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Colts Influence
The Colts
and Texans Recap
By Jon Anderson
September 23, 2007
Not too long ago, the prospect of defeating the Colts
seemed far-fetched for the Texans.
They dropped their first 9 games of the series;
however a 27-24 defeat of The Colts on December 24, 2006 (which
happens to be the last time the Colts lost), gave
Houston a bit of confidence.
This is a new season and these aren't the same Texans.
Quarterback David Carr, who was sacked an NFL high of
249 times in five seasons, is proceed by Matt Schaub, the longtime
Atlanta backup, acquired via trade in the off season, appears to give
The Texans new hope.
"Having the world champs here at our place, I
don't think it could have set up any better." Said
original Texan and former Colt, center, Steve McKinney. "Two
divisional opponents, both undefeated, with the winner setting up to
make a nice run to the playoffs
. . . It's cool."
"We can prepare knowing we've already beaten
the Colts, and what it took to do it,'' McKinney said. "What
happened last year helps. It gives you confidence maybe you wouldn't
have otherwise. And you get a little bit of a swagger when you start winning."
"The energy is flowing," Texans
Defensive Back, Michael Boulware said. "After the Kansas City
game, we're thinking, 'well, maybe the Chiefs just had an off day.
But to do it again at Carolina, coming from behind like we did, it
showed everybody in here we can hang."
Houston is bursting with hope and pride as The Colts
would like to avenge their most recent loss.
"We'll definitely be ready to play them," Colts
Defensive Tackle Raheem Brock said. "We owe them big time."
A roiling crowd of 70,765, the second largest in
Reliant Stadium history came to see the New and Improved Texans (2-1)
extend their franchise record winning streak to five games.
Instead, The Texans and their fans discovered better
is not good enough against The Indianapolis Colts.
To The Colts it didn't matter if it was Quarterback
Carr or new Quarterback Schaub, for he was sacked 3 times and
intercepted twice.
Texans running game which trampled The Colts last
season was put to a halt as The Colts crowded the line of scrimmage
limiting the Houston Texans to just 40 yards on 17 carries.
The last time the run defense enjoyed such a stifling
game was in a 40-21 win at New England on Nov. 7, 2005, when the
Patriots rushed for just 34 yards.
The Texans turned the ball over twice as Schaub threw
2 interceptions while The Colts played turnover free football. The
Colts are 21-2 in games in which they have not had a giveaway since
Manning arrived in 1998.
Safety Von Hutchins nearly had a pick, but almost
counts for little against Manning, of whom N.D. Kalu said, "He's
one of those guys who always makes it look easy.
"He's beatable, but not very often. And
unfortunately, we've got to play him twice every year."
"We tried to get him off-key and we were
almost there," middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans said. "But
almost isn't good enough against Peyton Manning or that offense
... I think we took a step backward today."
Quarterback Peyton Manning threw a touchdown and
Joseph Addai ran for two more to lift the NFL champion Indianapolis
Colts to a 30-24 win over the Houston Texans in a battle of unbeaten
teams on Sunday.
Three weeks into the season they have accomplished
something they were unable to do last season, and they've done it
twice. They are 2-0 after victories at Tennessee and Houston. They
were 0-3 in division road games last season.
All wasn't at the same time as grand as The Second
Quarter was put on hold to a scene eerily reminiscent of the one
played out in Buffalo two weeks earlier, the Colts and Houston found
themselves unified in prayer as Texans defensive tackle Cedric
Killings left the field strapped to a stretcher before resuming the game.
The immediate thoughts it evoked of Buffalo tight end
Kevin Everett, who sustained a life-threatening spinal cord injury in
the Bills' season-opener. Doctors are now optimistic that Everett,
who went back to his hometown of Houston last week to recover, may
walk again.
Our prayers go out to both Kevin Everett and Cedric Killings.
The Colts' Roy Hall was on the other side of that
collision. He said it was like being in an auto accident.
Killing's plays in the wedge (the
four blockers who run directly in front of the kickoff returner)
on Houston's return team. Hall is a wedge buster on the Colts'
kickoff team. When they met inside the Houston 20, Killings hit
Hall's left shoulder with his helmet.
Let us get on with The
Show . . .
