Texans vs. Colts Live In-Game Updates

The Houston Texans will hold their regular-season finale Saturday night in a must-win contest against the Indianapolis Colts. A victory would give the Texans their first playoff berth since 2019. 

The Texans are not only playing for a playoff spot, but Houston will also try to avoid a two-game sweep from the Colts. Indianapolis recorded a Week 2 victory against the Texans amid a 31-20 win at NRG Stadium.

"We’re a completely different team, they’re a completely different team," coach DeMeco Ryans said. "For me, it’s all a fresh start. For us, I don’t really put much weight on the first game of the year. I start watching and I’m like, ‘Man, who is this team?’ It seems like that was so long ago, playing that second game, so fresh start for both teams. I think they have different players in, we have different players in. It’ll be a fresh start."

At the time, Houston's offensive line was missing four of their five projected starters, which led to half a dozen sacks on rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. The Texans' offense failed to generate any production from their rushing attack by accumulating 52 yards on 26 carries.

However, what made Stroud optimistic for the future was the fight he and his team displayed. The Texans battled back from a 21-point halftime deficit. And if not for a holding penalty that erased Stroud's first touchdown pass to rookie Tank Dell, Houston may have completed an improbable comeback.

Stroud finished the day with the second-most passing yards in franchise history by a rookie, trailing Deshaun Watson, who threw for 402 yards in 2017. Four months later, Stroud has added to his impressive performances, while the team's improvements have Ryans feeling encouraged entering Week 18.

"When you put the tape on, it's like wow," Ryans said. "We know who we are now. Earlier in the year, we were trying to figure out who we were. Now, we know who we are. We know how to play our brand of football. There were a lot of growing pains and tough moments. But we figured it out."