INDIANAPOLIS –
First Quarter Recap
The Colts won the toss and deferred to the second half.
Houston received the opening kickoff and found one first down before having to punt. The Colts did start Antonio Morrison in place of the suspended D'Qwell Jackson.
Andrew Luck's first action on Sunday saw the Colts go on a 10-play drive. A 32-yard field goal from Adam Vinatieri gave the Colts a 3-0 lead at the 8:31 mark of the first quarter.
The Texans went three-and-out on their next drive. Rookie defenders for the Colts needed to step up in December. Fourth-round pick Hassan Ridgeway did his part on this drive with a sack of Brock Osweiler.
The game's first turnover came on the first play of Indy's next drive. Dwayne Allen got tangled up and went down, sending an Andrew Luck pass attempt into the Houston secondary with no pass catcher in sight. Texans safety Quintin Demps hauled in the easy interception and returned it to the Colts 16-yard line.
Ted Monachino's defense won this sudden change scenario by holding the Texans to a field goal. At the 4:00 mark of the first quarter, the score was tied at 3.
Luck and the offense got a first down on their next drive before having to punt near midfield.
At the end of the first quarter, the scored was tied at three.Second Quarter Recap
The Texans most promising drive of the first half ended on a third-and-one interception by quarterback Brock Osweiler. Veteran outside linebacker Akeem Ayers had a late drop in coverage and picked off the Houston quarterback.
Indy could not take advantage of the turnover. A holding penalty on rookie lineman Joe Haeg put the offense well behind the chains and led to a Pat McAfee punt.
Houston's next series looked exactly like how they wanted to play in Week 14. A more than seven-minute drive saw the Texans move 80 yards in 12 plays (10 runs). Three third-down conversions led to Lamar Miller's two-yard touchdown run. The Texans lead was 10-3 with 2:26 left in the first half.
Looking for late-half points, the Colts could not convert. Adam Vinatieri missed on a 55-yard field goal, giving the Texans a chance to pad their lead.
The Texans did find those points. Nick Novak's field goal from 52 yards out was right down the middle.
At halftime, the Texans led the Colts 13-3.Third Quarter Recap
The start to the third was no better than the end of the opening two quarters for the Colts. Trying to scramble for a first down, Andrew Luck threw an interception to Houston cornerback Andre Hal.
With tremendous field position again, the Texans deviated from the run for a second straight time inside the 10-yard line. The sudden change win for the Colts kept the score at two possessions. Houston's lead was 16-3, with 12:46 to go in the third quarter, after Nick Novak's field goal.
After struggles all game, the Colts offense finally injected some life into Lucas Oil Stadium. Aided big time by a 41-yard pass interference penalty, the Colts entered the red zone where Frank Gore scored on a 18-yard screen pass. The lead was down to 16-10 with more than half of the third quarter left.
Lucas Oil Stadium was the loudest it had been all afternoon and the defense followed that up with a three-and-out.
It looked like the Colts were going to take the lead on their next drive. A drive that reached the two-yard line ended in disaster. On a third-and-goal, former No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney stripped Andrew Luck. Fellow first-rounder Whitney Mercilus recovered the ball back at the 14-yard line.
The third quarter ended with the Texans moving past midfield.
At the end of the third quarter, the Texans led the Colts 16-10.Fourth Quarter Recap
It was a 12-play drive for the Texans that took more than five minutes off the clock. A 41-yard field goal from Nick Novak made the score 19-10 with 11:53 remaining.
Down again by two scores, the Colts would not go down quietly. T.Y. Hilton did the playmaking with an incredible juggling catch on a 3rd-and-10. Hilton then got behind the Houston secondary for a 35-yard touchdown. The score cut the lead to 19-17 with 9:06 to go.
Houston dialed up a clock-eating drive that added to their lead. Chewing up 6:19 in 11 plays, the Texans kicked a 34-yard field goal to stretch the lead to 22-17 with a little less than three minutes remaining.
The Colts' final opportunity would end just passed midfield. A 4th-and-1 attempt for the Colts saw Andrew Luck throw an incomplete screen pass.
The Colts (6-7) will hit the road the next two weeks, with three games left in the regular season. Next up is a road game with the Vikings (7-6) next Sunday afternoon.
Colts In-Game Injuries
WR-Donte Moncrief (hamstring, QUESTIONABLE)
OLB-Curt Maggitt (knee, DOUBTFUL)
LG-Jack Mewhort (knee, OUT)
Colts Inactives
C-Austin Blythe
OLB-Lavar Edwards
S-Clayton Geathers (neck)
OG-Denzelle Good (concussion)
DT-Zach Kerr (concussion)
OLB-Robert Mathis (bicep
CB-Patrick Robinson (groin)Colts Pre-Game Notes
- The Colts and Texans will play in Indianapolis during the month of December for the sixth straight year.
- With Andrew Luck at quarterback, the Colts have won nine straight divisional home games.
- After Sunday, the Colts will have three more games left in 2016 (at Minnesota, at Oakland, Jacksonville).
Weather Update
-Winter has returned to Indianapolis. The roof and window will be closed Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Colts have teamed up with Uber and ICJI to help fans ride responsibly on game day! Download the Uber app and enter code COLTS2016 for a free first ride up to $15. Make the right call - get home safe with Uber!