The Houston Texans won the
flip as they elect to receive.
Texans Ball
at 15:00
Adam Vinatieri kicks it off
69 yards to The Texans 1 yard line as Texans; Jerome Mathis returns
it for 20 yards before he is hit by Special Teams Player, Tim Jennings.
The Colts had what they
wanted early. They stopped Texans kickoff returner Jerome Mathis at
the Texans 20 yard line after the opening kickoff. Yet awaiting the
end of the play there was a flag thrown at the kickoff line of
scrimmage. The Colts Rookie Clint Session was called for off-sides on
the play, forcing the Colts to re-kick from their 25.
Coach Tony Dungy wasn't
convinced Mathis should have been given a second chance by the
officials, who penalized rookie linebacker Clint Session for being offside.
"I stand on the line
every kickoff and watch,'' Dungy said.
The Colts were forced to redo
the opening kickoff as Vinatieri kicks a 59 yarder squib kick to
Texans 16 yard line and Mathis scoops it up, found a valley through
the middle of the coverage and then cut to the outside to outrun the
last two defenders, untouched, 84 yards for a touchdown.
Colts
0 Texans 7
Mathis's third career
touchdown on a kickoff return, a Texans franchise record.
"I tried to kick it
to a different guy, so he wouldn't get it - hopefully, a little but
slower, bigger guy," Vinatieri said. "Unfortunately,
the same guy got it anyway. He made us pay. We didn't let it bother
us too much. We didn't let it get us down. We just went out there and
kept playing. I don't like the trend, though. We just have to get better."
Jerome Mathis' 84 yard return
for a touchdown on the opening kickoff Sunday at Houston was the
fifth return touchdown allowed by the Colts' coverage units in the
past 20 games, including the playoffs.
Here's a recap:
|
Play |
Player |
Opponent |
Date |
Result |
|
84 kickoff |
Jerome Mathis |
Houston |
9/23/07 |
W, 30-24 |
|
92 kickoff |
Devin Hester |
Chicago |
2/4/07 |
W, 29-17 |
|
93 kickoff |
Maurice Jones-Drew |
Jacksonville |
12/10/06 |
L, 44-17 |
|
87 punt |
Antwaan Randle El |
Washington |
10/22/06 |
W, 36-22 |
|
103 kickoff |
Justin Miller |
N.Y. Jets |
10/1/06 |
W, 31-28 |
"We were in somewhat
familiar territory,''
Manning said as he recalled
the ominous start.
Peyton Manning and the
Indianapolis Colts offense had been here before.
A game was barely 30 seconds
old, yet they were playing from behind. Remember Super Bowl XLI?
Remember Devin Hester returning the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown?
COLTS BALL
at 14:39
Texans, Kris Brown kicks it
off 68 yards to Colts 2 as T. J. Rushing returns it 24 yards to their
own 26 yard line.
Mathis's 84 yard return
Touchdown hardly seemed to faze the Colts as they marched 74 yards in
15 plays on their first possession. Although Joseph Addai went
backwards on the first play for a loss of a yard and a False Start
penalty on Jake Scott for a loss of 5 more yards; The Colts got
things rolling as Peyton connected with rookie player, Anthony
Gonzalez who makes the reception, turns, runs, throws off a defender
and runs for a 15 yard play. Gonzalez was The Colts' 1st round
selection in this past April's NFL Draft.
3rd and 1
The rather elusive Joseph
Addai paved the majority of the road downfield as Texans are finding
it difficult to tackle the Houston native in the open field.
Addai ran the ball on the
next 2 plays for gains of 1 and 2 before Peyton dumped one over the
middle to him for 7 more yards; Addai then ran the next play for a
gain of 5.
1st and 10 and The Colts are
on the 50 yard line.
Peyton connects with Tight
End, Dallas Clark for a gain of 16.
First Down
Addai broke through the left
side and picked up 6 yards before Manning connected with Wide
Receiver, Reggie Wayne for 5 yards and another First Down.
On the next play Manning
threw incomplete to Addai, yet The Running Back busted his way
through the left side again for a vast gain of 9 yards.
On 3rd and I on The Texans 14
Manning fired one off to 8 times Pro Bowl Wide Receiver, Marvin
Harrison for a gain of 10 yards down to the Texans 4 yard line.
