Colts hope to keep Texans winless in Indianapolis with win this Sunday

In the NFL, few division rivalries have been as one-sided as the Colts vs. Texans in the AFC South.  Since the Texans joined the NFL in 2002 and joined the newly-formed AFC South division, the Colts are 23-4 against them.  They won their first nine games against Houston, and they have now won their last six as well heading into this Sunday's matchup.

Even more remarkable, however, is that the Colts and Texans have played in Indianapolis every season since 2002, yet the Texans have never won in Indy.  Never.  They are 0-13 all-time.  Six of those losses came in the RCA Dome, while seven of them have come in Lucas Oil Stadium.

That streak includes some memorable games as well.  For instance, on December 22, 2011, the Colts entered the game with a 1-13 record while the Texans were 10-4 and closing in on their first ever AFC South title.  With Dan Orlovsky at quarterback and the worst record in the league, it appeared as if the Texans' losing streak in Indy would finally come to an end on that Thursday night.  Instead, Orlovsky led the Colts downfield in a two-minute situation, capped off by a game-winning one-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne.  The Colts notched their second win of the season by providing perhaps the only memorable moment from an otherwise awful season.

The following year, the Colts looked entirely different, with a new general manager, a new coaching staff, and a new quarterback.  The Texans had defeated the Colts in Indy just two weeks earlier with interim head coach Bruce Arians running things for the Colts, and the two teams would play in the regular season finale at Lucas Oil Stadium.  Both teams had already locked up a playoff spot, but the Colts had plenty to play for - Chuck Pagano was returning to the sidelines for the first time since being diagnosed with leukemia.  Before the game, fans gave Pagano a roaring standing ovation, and the rest of the day belonged to the Colts.  Andrew Luck threw for two scores and Deji Karim took a kickoff back 101 yards for a touchdown to help lead the Colts to a 28-16 victory.

This week, the Colts also face a tough test as they prepare to face the Texans.  Both teams are 6-7 and fighting for the division title with just three weeks left, and the winner of this Sunday's game will take over sole possession of first place.  The Colts' NFL record 16-game win streak against the division was snapped last week by the Jaguars, but the Colts will hope to keep their home win streak against the Texans intact this Sunday.  It's a nice streak to have, but a win this week would mean much more than simply the 14th in a row all-time in Indy against the Texans - it would also mean the Colts have the clear inside track to win the division.