With 1:48 left on the clock, it looked like the Houston Texans were going to pull out the win after trailing the Indianapolis Colts for most of the game. However, Indianapolis had other plans as they were able to get into field goal range, allowing Spencer Shrader to kick the game-winner.
It was a bit of a weird game for the Colts. Quarterback Daniel Jones was sacked four times and only had one touchdown, along with losing two fumbles and throwing an interception. Running back Jonathan Taylor only had 68 rushing yards and averaged just 3.0 yards per carry.
However, the Colts' defense stepped up after struggling during the first two weeks of the season to make this win possible for Indianapolis.
Here is a look at the good, bad, and ugly from the Colts’
first win of the year.
The Good
A much-needed win: It may not have been pretty, but Indianapolis finally got their first win of the year, and it was not because of Jonathan Taylor and certainly not because of Daniel Jones. Instead, the Colts' defense got them this win. Indianapolis has a lot of things to improve on if they are going to be competitive down the stretch, but this was a good start and provides a lot of things for the Colts to build off of.
Defense: Indianapolis came into this game as one of the worst defenses in the NFL. They struggled against the run and against the pass in their first two games. However, on Sunday, CJ Stroud threw for a modest 167 passing yards, while the Colts defense shut down Houston’s running game with their leading rusher only having 33 yards.
Keenan Allen: With Alec Pierce out, the Colts needed someone to step up besides Josh Downs. Allen finished the game with six receptions for 63 yards and caught Daniel Jones’ only passing touchdown of the day. It was also his first touchdown since signing with Indianapolis.
Spencer Shrader: Despite dealing with a groin injury, Shrader was 4-for-4 on field goal attempts, which included making a 58-yarder, along with the game-winner.
The Bad
Colts' run game can't get going: It's unusual to see the run game struggle, but the Colts' couldn't get much of anything going against the Houston front. It wasn't for a lack of trying, with the Colts running the ball 31 times, but as a team, Indianapolis averaged just 2.9 yards per rush, putting a greater burden on the passing game.
Red zone efficiency: Indianapolis would have made things a lot easier on themselves if they performed better in the red zone. They only scored a touchdown on one of their three red zone trips. Between how the defense played and how poorly Houston’s offense played, the Colts were able to get away with this. However, the Colts' inability to find the end zone in the red area nearly cost them the game as well.
The Ugly
Daniel Jones' turnovers: Speaking of mistakes, quarterback Daniel Jones had just about every ugly mistake you could have in this game. He fumbled the ball three times and lost it twice. His second lost fumble resulted in Houston’s touchdown that nearly gave them the win. Jones also had an interception in this game, which took points off the board. He accounted for a total of three turnovers. Against a team with a better offense, Indianapolis most certainly would have lost this game, as the Texans only mustered seven points on three turnovers. Losing the turnover battle 3-0, as the Colts did on Sunday, is often nearly impossible to overcome.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts vs Texans: Good, bad and ugly from Week 3 win
