Texans Lose To Colts

via Reuters

Andrew Luck threw for 399 yards and two touchdowns Sunday as the Indianapolis Colts snapped the Houston Texans’ nine-game winning streak with a 24-21 win at NRG Stadium in Houston.

Luck completed 27 of 41 passes for Indianapolis (7-6), which bounced back from a 6-0 upset loss last week at Jacksonville. He found wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, who had been a game-time decision with a shoulder injury, nine times for 199 yards.

Deshaun Watson hit on 27 of 38 passes for 267 yards for the Texans, who dropped to 9-4 but still lead the AFC South by two games over the Colts and Tennessee with three games remaining. Watson connected with DeAndre Hopkins on a 7-yard scoring strike with 2:37 left in the game to bring Houston within three points.

However, Indianapolis melted the remaining time away with two first downs. Defensive end Jadaveon Clowney jumped the snap count on 3rd-and-1 at the Colts’ 48 immediately after the two-minute warning, and Luck took three knees to end it.

Indianapolis’ defense limited Hopkins to four catches on 10 targets for 36 yards. It also kept consistent pressure on Watson, recording five sacks, two by Denico Autry.

Alfred Blue’s 3-yard touchdown run with 2:26 remaining in the first quarter gave the Texans a 7-0 lead, capping a 10-play, 82-yard drive that lasted just over four minutes.

Indianapolis controlled the second quarter. Marlon Mack’s 4-yard run with 6:33 left in the half evened the score at 7, and Luck put the Colts ahead to stay when he found Eric Ebron on a 14-yard scoring pass with 2:57 remaining, which was Ebron’s 13th touchdown catch of the year. Adam Vinatieri bombed a 54-yard field goal at the end of the first half for a 17-7 advantage.

Lamar Miller pulled Houston within 17-14 on a 1-yard scoring run with 7:38 left in the third quarter, capping a 16-play, 75-yard drive to start the second half. But Luck answered back with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Zach Pascal at the 3:51 mark.