Colts defeat Texans for three-in-a-row

Gore was the bedrock of the offense, falling two yards shy of the Colts’ first 100-yard game in three years.

“Looked like warmed-over death”, included Vinatieri.

That assumption was strengthened by the fact that a bacterial infection kept Hasselbeck away from the team for the first two days of the week, including a stint in the hospital on Tuesday. A second penalty, this one for pass interference gave the Colts a first down at the 1.

“That’s why he can still perform so well at 40, because he technically does so many things well and tonight, that was a masterful performance by him”. Josh Johnson will be Hasselbeck’s backup. The move was shocking because Luck had never missed a start for any reason in his career. I got Tony Romo and Tom Brady for Luck and obviously his value has decreased slightly since then, but you still could get a few quality playmakers for the troubled quarterback.

For Houston, Brian Hoyer replaced Ryan Mallet and threw for 312 yards and a pair of touchdowns before throwing a back-breaking interception with under two minutes in the game. Watt providing a strong pass rush, they did not want to fall behind early in this game. Hoyer continued to play well… right up until he threw an incomprehensible interception late in the fourth quarter.

Griff Whalen can do more than fair catch, after all. Houston settled for a Novak field goal. The Colts offense, run the way Hasselbeck has run it, should be instructive for Luck – Stanford guy that he is – when he returns. The ball tipped out of Foster’s hands and into the waiting arms of the Colts’ Mike Adams. Absolutely no idea what Toler was doing on the play; if he was wearing a Houston uniform he would’ve been flagged for setting a pick. And he hadn’t had a catch in the last two games, while being targeted for passes only three times.

Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins finished with 11 catches for 169 yards. He was back for the second half.

That’s because, with the win, the Colts recorded their 16th-straight victory against AFC South opponents. Just as frustrating for the Texans is that Hasselbeck was, per Will Brinson of CBS Sports, hardly 100 percent healthy.

The Colts benefited mightily from generous officiating.

Houston had ample opportunity to win the game but took a bevy of penalties, racking up 13 markers for 125 yards. Strong’s second catch and touchdown came on an 11-yard pass by Hoyer to get Houston to 20-17 in the third quarter.

But don’t despair Houston Texans fans, at least you have awesome fights in the stands to entertain you! Houston had a chance to face the Colts at home without having to worry about an injured Luck (shoulder) making plays.

A curious call in the first quarter may have cost the Colts a shot at a touchdown. This 2015 team? It’s flat out bad, with holes all over both sides of the ball, young players unable to get out of first gear (if they haven’t been cut already), and veteran players who seemingly leave their brains in their lockers next to their headphones when they take the field every Sunday.

How mandatory was this win?

The Colts’ next five foes – Patriots, Saints, Panthers, Broncos, Falcons – are 16-3.