In 2019, "Thursday Night Football" generally features intriguing matchups, even if the quality of play takes a dip as a result of a short week for the participating teams. That's part of the reason the NFL can continue to get away with forcing teams to play a few days early each week. As long as fans care to scan their TV channels for "Thursday Night Football," the league will give the people what they want.
This week on "Thursday Night Football," the Texans will host the Colts in a game scheduled to kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET on Fox and NFL Network. Based on the tiny point spread attached to this game, Houston vs. Indianapolis is expected to be tight. The 6-4 Texans are 3 1/2-point home favorites over the 6-4 Colts.
WEEK 12 NFL PICKS: Straight up | Against the spread
It should go without saying that Thursday night's game is a big one in the AFC South, where the Colts and Texans are tied in the division standings as the NFL playoff picture becomes more relevant. Indianapolis holds the tiebreaker by virtue of its win over Houston back in October.
Thursday’s game marks the 36th regular-season meeting between these rivals, with the Colts holding a massive all-time series advantage at 27-8, including the last two.
Below is all the info you need to watch "Thursday Night Football" this week, including the TV channel and kickoff time for Colts vs. Texans.
Who plays on Thursday Night Football tonight?
- Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans
- Kickoff time: 8:20 p.m. ET
In both our picks against the spread and our straight-up NFL predictions for Week 12, Sporting News is projecting a Texans win over the Colts on Thursday night. Below are the explanations.
Pick against the spread: The Colts don't play as well on the road, especially defensively. Neither team can expect to have much traditional rushing success, so it's all about the passing games. Deshaun Watson will buy time at home to deliver some deep balls, while Jacoby Brissett will be short on receivers who can stretch the field. Watson typically rebounds well from a bad game, and Houston's defense will overachieve a bit with the midweek emotional prime-time home bump. Pick: Texans win 24-20 and cover the spread.
Straight-up prediction: When an NFL team as good as the Texans gets embarrassed, that team typically bounces back with an inspired performance. So what Baltimore did to Houston last week could be bad news for Indianapolis this week. The return of Jacoby Brissett to the Colts' lineup and the ensuing win over the Jaguars was spoiled by the loss of Marlon Mack to a broken hand. The running back likely would have given Houston some trouble. Instead, with the Texans now being the better rushing team, it's up to Brissett to outplay Deshaun Watson. And the Colts QB ain't Lamar Jackson. Pick: Texans 27, Colts 21.
MORE: Full betting preview for Colts vs. Texans
What channel is Thursday Night Football on?
- TV channel (national): NFL Network, Fox
- TV channel (Indianapolis): WXIN
- TV channel (Houston): KRIV
- Live stream: Amazon Prime
"Thursday Night Football" broadcast rights in 2019 are shared between Fox, NFL Network and Amazon Prime.
Thursday night games on Fox this season are called by the network's lead broadcast team of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, sideline reporters Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink, and rules analyst Mike Pereira.
Andrea Kramer and Hannah Storm are the voices for Amazon Prime's broadcasts.
Thursday Night Football TV schedule for 2019
All "Thursday Night Football" games start at 8:20 p.m. ET.
| Week | Date | Matchup | TV channels |
| 4 | Sept. 26 | Eagles at Packers | Fox, NFLN, Prime |
| 5 | Oct. 3 | Rams at Seahawks | Fox, NFLN, Prime |
| 6 | Oct. 10 | Giants at Patriots | Fox, NFLN, Prime |
| 7 | Oct. 17 | Chiefs at Broncos | Fox, NFLN, Prime |
| 8 | Oct. 24 | Redskins at Vikings | Fox, NFLN, Prime |
| 9 | Oct. 31 | 49ers at Cardinals | Fox, NFLN, Prime |
| 10 | Nov. 7 | Chargers at Raiders | Fox, NFLN, Prime |
| 11 | Nov. 14 | Steelers at Browns | Fox, NFLN, Prime |
| 12 | Nov. 21 | Colts at Texans | Fox, NFLN, Prime |
| 14 | Dec. 5 | Cowboys at Bears | Fox, NFLN, Prime |
| 15 | Dec. 12 | Jets at Ravens | Fox, NFLN, Prime |