A battle for first place in the NFL's worst division is set for Thursday night, when the Indianapolis Colts will try to make it three straight wins and 16 straight victories against AFC South opponents in a road game against the Houston Texans.
‘Thursday Night Football’ 2015 live stream: How to watch Colts vs. Texans online
Two of lowest-rated passing teams in the NFL face a pair of struggling defenses in Week 5.
The Colts bounced back from an 0-2 start by earning back-to-back wins against the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars and now sit atop the division at 2-2, but the Texans could capture that top spot with a win. That would keeps things tight in a division that is 5-10 so far in 2015.
For both Houston and Indianapolis, quarterback struggles have bogged down both teams to start the year. Colts quarterback Andrew Luck threw an NFL-high seven interceptions in the first three weeks before a shoulder injury sidelined him in Week 4. Although he and backup Matt Hasselbeck were listed as questionable, Luck is expected to miss a second straight game.
On the other sideline, the Texans benched Brian Hoyer for Ryan Mallett after a poor showing in Week 1, but brought Hoyer in after the team fell behind 42-0 to the Falcons Sunday. And thanks to a short week of preparation, Mallett will remain the starter Thursday.
The divisional rivals are two of lowest-rated passing teams through the first four weeks. Luckily for both, the Colts’ and Texans’ defenses have struggled so far in 2015. The Colts enter with the NFL’s No. 27 defense, while the Texans are No. 26 in points allowed.
Avoiding mistakes against defenses that have struggled at times to get off the field will be key for a pair of offenses that have had issues holding on to the ball.
How to watch
When: 8:25 p.m. ET
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston
TV: CBS | NFL Network
Announcers: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson
Online: NFL Game Pass
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