Colts knocking on the door!
Addai tried to run the ball
up the middle yet with no prevail as he was stopped at the line of scrimmage.
He then took off to the side
he has had success with, to the left for a gain of 2.
3rd and Goal on the 2 yard
line and Manning uses a play action to find an open Dallas Clark in
the back of the end zone to tie the score with 6:06 left in the first quarter.
(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Manning threw kind of a
jump pass, as he had to get the ball to drop in over the top of the
Texans' linebackers.
Colts
7 Texans 7
Vinatieri kicks it off 68
yards to Texans 2 and Mathis runs it back for 29 yards to The Texans
31 yard line before
He is brought down by Roy Hall.
Texans Ball
at 5:58
Schaub dumped a little pass
off to Running Back, Ahman Green for a small gain of 2 yards as
Freddy Keiaho wrapped him up, lifts and slams him down.
Samkon Gado ran for 2 yards
before Schaub connected with Jacoby Jones for 13 to get the First Down.
Schaub connected with Tight
End, Owen Daniels for 6 yards, while Green ran for 1 on the next
play. Gary Brackett making the tackles on both plays.
Ahman Green took the Direct
Snap and ran around to the right for a gain of 2 before being hit by
Rookie, Ed Johnson.
Texans call their 1st Timeout
at 02:15
4th and 1 on The Colts 43,
Texans are set up in The Run Formation and a costly Encroachment
penalty is called on 6 year Veteran, Raheem Brock.
First and 10
Schaub connected with Kevin
Walter over the middle for a gain of 7. Schaub on the next play,
threw to Tight End, Mark Bruener who appeared to have made the catch,
turn up field, take several steps before he is drilled by Kelvin
Hayden. The ball comes loose and was recovered by Colts' Antoine Bethea.
Officials ruled it as an
incomplete pass.
Tony Dungy tosses the red
flag on the field, as he wants to challenge that Bruner caught the
short pass and fumbled.
Perhaps he was told different
from up above or what, for Dungy picked the flag back up to go on
with the next play.
Schaub and Walter connected
for 10 on the next play for The First Down.
Very little more than a
minute left in the First Quarter and Green runs it around the right
for a gain of 2, but ends The First Quarter on the next play for no
gain as he was stopped by Marlin Jackson.
Quarter comes to a close with
the Texans inside the Colts 20.
SECOND QUARTER
Texans Ball
Continued . . .
Texans start off the Second
Quarter on a bad note as Ahman Green is called for a False Start and
The Texans bring it back 5 yards.
3rd and 13 and Schaub
connects with Green for 9 yards before Bob Sanders nails him to the
turf. Green hopped up, but limped off the field as trainers attended
to him on the sideline.
Green suffered a left knee injury.
Samkon Gado replaced Green on
the Texans' next offensive series. Green sat on the bench with ice
wrapped around his left knee.
Texans have to settle for 3
as Kris Brown makes good on a 33 yard Field Goal Attempt.
Colts
7 Texans 10
Kris Brown kicks off to the
Colts 13 as Luke Lawton returns it for 22 yards to The Colts 35.
COLTS BALL
at 14:11
On The Colts 1st play of this
series, Peyton fires to Rookie Anthony Gonzalez, who makes contact
with the outreached ball, bobbles it around as he is being man
handled by Jamar Fletcher and Von Hutchins. As Gonzalez is coming
down he makes a final leap for the ball and appears to have it before
he is brought down.
(Robert Scheer/The Indianapolis Star)
Officials ruled it as an
incomplete pass.
Joseph Addai made no yardage
on the next play.
The Colts continued their
relentless pursuit on Offense as Manning engineered 9 more plays
covering 65 yards.
3rd and 10 and Manning does
not give up hope on Rookie Anthony Gonzalez as the two connect for 24 yards.
First Down
Addai ran for 2 and then
gained another 4 yards on a Manning reception.
Manning then connected with
Marvin Harrison for a gain of 7 yards and The First Down.
Kenton Keith comes in the
game for Addai at running back and breaks off to the left side for 5
yards before Manning connects with Dallas Clark for 14 yards and The
First Down.
