Colts vs. Texans: 6 things to know entering Week 13
The Indianapolis Colts (7-4) will be on the road in Week 13 to visit the Houston Texans (4-7) at NRG Stadium as both teams look to finish out their final five games of the 2020 campaign.
The Colts opened the week as three-point road favorites against the Texans in what is the start of a crucial stretch of games as they look to make a push for a playoff spot in the AFC.
Here are six things to know entering the Week 13 matchup:
No Will Fuller or Bradley Roby
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Suspensions are hitting the Texans hard this week. They learned Monday that their top wide receiver in Will Fuller and one of their starting cornerbacks in Bradley Roby have both been suspended for the remainder of the regular season for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. Fuller is having a career year while Roby has been a regular contributor in the secondary. Those absences will be key on Sunday.
Anthony Castonzo in doubt
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The Colts don't have any suspensions to deal with, but they could very well be without starting left tackle Anthony Castonzo, who suffered an MCL sprain during the Week 12 loss against the Tennessee Titans. It isn't clear what the timeline will be for the veteran left tackle, but there's a high chance he will miss the game against the Texans.
COVID-19 watch
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The Colts have a few players on the reserve/COVID-19 list to monitor throughout the week. Running back Jonathan Taylor is likely to be lifted from the list as he was a close contact and didn't test positive. However, defensive linemen DeForest Buckner and Denico Autry are both in question for Sunday. Autry has missed two games so he should be available while Buckner's case is all a matter of whether he was symptomatic. If he wasn't, he is eligible to return on Saturday and thus for the game on Sunday.
No more BOB
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One of the biggest storylines of the season was when the Texans fired head coach/general manager Bill O'Brien after starting the campaign 0-4. Since then, the Texans are 4-3 and have been playing in a much more competitive manner. The damage has already been done though as the Texans are all but officially eliminated from postseason contention and without a first or second-round pick in 2021, the mood is somewhat gloomy in Houston.
T.Y. Hilton needs the vintage Ghost
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If there is one team that T.Y. Hilton has owned in his career, it's the Texans. This is especially true at NRG Stadium. The 2020 season hasn't been all that kind to Hilton from a production standpoint but he is coming off of his best game yet in Week 12, posting a 4-81-1 line against the Texans. In his eight career games on the road against the Texans, Hilton has 44 receptions for 951 yards and seven touchdowns.
Preparing for J.J. Watt
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The Texans defense might not be what it was a few years ago, but Watt is still a force to be reckoned with. Offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni made it clear he's the priority in the game plan this week blocking him may be a bit tougher without the aforementioned Castonzo. Watt has 29 pressures and 23 run stops on the season, per Pro Football Focus.
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