Record: 5-5.

Today: vs. Colts, noon.

TV/radio: CBS; 610 AM, 100.3 FM, 1010 AM (Span.).

inside: Jerome Solomon says it is all about finishing for Texans . page C11

With six games left, it has come down to this: A 4-2 finish probably won't get the job done. So the 5-5 Texans must pick their poison or, rather, find an antidote.

Realistically, they must beat either Peyton Manning or Tom Brady if they are going to finally reach the playoffs. But Brady is just a speck on the horizon right now. The New England Patriots don't make their way to Reliant Stadium until after the new year, when it might already be too late. Manning and the undefeated Indianapolis Colts are here today. And if the Texans again fail to find some chinks in the great man's armor - they still are searching after 7? seasons - what they have been toiling toward since July could be gone tomorrow.

Or at least going.

"He's as good as advertised, you know?" said rookie linebacker Brian Cushing, who got his first exposure to Manning's mastery at Indianapolis on Nov. 8, when the Colts prevailed 20-17. "You have to be on point, on your key, and do your assignment every play. There's no fooling him. For the most part, he knows exactly what you're doing all the time."

Undeniable record

It's frightening to think that even in the only game against Manning after which the Texans could raise their arms in triumph, they still didn't come close to figuring him out. Although the Texans upset the soon-to-be-Super-Bowl champion Colts 27-24 on Christmas Eve 2006, Manning completed 21 of 27 passes - three for touchdowns with no interceptions - and posted his highest rating against them - 135.3.

Overall, he is 14-1 against Houston. It's possible - probable, in fact - that no quarterback has owned an opponent to the degree Manning has owned the Texans over such a long span. But when you ask him about his overwhelming dominance, he answers warily.

"We respect all our opponents and treat them all the same," he said. "Every week presents a new challenge, and that's always been our philosophy around here. We're anticipating another close game Sunday. (The Texans ) are a very good team and a number of our games against them have come down to the wire.

"Our first game against Houston was extremely close. (Last year at Reliant) we had some guys make big plays at critical times. We were fortunate, no question."

Better late than never

People say being lucky is better than being good. Being both, of course, is best of all. Manning, a three-time league MVP, is on a run that is remarkable even by his almost singular set of standards. He has brought the 10-0 Colts from behind in the fourth quarter of each of the last four games.

In each of those games, though, Manning received formidable support from his defense, the NFL's stingiest when it comes to points allowed - just 15.7 per game. That's a brutal one-two punch for mortal teams like the Texans to overcome.

"We've had some injuries (on defense)," Manning said, "but a lot of the veterans are leading by example. And we've got some young corners who have played well and learned on the run throughout the season. They got thrown in there early and have done a good job. Guys are just making plays at critical times. That's really what it comes down to in Football."

dale.robertson@chron.com