Inside The Numbers: Texans vs. Colts

The Houston Texans were down to their third-string quarterback in their most important game of the season after T.J. Yates left Sunday’s victory over the Indianapolis Colts with a knee injury.

The Houston Texans (7-7) are coming from a 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts. With just 10:36 left to go in the game, Weeden connected with rookie wide receiver Jaelen Strong on a play-action pass for a touchdown for Houston to take the lead 13-10. The Colts also lost their practice squad quarterback, Alex Tanney, on Monday. The Texans left with a 16-10 win, their first in franchise history in Indianapolis.

The Colts (6-8) have lost three straight and need help to make the playoffs.

After Ben Roethlisberger failed to throw a touchdown in the first half, things turned around in the second half as the Steelers quarterback and Antonio Brown connected time and again, with Brown finishing yet another game with video game like statistics. He needs 65 more receiving yards for the first-ever 1,000-yard season by a Titans tight end, and he could become only the 13th player in team annals with 80 catches in a season. He played four games with three starts for the Cowboys early this season and was released by Dallas when Tony Romo returned from his first injury this season.

Against the Colts, Texans starting quarterback Brian Hoyer was inactive due to a concussion, and as a result, T.J.

It wasn’t how Bill O’Brien planned it, but the Texans got the job done. The Texans’ defense has been a lot better lately and have won games for the team. But it was the Houston defense that wound up limiting the Colts to only 50 yards on the ground and just 190 yards of total offense. The interception played second fiddle though to the crucial mistake made by Colts receiver Griff Whalen, fumbling the ball in his own territory with under 3 minutes to go when the Texans led by 3.

Mettenberger will start his third game of the season Sunday against the Texans and his first since Tennessee’s 20-6 loss to Houston on November 1. I know what kind of guys we’ve got in this locker room. The Colts have been streaky this season both offensively and defensively, and I don’t trust Whitehurst and his situation to win a game.

Houston had two turnovers and awful field position in the first half, but all the Colts managed was an 11-yard TD pass from Hasselbeck to Moncrief and a 29-yard field goal from Adam Vinatieri for a 10-0 lead. On the bottom, Alfred Blue rushed for 107 yards in 20 makes an attempt while Akeem Hunt added 26 yards in 5 carries. Texans WR Cecil Shorts injured his groin during the second quarter and did not return…