I have to preface this post by stating a fact those that know me are well aware of…I am a huge Indianapolis Colts fan. Consider that my disclaimer for this piece. Having said that, I believe this is the week their streak of 16 consecutive regular season wins comes to an end.

The Colts have not had to worry about the offensive side of the ball since the drafting of a certain QB from the Tennessee Vols. No Colts fan wakes up on game day wondering where are the points going to come from. No, the achilles heel of the Colts has in recent times been on the other side of the ball.

One of the most frustrating examples was the trip earlier this season down to Miami, where the Dolphins proceeded to run the ball at will against a sieve of a run defense, even with the addition this offseason of more beef on the line. The Dolphins dominated time of possession and were it not for the afore mentioned QB that Indy is so fortunate to have, they would have been demolished. Instead, they ride out of town with a  sheepish grin, bruised and battered defensive egos, and a win they never deserved at any point in the game.

What Colt’s fans realize about this unit is they are built to play with a lead. With All-Pro talent on either end of the line in Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis they are a nightmare for opposing co-ordinators trying to figure out how to get help to their often overmatched tackles. They play pre-dominantly a cover 2 scheme which forces you to dink and dunk and put a sustained drive together and bank on the fact that sooner or later either they will make a play or you will mess one up and the drive will stall.

This week, however, this unit is coming into the game in the worst shape they have been in all year. The annual right of passage otherwise known as the “Bob Sanders Injury Watch” has come to an end just two games after his return. The impact this guy has on this defense is very similar to what Troy Palomalu has on the one in the Steel City. He offers the toughness and big hits that you want from your strong safety. That is now lost for the year (frankly, having only played 47 of the last 96 Colts games, you get kinda used to it).

To compound the Sanders loss however, this week they also lost a starting CB in Marlin Jackson on a play in practice. Add to this the fact that the other starting CB is out for 3-4 weeks and you have a decimated secondary. And this week comes into town one of the leagues premier passing teams in the Houston Texans.

In recent years, Houston is a team that always plays the Colts tough. They should have beaten them in Houston last year, save for a late game helicopter and meltdown by Sage Rosenfels. But this year, even with the loss of Owen Daniels, they may have enough in their favor to finally knock off their division rival and tighten the AFC South race.

I hope that I am wrong and this could be one of the day’s real barnburners, but you heard it here first…this is the week where when the dust settles, there will be only one unbeaten left in the NFL.