Colts are at Texans 9 yard
line knocking on the door once more.
Keith got 1 yard on the next
play as Addai came back in the game and ran for 4 up the middle on
the next play.
HOUSTON,
WE HAVE LIFT OFF
3rd and 4, Colts are on The
Texans 4 yard line when Joseph Addai shows off his Ringling Bros. and
Barnum & Bailey act when he broke to the outside on the handoff
and had one man in front of him. The defender, cornerback DeMarcus
Faggins, went low and Addai leaped over him, his feet got clipped,
and he flipped as he got into the end zone after being hit by
linebacker DeMeco Ryans.
Addai hit hard, yet was unfazed.
It was the first rushing
Touch Down allowed by the Texans since December 17, 2006 versus Kevin
Faulk of the New England Patriots.
Colts
14 Houston 10
Adam Vinatieri kicks off 69
yards to the Texans 1 as Jerome Mathis returns it for 17 yards to
their 18 before Matt Giordano brings him down.
Colts Player Roy Hall was
injured during the play
and
Texans Defensive tackle,
Cedric Killings was taken off the field on a stretcher after a
headfirst collision with Colts receiver Roy Hall. The 310-pound
Killings, playing special teams, hit Hall on a block as Jerome Mathis
was returning the kickoff.
(AP Photo/Dave Einsel)
The entire stadium hung heavy
with silence when Killings went down and stayed down with what at
first appeared to be a serious neck or spinal injury.
For agonizingly long moments,
Killings' teammates, all of them, assembled in a semicircle around
him. The Colts defense stood along the sideline at a respectful distance.
Finally, Colts defensive end
Dwight Freeney approached, or tried to.
"The ref was pushing
me away," Freeney said. "I wanted to go tell him,
Hang in there. We're praying for you. Something like that.
And the ref was like,
'Just get away."
Killings lay on the field for
more than 10 minutes while he was strapped to a stretcher. He was
then taken to a local hospital.
Texans Ball
at 08:35
It's difficult to bounce back
from watching one of your teammates go down with an injury of such
significance, but the Texans have to get their heads back in the game.
Schaub threw incomplete to
Vonta Leach yet connected with Jacoby Jones for 8 yards before he is
tackled by Marlin Jackson and Bob Sanders.
3rd and 2 and Jacoby rushed
for 3 yards to get The First Down.
On the next play Schaub
scrambled up the middle for 5 yards before he is tackled by Gary Brackett.
Jameel Cook rushed up the
middle for a whopping 1 yard before he was brought down by Colts
reserve defensive end Jeff Charleston.
On the Texans next play, Owen
Daniels caught one over the middle for 10 yards and the First Down.
Sam Gado made it to The 50
yard line as he ran for 5 before being brought down by Darrell Reid
and Jameel Cook ran it up the middle for 9 yards and another First Down.
Texans are really clicking .
. .
So they thought.
Dwight Freeney and Ed Johnson
put a stop to Jameel Cook on the next play to only gain 1 yard.
Josh Thomas broke up the next
play when Schaub tried to throw to Jeb Putzier. Pass was incomplete.
3rd and 9 on Colts 40 and
Matt Giordano put a stop on the Texans drive as he made the hit on
Sam Gado for a 2 yard Schaub reception.
Texans are out of Field Goal
range and are forced to punt.
Matt Turk punts for 25 yards
to Colts 13 as T.J. Rushing signals for a fair catch.
COLTS BALL
at 2:49
As The Colts went 3 and out
on this drive and would have been nice to have gotten the Pass
Interference call on Amobi Okoye as he was all over Anthony Gonzalez
on 2nd down.
Hunter Smith punts for 59
yards to Texans 26 as Jacoby Jones returns it for 12 yards to thier
38 before he is brought down by Darrell Reid.
Two Minute Warning
Texans Ball
at 1:56
The Texans went 3 and out as
well with 2 incomplete passes and Antoine Bethea stuffing Jameel Cook
at the line of scrimmage.
Matt Turk punts it away for
39 yards to The Colts 15 as it was downed by Bryan Pittman with 28
seconds left in the First Half.
COLTS BALL
at 0:28
A handoff to Addai is the
last play of the half, as the Colts leave the field with a 14-10 lead.
