from Indianapolis and are 7-1 all-time in those contests. Their only loss came at the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in Week 1 of the 2004 season.

J.J. Watt - It's hard to keep your eyes off the former Defensive Player of the Year, who has shown the ability to shine on both sides of the ball this season. After having never reached the end zone in his career before this season, he's already got two scores on his stat sheet -- an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown in Week 4 and a 1-yard touchdown catch in Week 2. He also grades out as the best defensive end this year, according to Pro Football Focus, leading the league with 18 quarterback hits and 15 quarterback hurries.

Bjoern Werner - The Colts' second-year defensive end recorded his first two sacks of the season last Sunday, a positive sign for an Indianapolis defense that is without veteran pass rusher Robert Mathis for the entire season. Werner had his most productive day as a pro against the Ravens, with six tackles (including two for a loss), two quarterback hits and a pass defended. He will have to be just as aggressive and physical in the trenches against the Texans' strong rushing offense if the Colts are going to extend their win streak to four games.

Radio: Colts Radio Network listings | Texans Radio Network listings

Online Streaming: Verizon NFL Mobile

The Colts are 2½-point favorites on the road, according to Oddsshark.com. The over/under for the game is 47 points.

For more on the Colts, be sure to read Stampede Blue. For everything Texans, check out Battle Red Blog.