Preview: Colts at Texans, Sunday, January 4, 2026

HOUSTON (Interstat) — The Houston Texans, riding a five-game winning streak and already playoff-bound, host the struggling Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at NRG Stadium in the regular-season finale for both AFC South clubs.

The Texans (11-5) have secured a postseason berth and can still improve their seeding. They are heavy favorites, with Interstat’s ELO system giving them a 92.5% probability to win. Their game simulator projects a 30-25 Houston victory.

Houston is led by quarterback C.J. Stroud, who enters the game in strong form. In last week’s 20-16 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, Stroud passed for 244 yards and two touchdowns. He threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-20 rout of Arizona two weeks ago.

In contrast, the Colts (8-8) have lost four straight games and were eliminated from playoff contention with last Sunday’s 23-17 home loss to Jacksonville. Veteran quarterback Philip Rivers has struggled during the skid, completing 17 of 30 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown against the Jaguars. In the three losses prior, he threw four interceptions.

The teams met just over a month ago in Indianapolis, with the Texans escaping with a 20-16 victory on Nov. 30. A similar result is expected, as Houston’s defense has allowed an average of just 17.2 points during its current win streak.

For Indianapolis, running back Jonathan Taylor remains a bright spot, rushing for 70 yards and a touchdown last week. He will need a significant workload to keep pace with Stroud and the efficient Houston offense.

The Texans will be without a key offensive piece, as running back Woody Marks (19 carries, 71 yards last week) is listed as out with a knee injury. His absence puts more responsibility on backup Jawhar Jordan and the passing game.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. EST Sunday. The game will have no impact on the Colts’ season but is crucial for Houston’s positioning as it prepares for a return to the playoffs.