Official Texans vs. Colts Game Thread, 9/11/2022

[Keith]

At the half, Texans 10 - Colts 3

Mills 10/17 98 1 TD (completed passes to 8 different receivers)

Burkhead 7-30
Pierce 5-16

Cooks 3-20
Howard 1-16, 1 TD

Hughes 2 Tkl, 1.0 Sack, 1 FF, 1 INT
Grugier-Hill 8 Tkl, 1 TFL

Fairbairn 45-yrd FG

[Keith]

Texans 20, Colts 20 - Final OT

Led 20-3 to start the fourth quarter, and led 20-6 with less than 11 minutes to play, the Texans kinda blew a neat opportunity to make a statement. Still, they defied (Vegas) odds and snuck away with a tie after an overtime in which the Colts kicker missed a 42-yd field goal attempt for the win.

With the ball and overtime nearly expired, the Texan opted to punt on a 4th-and 3 at the Indy 49 with 0:26 to play. So much for "you play to win the game". Honestly though, Lovie Smith saw what we all saw of the offense, anemia.

Thanks to losses from the Titans and Jaguars, the Texans and Colts at 0-0-1 are tied atop the AFC South.

Mills 23-37 240, 2-0, 98.9 QBR

Burkhead 14-40 (2.9), 5-30 and thoroughly unterrifying to NFL defenses
Pierce 11-33, 1-6

Cooks 7-82-0
Howard 2-38-2
Moore 3-31
Collins 2-26

Hughes 3 Tkl, 2 Sk, 1 INT, 1 FF
Grugier-Hill 14 Tkl

For the Colts:
Ryan 32-50 352 1-1, 83.1 QBR

Taylor 31-161-1, 4-14

Pittman 9-121-1


Up next is a trip to Denver. The Broncos will be coming off a short week as they start their season Monday night in Seattle.

[nunusguy]

Sure it would have been much nicer to hold that lead into the second half, and to the end of the game and win the opener vs a valid P/O contender but all in all it wasn't a bad start for the Texans on the long-haul to rebuild the team.

[Arky]

Dang, they had 'em and let it slip away.

I'm seeing a lot made of Lovie's 4th and 3 decision but one thing that is not mentioned is by punting, he gave the Colts virtually no chance to win (of course, neither could the Texans). I suppose at this point in the season, it's a defendable position. The defense was gassed and the OL looked spent, too.

[Arky]

My cell has trouble with multiple paragraphs.

(Cont.)

I placed a very large bet (for me) on the Texans going over 4 1/2 season wins and this would have been a sweet one to get.

If the Broncos play the way they did tonight and the Texans play the way they did on Sunday, the Texans have a shot at winning next Sunday.