This is the third time in four years that the Houston Texans have started off 0-2, but that just means they destined to get right against a team they've owned the past three seasons, right?
Right?
After losing to the Cincinnati Bengals behind a lackluster offensive performance, the Texans hit the road for the first time in 2026 to take on the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3. Houston has won six of the last seven matchups against Indianapolis, dating back to 2022 when a victory in Week 18 led to the hiring of DeMeco Ryans and the selection of the No. 2 overall pick.
QuarterbackC.J. Stroud threw for 353 yards against Cincinnati, but never could find the end zone as Joe Burrowna and Co. coasted to a 20-6 win at Reliant Stadium. In reality, Stroud had
zero help with the lack of a run game.
Entering the fourth quarter, Houston had only 41 rushing yards and was averaging less than 2.0 yards per attempt. Jaylin Noel, a wide receiver, had the run of the day with a 13-yard scamper in the second quarter before Stroud took off in the fourth for a gain of 14.
Once the final three drives appeared, the Texans' offensive line was exhausted. Entering the second half, they allowed just six pressures. By the fourth quarter, they allowed 24 and four sacks, three of which came on the final two drives.
On offense, Dalton Schultz finished with a team-leading 12 catches for 140 yards and averaged 12.4 yards per play. No one else finished with more than 40 receiving yards or three catches.
The Texans' defensive line did deliver, totaling 27 pressures on Burrow and five sacks. Will Anderson Jr. was credited with 1.5, to go along with his three tackles for loss. Danielle Hunter notched his first sack of 2026 during the second quarter that nearly jarred the ball loose.
As for the Colts, Daniel Jones led the AFC South team to a 13-10 lead entering the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs before Patrick Mahomes came to life. Jonathan Taylor helped Indy retake the lead just before halftime with a 24-yard touchdown run, but the Chiefs scored 10 unanswered points with 14 minutes left.
Taylor, who ranks fifth in rushing, scored a 27-yard touchdown to tie the game and send it to overtime. Both kickers drained field goals to make it 30-30, but Mahomes did enough to drive the ball to midfield, setting up a game-winning 40-yard field goal as time expired, securing Kansas City a 33-30 victory.
“I mean, I think guys were resilient, and we just strained to finish,” Mahomes said. “It wasn’t always pretty. There were times we didn’t execute at a high level. But guys continued to fight and continued to push and we found a way at the end.”
This is an early but crucial in-division game for both teams, who are tied for second place behind Jacksonville. A win and a Jaguars loss would give the winner a tiebreaker for first place entering October at 1-2.
Butwhat do oddsmakers think about this battle between two AFC teams in need of a must-win to get right?
Buy Houston Texans vs. Dallas Cowboys tickets
How to watch Texans vs. Colts
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026
- Time: 12 p.m. CT
- Location: Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, Ind.)
- TV: CBS
- Stream: FuboTV (try it for free)
- Radio: 95.7 The Fan (Houston)
Watch Texans vs. Colts game FREE on Fubo
Texans' regular-season schedule 2025
Below is Houston's regular-season schedule.
Week 1: Sunday, September 13, Noon CT: vs. Buffalo Bills - L 36-31
Week 2: Sunday, September 20, Noon CT: vs. Cincinnati Bengals - L 20-6
Week 3: Sunday, September 27, Noon CT: at Indianapolis Colts
Week 4: Sunday, October 4, Noon CT: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Week 5: Sunday, October 11, Noon CT: at Tennessee Titans
Week 6: Sunday, October 19, 8:30 a.m.: at Jacksonville Jaguars (London)
Week 7: Sunday, October 25, 9 p.m. CT: vs. New York Giants
Week 8: Sunday, Nov. 1: Bye Week
Week 9: Sunday, November 8, 3:00 p.m. CT: at Los Angeles Chargers
Week 10: Sunday, November 15, Noon CT: at Cleveland Browns
Week 11: Thursday, November 19, 7:20 p.m. CT: vs. Indianapolis Colts
Week 12: Thursday, November 29, Noon: vs. Baltimore Ravens
Week 13: Sunday, December 6, 7:20 p.m. CT: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 14: Sunday, December 13, Noon CT: at Washington Commanders
Week 15: Sunday, December 20, Noon CT: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 16: Thursday, December 24, 7:15 p.m. CT: at Philadelphia Eagles (Amazon Prime)
Week 17: Monday, January 4, 7:20 p.m. CT: at Green Bay Packers
Week 18: TBD: vs. Tennessee Titans
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: NFL Week 3 odds: Texans open as road favorites vs. Colts
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