Pretty even first half, as
both teams have had their moments. Houston has been able to move the
ball, but their drives have stalled in Colts territory. The Colts
offense has been pretty unstoppable, and that is not likely to change.
THIRD QUARTER
Colts receive
Kris Brown kicks it into the
Colts End Zone (0) as T.J. Rushing runs it out for 26 yards to The
Colts 26.
COLTS BALL
at 14:54
Colts started this series off
with Addai being stopped at the line of scrimmage; however Peyton
connected with Ben Utecht for a 20 yard reception and a First Down on
the next play.
Addai again attempted to run
the ball gaining 3 yards on the play, while Peyton connected with
Dallas Clark for 26 on the next play for another First Down.
Dallas Clark has sure made
his presence since the first game of the season as Peyton has
connected with Clark for a 2 reception, 48 yard game in week 1 to
already 5 receptions for 58 yards at the start of this third quarter.
A huge factor and another
offensive weapon for the Indianapolis Colts.
A rare occasion, Peyton threw
incomplete to Marvin Harrison on the following play.
As Joseph Addai busted
through the middle of The Texans Defense for 7 yards on the next
play, it was brought back and some as Ryan Diem is called for
Offensive Holding.
WHAT?!!!!!!!!!
Have you blind ass Officials
been watching Texans along with the rest of the NFL League as
somebody is ALWAYS holding Dwight Freeney?
Or how about this one on
Chester Pitts?
Indianapolis Colts Ed
Johnson fights off his block to tackle Samkon Gado (35) in the first
quarter of their game against the Houston Texans Sunday afternoon at
Reliant Stadium in Houston Texas. The Colts defeated the Texans 30-24.
(Matt Kryger / The Star)
HOW, How can The Officials
make that call without ever calling it on the Texans before now?
This bogus call puts a damper
on things as the penalty set them back 10 yards from the line of
scrimmage as The Colts start off at the Texans 35 on 2nd and 20.
Peyton connected with
Addai for 8 yards to bring up 3rd and 12.
Peyton threw a reception to
Reggie Wayne, however it was for only 9 yards. 3 yards short of The First.
Colts are forced to go for
the 3 as Adam Vinatieri makes good on a 36 yard field goal attempt.
Colts
17 Houston 10
Adam Vinatieri kicks it into
the Texans End Zone (0) as Jerome Mathis returns it for 26 yards to
their 26 before being brought down by Tim Jennings.
Texans Ball
at 10:13
Colts are only up by a
touchdown here in the 3rd Quarter. It's anybodies game right now.
Houston,
we have a problem!
On Texans 1st play of their
series Matt Schaub throws to the rookie wide receiver Jacoby Jones as
it is tipped off his fingers and bounced out of his hands as Rocky
Boiman made a diving leap for the interception.
Houston challenged the pass
completion ruling, and the play was upheld,
The Texans lose possession
after the challenge as the game quickly spirals out of their control.
The Colts are the last ones you want to hand a free possession. A 7
point lead is definitely possible to bounce back from. But a 14 point
lead against Indianapolis is starting to push the limit.
COLTS BALL
at 10:13
Colts are sitting on
Houston's 21.
Kenton Keith rushes to the
left for 3 yards to the Texans 18.
Manning connects with Reggie
Wayne for 6 yards on the next play taking them to the Texans 12.
Kenton Keith takes the ball
again and shoots up the middle; lowers his head and gains 4 yards and
the first down.
Colts are sitting on the
Texans 8.
Hear that? That's The Colts
knocking again . . .
BOOM! Joseph Addai bolted
past DeMarcus Faggins and into the corner of the end zone for a TOUCHDOWN!
(Matt Kryger / The Star)
Colts
24 Houston 10
Adam Vinatieri kicks it off
to the Texans 2 as Jerome Mathis returns for 19 yards to their 21
before Matt Giordano brings him down.
Texans Ball
at 8:31
Texans didn't do so hot on
this series either as Schaub went 3 and out but not before, and I
don't believe it, but not before an Offensive Holding Call was
actually called on Texans Ephraim Salaam. Texans also produced a
fumble, yet were lucky enough to recover before they were forced to punt.
