Getty Indianapolis Colts QB Andrew Luck
The Indianapolis Colts entered Sunday Night Football completely aware of what was on the line against the Tennessee Titans. If the Colts could leave Nashville with a victory over the Marcus Mariota-less Titans, they’d be playoff bound and lock up the final AFC wild-card spot in the process.
Although a Houston Texans win earlier in the day ruined any hopes of the Colts taking the AFC South title, Indy and Tennessee were playing for a chance to make the dance. In the end, the Colts did get the victory to finish off a wild Week 17 and grab the No. 6 seed in the process behind a solid night from Andrew Luck.
Let’s take a look at the wild card schedule, matchup and preview for the Colts moving forward, as they start things off against a familiar foe.
Colts to Face Texans: Date & Time of Game
While the Texans were unable to jump back ahead of the New England Patriots for the No. 2 seed in the AFC, it now sets up a third matchup between Indianapolis and Houston. The two teams previously met in Weeks 4 and 14, with the Colts winning the second matchup which was on the road by a score of 24-21.
As NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero detailed, the game will be played on Saturday, January 5 at 4:35 p.m. EST in Houston. The Colts vs. Texans matchup marks the start of the NFL playoff schedule and the nightcap to follow it features the Seattle Seahawks on the road against the Dallas Cowboys.
Preview of Colts vs. Texans Wild Card Matchup
The two meetings between these teams in 2018 were decided by a total of six points. Each game was a three-point victory, with the first going to the Texans in overtime by a score of 37-34 while the second was the aforementioned 24-21 win for the Colts. If the first games were any indication, then we could be in for another battle of quarterbacks between Luck and Deshaun Watson.
In the first matchup, Luck tallied 464 passing yards and four touchdowns while Watson threw for 375 yards with two passing touchdowns along with one score on the ground. The second meeting had a bit more defense, but Luck still threw for nearly 400 yards (399, to be exact) and Watson totaled 267 yards.
The top wide receivers for both teams seem to have no problem with the matchups they’ll draw either. Back in Week 4, DeAndre Hopkins racked up 169 yards on 10 catches with a touchdown while T.Y. Hilton totaled 115 yards. The second game was all Hilton, though, as he caught nine passes for 199 yards, creating major issues for the Houston defense.
READ NEXT: NFL Playoffs: Eagles vs. Bears Betting Line & Wild Card Pick