The Indianapolis Colts fell at home to the Houston Texans on Sunday, 20-16, and their grip on the AFC South is now slipping.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — In recent weeks, the Indianapolis Colts have preached that they want to be at their peak and playing their best football in November and December.
Well, November didn't go well.
After starting the season 8-1, the Colts have now lost three of their last four games, all in November. The Colts hosted the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday and fell, 20-16, which begins to put their chances of winning the AFC South in serious doubt.
Now at 8-4, the Colts allowed the Texans to get to 7-5, and as a result of the Jacksonville Jaguars' (likely) win on Sunday, they are now also 8-4 and sharing the division lead.
Here's how the day unraveled.
FIRST QUARTER
The Colts won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff. After three consecutive passes, the last of which was a drop by Josh Downs on 3rd-and-8, the Colts were forced to punt. It was their fifth consecutive three-and-out going back to last week's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Texans made quick work of their first drive, going 64 yards in 13 plays to get down inside the Colts' 5-yard line. A well-timed batted pass by Colts defensive tackle Grover Stewart on 3rd-and-Goal held the Texans out of the end zone. Kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn then converted a field goal from 23 yards to put the Texans up 3-0 with 7:55 remaining in the first quarter.
SECOND QUARTER
The two teams traded punts on four consecutive drives before the Colts put together a series that got them well into Houston territory. On a 4th-and-1 attempt at the Texans' 9-yard line, tight end Tyler Warren went in motion from the left to the right, and then took the direct snap, which never landed and hit the turf out to his left side. It was recovered by Jonathan Taylor for no gain, which became a turnover on downs.
On the very next play, Texans quarterback CJ Stroud sent a pass deep down the right sideline, which was tracked and intercepted by Colts safety Cam Bynum.
The Colts' offense got serious with their bonus possession, as Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce connected twice out of three total plays, for 19 yards up the middle, and then 19 yards again down the left side into the end zone for the Colts' first touchdown of the day. Kicker Michael Badgley's extra point attempt was no good, as it hit the left upright. It was his third missed extra point since becoming the Colts' kicker in Week 6. That made the score 6-3 , Colts, with 8:41 left in the first half.
The Texans were not to be outdone, going 67 yards in eight plays, connecting on a four-yard Nick Chubb run for a touchdown. It gave the Texans the lead up, 10-6, with 5:08 remaining in the first half.
The Colts got back to their ineptitude on offense on the ensuing drive. After a 13-yard pickup from Jones to Michael Pittman Jr., the Colts had two straight incomplete passes, and then were stuffed on a Jonathan Taylor run on third down. The Colts then punted again.
The Texans ended the half with a Hail Mary attempt, which was broken up by Pierce.
THIRD QUARTER
Each team put together a scoring drive in the third quarter; the Texans with a field goal out of a 14-play drive to make it 13-6, and then the Colts responding with a game-tying touchdown.
On the play, Jones found Warren from 12 yards out on the right side of the end zone for the score.
FOURTH QUARTER
The Texans began the fourth quarter with another touchdown drive. At the conclusion of a 12-play series, Stroud found Nico Collins from seven yards out along the left side to put Houston up 20-13 with 12:38 remaining in the game. There was an extremely controversial defensive pass interference call against Colts slot defender Kenny Moore II on 3rd-and-15 that gave the Texans a new set of downs. They also appeared to commit a delay of game penalty that wasn't called on the play, and the extra point didn't appear to be definitively good.
The Colts couldn't sustain their ensuing drive long enough to put it in the end zone, but they did convert on a 42-yard field goal from Badgley to cut Houston's lead to 20-16 with 8:40 remaining.
The Colts' defense responded with arguably their most critical stop of the game on the ensuing drive. Houston drove down to the red zone to Indy's 17-yard line, where the Colts stopped them on a sneak play on 4th-and-inches, giving the Colts' offense the ball back.
The offense was unable to make enough defining plays on their final drive to retake the lead, turning the ball over on downs at the Houston 31-yard line after eight plays.
With 1:45 remaining, the Texans were able to run out the clock.
Jake Arthur has been covering the Indianapolis Colts for over a dozen years and is a member of the PFWA. He's one half of the Locked On Colts podcast and has worked for the Colts' official website, On SI, and more. You can follow him on X @JakeArthurNFL.
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