Quarterback Andrew Luck had one of the better games of his short NFL career as the Indianapolis Colts (4-2) beat the Houston Texans (3-3) 33-28 at NRG Stadium.
Just think, the Colts started the season at 0-2 with many writing them off as a rebuilding team. But since Week 3, the Colts have been on a four-game winning streak and have outscored their last four opponents 138-75.
The Colts coincidentally are the highest scoring team in the entire league with a 31.5 points per game average and they showed that propensity to score tonight.
Luck was on fire in this contest, especially in the first half
as he went 25 of 44 for 370 yards, 3 touchdown passes and 1 interception for the night. Most of those yards came courtesy of budding star receiver T.Y. Hilton who burned the Texans defense for 9 catches for 223 yards and 1 score.
Early in the first quarter, the Colts looked like they were headed for a sure score after Hilton’s over the shoulder reception for 40 yards to the HOU 10 yard line. But three subsequent plays netted a three and out and a 27 yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri that was successful. The Colts led 3-0 with just under 11:20 left in the first quarter.
But wait there’s more. The Colts didn’t even wait for the Texans to get on the field for the ensuing kickoff as kicker Pat McAfee executed an onside kick that he recovered at the IND 46 yard line.
One play later Hilton (2 catches for 89 yards by the 10:40 mark of the first quarter) again came through for his team, as he secured a 49 yard reception to the HOU 5 yard line. Hilton’s big play set up a 5 yard touchdown run to the right side by running back Trent Richardson. The Colts now led 10-0 with 10:40 left in the first quarter.
Later in the first quarter the Colts used an 8 play-56 yard drive to take a commanding 17-0 lead, when Luck threw a 5 yard touchdown pass to running back Ahmad Bradshaw who wasn’t even touched on his way to the corner of the end zone.
On the Texans’ ensuing drive, they couldn’t muster much of anything as the Colts sacked quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (15 of 23 for 212 yards, 1 touchdown and no interceptions) on two straight plays by linebackers Erik Walden (2nd down) and D’Qwell Jackson (3rd down) to force a 4th and 15 punt by Shane Lechler.
On the Colts’ connecting drive, Coby Fleener caught his third touchdown of the season with this one being caught at the back of the end zone for an eventual 24-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Texans’ 20th ranked pass defense was looking pretty bad in the first quarter, as the Colts gained 208 yards and 2 touchdown passes on 66.7 percent accuracy.
Meanwhile, the Texans showed signs of life early in the second quarter as running back Arian Foster (20 carries for 109 yards and 2 scores) gained 28 yards on a pass reception that took the ball to the IND 32. But it was an illegal procedure penalty on the Colts defense on a field goal attempt by Randy Bullock, that was the most vital occurrence of the drive. That penalty gave Houston a first down at the IND 9 yard line.
The Texans took advantage of that penalty, as Fitzpatrick threw a 9 yard right top corner of the end zone touchdown pass to receiver Andre Johnson, who fought off tight coverage from cornerback Greg Toler, that gave the Texans some hope and cut the score to 24-7 with 9:43 left in the first half.
That penalty and that touchdown woke up the Texans because on the ensuing drive, linebacker Justin Tuggle—–whose dad Jessie, made a name for himself with the Atlanta Falcons for his 200 tackle seasons back in the early 1990s—–intercepted Luck at the Colts 34 yard line and returned the theft to the IND 26.
Tuggle’s theft set up a 3 play 26 yard drive that ended when Foster took a Fitzpatrick pass and glided untouched down the left side for a 12 yard score. Now the game was getting close as the score was now 24-14 Colts with around 8:30 left in the first half.
Later in the third quarter, Foster scored his second touchdown of the night when he followed and read left tackle Duane Brown’s block into the end zone to cut the Colts lead to 27-21 with 5:59 left in the third quarter.
But the Colts answered that score when at the end of a short (time of possession-wise) 80 yard drive, Luck threw his third touchdown pass of the night to Hilton in double coverage (his first and only TD reception of the night) from 33 yards out to give the Colts a seemingly safe 33-21 lead with 2:52 left in the third quarter.
But star Houston defensive end J.J. Watt (4 tackles, 2 sacks, and a fumble recovery for a touchdown) gave the Colts a big scare, when he jumped on Luck’s fumbled snap and then jumped up and ran 45 yards down the left sideline with only teammate and cornerback A.J. Bouye being in Watt’s vicinity.
That huge play cut the Colts lead again to 33-28 with 10:36 left in the game.
But the Texans weren’t able to build on that momentum that Watt served up (which also included a batted down pass on 3rd and 6 on the Colts’ second to last offensive drive of the game that forced a punt), and soon the Colts were executing kneel downs to end the game.
