Indianapolis Colts avenge their Week 1 loss to the Houston Texans
After losing their season opener 34-24 to the Houston Texans, the Indianapolis Colts were looking for revenge when the two teams met on Monday, 1 November, for the second time this season. The Colts got
the result they were looking for, coming away with a 30-17 win.
How it happened
The Texans left themselves with a hill to climb after the first half saw them trailing 17-3. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning had connected with tight end Jacob Tamme in the first quarter on a two-yard
touchdown pass which capped off a seven-play, 78-yard drive.
Cornerback Kelvin Hayden also intercepted Texans quarterback Matt Schaub in the second quarter and ran the ball back 25 yards for the Colts second touchdown of the half.
The game might have seen out of reach when the Colts went up 24-3 after Manning connected with Reggie Wayne for a touchdown on the Colts' first possession of the second half, but the Texans answered right
back. Schaub found receiver Andre Johnson with a 28-yard pass which began to breathe some life into the Texans.
Texans running back Arian Foster, who had a breakout performance in the teams' first meeting on week one with 231 yards, didn't match his previous performance but was nonetheless effective running the
ball. Foster ran for 102 yards on 15 carries and scored the Texans second touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter on a six-yard run which capped off an 86-yard drive.
What they're saying
Despite a strong second half the Texans couldn't mount an effective enough comeback and eventually came up short. Schaub spoke out about being down early by saying, "In the first half, we didn't do a thing.
We dug ourselves a hole. It's a hole you don't want to be in to any team in this league, especially with this team and the defense they have."
Texans receiver, Johnson, who injured his ankle on his touchdown catch, chalked up the team's loss to having made too many miscues and mental errors. "It was a collective effort of mishaps," Johnson said.
"Everybody was taking turns making mistakes. We had mental lapses, when you have those things, you're not going to win."
What it all means
After the Tennessee Titans' loss to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, first place in the AFC South was up for grabs in this game and the Colts claimed it. The win was their third in a row as they improved
to 5-2 and now get set to take on the Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday, 7 November.
The Texans (4-3) are now in a tight spot needing a win if they hope to keep pace in one of the NFL's most competitive divisions. They host the Chargers this coming Sunday.
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