Gritty, not pretty, right?
The Indianapolis Colts led the entire game leading up to that point, and ahead 16-10, near the Houston 40-yard line with 4:45 left in regulation, the thought was that it was time to finally put the Texans to bed.
This was the moment that Colts fans have been clamoring for, that Indianapolis finally show that “killer instinct” late in games and successfully close this one out in front of the home faithful for what looked like a “must-win” game to avoid an 0-3 start.
Instead,
Texans star edge Will Andersen strip-sacked Colts starting quarterback Daniel Jones on 2nd & 10, and the Texans defense recovered (which was Jones’ second strip-sack of the game at the hands of Andersen, both lost). Houston would then march all the way down the short field on the ensuing drive and take the go-ahead lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Woody Marks, going ahead 17-16 with 1:48 left in the 4th quarter.
Despite an underwhelming performance individually, with three turnovers on the afternoon (and another fumble recovered), Jones helped the offense surprisingly answer with a big 20 yard completion to veteran wideout Laquon Treadwell, and following a pair of Jonathan Taylor runs, another 6-yard completion to fellow veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen to set up placekicker Spencer Shrader, who was banged up in this one, but gutted it out to nail a 53-yard field goal kick with just 16 seconds left in regulation.
The Colts defense held the Texans in desperation, and that was ball game!
The Colts got their 1st win of the 2026 campaign against an also winless AFC South rival, even though it unfortunately, looked like the “same ‘ole Colts there” for a bit late again.
Hats goes off to the Colts defense, which rebounded in a major way from their first two showings of the 2026 season, holding starting quarterback CJ Stroud and the Texans passing offense to just 167 total passing yards, and their rushing game to a mere 70 yards (averaging 3.3 yards per carry).
While I’m not a big time of possession guy, the Colts dominated the Texans in this one, 35:13 to 24:47.
As mentioned, a game ball definitely has to go out to Shrader, who was a perfect 4 for 4 from field goal range, as in addition to his game-winning field goal of 53 yards, also had makes of 39 yards, 58 yards, and 37 yards.