Matt Turk punts it for 46
yards to The Colts 26 as Rushing signaled for the Fair Catch.
COLTS BALL
at 6:14
Colts didn't do so hot
neither as they went 3 and out and Hunter Smith punts it away for 63
yards to Texans 8 while Jacoby Jones took the punt, breaks free and
sprints down the sideline for 74 yards to The Colts 18 before Punter,
Hunter Smith leaps up on top of Jacoby and brings him down with a
jarring tackle sending him out of bounds and out of the game.
(Robert Scheer/The Indianapolis Star)
Jones got up holding his left
shoulder and limped to the bench.
Trainers attended to Jones on
the sideline before he went to the locker room for X-rays.
Texans Ball
at 5:09
Texans are on The Colts 18
knocking on the door.
The 74 yard punt return was
not an issue as much as Schaub's thought process was; as on his first
play he throws into triple coverage to Kevin Walter and Colts middle
linebacker Gary Brackett kills their scoring prospect as he
intercepts and returns it back 26 yards to The Colts 29 yard line!
(Robert Scheer/The Indianapolis Star)
COLTS BALL
at 4:54
Peyton didn't fuck around as
he pump-faked and hit Reggie Wayne in stride, who had ran past Texans
cornerback Dunta Robinson for a 64 yard bomb on their very first play.
However it's a shame a
touchdown couldn't derive from the play as Kenton Keith was able to
only gain a yard on their 2nd down and Peyton missed Marvin Harrison
in the End Zone on 2nd and Goal. It got worse as Amobi Okoye cut
through The Colts Offensive Line and sacked Manning for a loss of 3 yards.
4th and 9 and Adam Vinatieri
makes good on a 28 yard field goal attempt.
Colts
27 Houston 10
Vinatieri kicks it off into
the Texans End Zone (0) as Jerome Mathis returns for 29 yards to
their own 29 before Tim Jennings brings him down.
Texans Ball
at 2:34
Texans marched down the field
in 5 plays; one being a deep pass reception by Andre Davis for 41
yards to end the 3rd quarter at The Colts 1 yard line and a First Down.
The ball was actually caught
by Davis and Colts, Kelvin Hayden. They both had a hold of the ball,
yet NFL Ruling is that the ball goes to Offense.
FOURTH QUARTER
Texans Ball
continued
Freddy Keiaho and Gary
Brackett stopped Sam Gado on their first attempt into the End Zone,
however he successfully ran it in on the next play for the Touchdown.
Colts
27 Houston 17
Kris Brown kicks off to the
Colts 3 and T.J. Rushing made a tremendous run back for 47 yards to
the 50 yard line.
COLTS BALL
at 14:10
14:10 Peyton Manning connects
with Marvin Harrison for 14 yards to the Texans 36.
First Down
13:39 Kenton Keith rush to
the left for 4 yards before he loses the ball and luckily Reggie
Wayne was there to recover the fumble.
12:51 2nd and 6 and
Manning again hooks up with Marvin Harrison this time for 7 yards to
the Texans 25.
First Down
12:18 Joseph Addai
rushes to the right for a gain of 6 yards to the Texans 19.
11:35 2nd and
4 Again Manning connects with Harrison, this time for 3 yards
to the Texans 16.
10:52 3rd and 1 and
Manning throws incomplete as he went deep to Dallas Clark.
Colts take no chances and go
for the EZ 3 as Adam Vinatieri makes good on a 35 yard field goal attempt.
Colts
30 Houston 17
Adam Vinatieri kicks off
sending it into the Texans End Zone (-4) as Mathis returns it for 29
yards before being wrapped up by Rocky Boiman and Darrell Reid.
Allthough the penalty was
declined; again Officials called Offsides on the Colts Kickoff Team.
Texans Ball
at 10:33
Schaub moved his Texans
downfield with a bunch of short dumps. That's fine, Schaub, burn up
the clock! That's what they did as the time got down to a little over
7 minutes and it commenced to look like David Carr was back as Josh
Thomas nails Schaub for a loss of 5 yards AND produces a fumble. Too
bad it was recovered by Schaub.
06:50 with the ball on The
Colts 40 and its 2nd and a big 15 as Schaub connects with Jeb Putzier
for 11 yards to the Colts 29.
