Insider: Andrew Luck or not, this is a must-win for Colts
HOUSTON – To say tonight's game against the Houston Texans is merely an important game for the Indianapolis Colts is a gross understatement.
To put it in more appropriate terms, this game is a must-win for the reigning AFC South champions.
How can this game be so monumental seeing how it's only Week 5 of the NFL season?
Because the schedule tells us so.
After tonight's game at NRG Stadium against 1-3 Houston, the schedule gets infinitely tougher for the Colts.
Consider: The next five Colts opponents have an impressive collective record of 16-3, the lone three losses belonging to the struggling New Orleans Saints. Outside of them, four of the next five Colts opponents have spotless records – the New England Patriots, the Carolina Panthers, the Denver Broncos and the Atlanta Falcons are all undefeated.
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The margin for error in each of those games will be slim, meaning the Colts can't afford to slip up when an opportunity presents itself against a Texans team coming off a 48-21 loss to Atlanta.
Of course, the Colts will have to get this win without Andrew Luck under center. He reportedly will not suit up tonight because of the shoulder injury that has been afflicting him for the past couple of weeks.
Backup Matt Hasselbeck would be the starter, only days after he was dealing with an illness that kept him from practicing this week. But Hasselbeck can pull this out. His tendency toward the short passing game actually works well against Houston's aggressive and physical defensive front, one featuring superstar defensive tackle J.J. Watt.
The Colts' receivers will need to generate more yards after the catch than in Sunday's game against Jacksonville, but the combination of Hasselbeck's quick decision making and a Houston secondary that receiver T.Y. Hilton has owned in recent years could bode well for the Colts.
However they go about it, the Colts had better find a way to win this game. Because they are not going to catch any breaks with their upcoming schedule.