Two wins away from tying the New England Patriots (who else?) for the longest regular-season winning streak in NFL history, the Indianapolis Colts remain ambivalent about the feat.

They love the winning. They savor the winning. No doubt, they privately submit prayers of thanks for not being on the Lions or Browns, where winning two in a row is newsworthy.

But the streak itself doesn't motivate the Colts.

And why should it? They've won 19 straight regular-season games, including 10 this season. But when you get right down to it, the winning streak is a flashy statistic – a reflection of the franchise's excellence – and it keeps them on top of the AFC South. But it guarantees nothing. Remember, as the Colts do, they won nine in a row last year and lost the one they most wanted in the playoffs against the Chargers.

So don't blame them for treating the streak as a byproduct of weekly conquests, a means to the ultimate end of making a significant playoff run.

“If you have a bunch of guys that have never had a lengthy streak going before and (have) never been in the situation, it would be a bit more difficult to deal with,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. “All these guys have had some extended streaks. For example, most of the core guys around here have been 13-0 (in 2005). They've been 9-0 several different occasions. They know how to handle it and focus in on the next game.”

The impact of the streak will increase, however. The Colts (10-0) play at Houston (5-5) at 1 p.m. Sunday in Houston, Texas. If the Colts win and the Jacksonville Jaguars lose, the Colts will clinch the AFC South title.

Considering how the Colts have needed to come back in the fourth quarter four straight games, they're not look past the task in Houston.

“Even our young guys realize how hard it is to win,” Colts quarterback Peyton Manning said. “They watch other teams win. They watch the Tennessee-Houston game (last Monday). That game could have gone either way. Tennessee pulls away with it. They've seen how close our last two games are, and how we've had close wins.”

The Colts beat the Texans 20-17 on Nov. 8 in Indianapolis, one of those last four tight Colts games. The Colts needed a fourth-quarter drive and Joseph Addai touchdown to pull out the win.

“Were we fortunate to win (the last four games)? I don't know. That's up for opinion,” Manning said. “But we ended up getting the win. I think our guys, because of the kind of games we've had, have realized that it is tough to win in this league, and you never take winning for granted.”

On the surface, the Houston game looks like a potential streak buster. The Texans are desperate, coming off a 20-17 loss to the Titans that left them at 5-5 and needing a late run for a playoff berth. Texans coach Gary Kubiak is an intelligent, strategically savvy coach capable of adjusting on the fly.

Beneath the surface, however, I have to wonder if the Texans have the mental edge and physical health to pull off the upset.

Houston's offense has sputtered lately. The Texans' running game has been mediocre, and teams that have had the most success against Indianapolis have been the ones who establish solid ground games. Houston quarterback Matt Schaub lost a valuable weapon when tight end Owen Daniels went down with an injury. While Schaub still has Andre Johnson, the loss of Daniels took some punch and variety out of the lineup.

Houston's defense, meanwhile, lost free safety Eugene Wilson to a season-ending injury and dominant linebacker DeMeco Ryans is hobbling. Who knows how bruised the Texans' psyches are?

“Anytime you get beat, it's frustrating, but we've got to find a way to finish,” Kubiak said. “We've got to find a way to finish a game – whoever's got to make that play, whether it's a kick, a throw, a sack, an interception. We've been in some great games, but good teams find a way to win those games. Look at the Colts.”

Look at the Colts, indeed. You can link their winning streak and their ability to come through in the toughest, bleakest situations directly to talent and temperament. They've got some phenomenal players. But they also have a never-panic persona, displayed by coach Jim Caldwell on the sidelines and offensive and defensive leaders Manning and Gary Brackett on the field.

“What I talk to the team about are the things that put us in position to win,” Caldwell said. “I don't talk necessarily about what's going to happen after we win. We try not to get ahead of ourselves.

“We figure if we prepare like we've been preparing and focus in on getting better, and we prepare to win, those other things will take care of themselves.”

You want to talk to the Colts about a winning streak? Check back with them after they've added the word “playoff” as the qualifier.