Colts vs. Texans Final Score Prediction for NFL Week 18 (Houston to Dominate)

C.J. Stroud and the Texans are big home favorites against the Colts.

C.J. Stroud and the Texans are big home favorites against the Colts. / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Houston Texans know that they’re in the playoffs, but Week 18 will determine who they’ll face, and where. 

If they win and the Jaguars lose to the Titans, they’ll be the three seed. But they can fall to as far as the seven seed if everything goes against them.

Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts can’t wait for the season to end. They’re turning to Riley Leonard at quarterback after playing through the Philip Rivers experience in recent weeks.

The Texans won the first meeting 20-16 in late November, and have won four straight against the Colts.

The oddsmakers have the Texans as big home favorites at the best betting sites for this matchup.

This season, the SI Betting team is sharing a final score prediction for every game as a fun way to help bettors decide on spread and total bets. 

Using the latest odds and analysis, here’s where I’m leaning for this Week 18 matchup.

Colts vs. Texans Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

• Colts +10.5 (-112)
• Texans -10.5 (-108)

Moneyline

• Colts: +455
• Texans: -625

Total

• 39.5 (Over -108/Under -123)

The spread has gone up  by half a point since the odds opened for this one, with the total coming down by a full point.

Can the Texans win and cover in their regular-season finale?

Colts vs. Texans Final Score Prediction

SI Betting’s Iain MacMillan broke down this game in his weekly Road to 272 Bets column:

The Texans' defense has been one of the best in the NFL this season, which makes you think the UNDER is the play, but the Colts' defense has been so bad in the second half of the season that I think it's best to zag instead of zig in this situation. Since Week 10, they're 23rd in the NFL in opponent EPA per play and 18th in opponent success rate. Meanwhile, the Texans' offense has been heating up and has managed to put up points against defenses far better than the Colts.

Based on the Colts' defensive performances lately, I don't think this total belongs in the 30s. I'll bet the OVER in this one.

Pick: IND/HOU OVER 39.5 (-110) via FanDuel

I was also looking at the over in this game. The total seems way too low for a Texans team that might be able to put up 30 themselves on this Colts defense. On the Indianapolis side, they’ve scored at least 16 points in every game this season.

This should be a blowout win for the Texans at home.

Final Score Prediction: Texans 30, Colts 17

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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