06:04 3rd and 4 and
Schaub is sacked again for a loss of 5 AND another fumble by Colts
Rookie defensive tackle, Keyunta Dawson. The ball was however
recovered by Texans Chester Pitts.
05:17 left in the game; 4th
and 9 and Texans are on The Colts 34 and Schaub passes to Andre Davis
for 9 yards to the Colts 25 and just enough for The First Down.
Texans are really determined
to make this a scoring drive as they reached The Colts 13 and making
another First Down on 2 plays.
03:35 left in the game
and Matt Schaub dumps one over the right to Owen Daniels for 12 yards
to the Colts 1 before he was brought down by Antoine Bethea.
Colts
call their 1st Timeout
at 02:53
1st and 10 on The Colts 1
yard line and Schaub finds Fullback Vonta Leach alone in the flat for
a 1 yard scoring catch.
Colts
30 Houston 24
Kris Brown kicks it off to
the Colts 18 and T.J. Rushing returns it for 9 yards to the Colts 27.
COLTS BALL
at 2:49
02:49 and I'll be damned if
Ryan Diem is flagged for 5 yards on a false start.
02:49 1st and 15 as Colts run
the ball as Addai rushes to his favorite side on the left for 6 yards
to the Colts 28.
Texans call their 2nd Timeout
at 02:41
2nd and 9 and Peyton and
Marvin pick up The First Down on a 12 yard reception.
Texans call their 3rd and
Final Timeout
at 02:28
Joseph Addai rush to (where?)
the left for 2 yards to the Colts 42.
Two-Minute Warning
2nd and 8 and The Colts keep
it on the ground as Addai rushes to THE LEFT for a gain of 3 yards to
The Colts 45.
01:16 3rd and 5 and again
Addai runs it to the left falling 1 yard short of The First Down. Damn!
Colts
call their 2nd Timeout
at 00:25
Hunter Smith punts it away
for 51 yards to Texans End Zone for a Touchback.
Texans Ball
at 0:19
Texans have no timeouts and
80 yards to go in 19 seconds.
Robert Mathis and Dwight
Freeney get to Matt Schaub on first down and sack him for a loss of
12 yards. Both are credited with half a sack.
Indianapolis Colts Dwight Freeney smiles
after he and Robert Mathis sacked Texans quarterback Matt Schaub (8)
in the final minute of their game.
(Matt Kryger / The Star)
Game over.
Second half effort by Texans
serves to slow Colts and Peyton Manning but falls way short of
rattling him
"You hate to say it,
but they're a team you almost have to play perfect to beat," Texans
defensive end Anthony Weaver said of the Colts. "That's one
finely tuned machine, and that's why they're the world champions."
Notes
The Colts are 3-0 for the
fourth time in the last five years, and they are 17-2 in September
under head coach Tony Dungy, including a 10-0 mark against AFC South
opponents in that month since he took over.
Quarterback Peyton Manning
completed 20-of-29 passes for 273 yards, with one touchdown and no interceptions.
Addai scored touchdowns on 2
and 8 yard runs. He finished with 72 yards on 22 carries.
Linebackers Rocky Boiman and
Gary Brackett intercepted passes for the Colts defense.
Colts receiver Marvin
Harrison had 53 yards on Sunday to move into fourth place all-time in
yards receiving with 13,920
Colts wide receiver Marvin
Harrison (88) is number 4 on the NFL's list for career receiving
yards after catching six passes for 53 yards Sunday at Houston. That
bumped his career total to 13,920 yards, moving him past Cris Carter
(13,899) into the No. 4 slot. James Lofton is No. 3, next for
Harrison, and within reach at 14,004 yards. The top two spots belong
to Jerry Rice (22,895) and Tim Brown (14,934).
Texans QB Matt Schaub
finished the game 27-33 with 236 yards, one touchdown and 2 INTs.
Brown has made his last 12
field goals, a Texans' record.
Indianapolis hosts Denver
Broncos next Sunday
* Did you know Indianapolis
is the only NFL team to earn seven playoff appearances in the last
eight seasons.
Indianapolis has won four
straight AFC South championships, the best divisional title streak in
franchise history. |
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