How Texans defense came up huge vs. Colts to take control of division
TEXANS ON TAP
27 October 2024
TEXANS ON TAP
C.J. Stroud threw for 285 yards and a touchdown and Joe Mixon ran for 102 yards with a score to help the Houston Texans to a 23-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
Stroud bounced back after he had a career-worst 86 yards passing in a loss to the Packers last week to allow the Texans (6-2) to extend their lead atop the AFC South.
Don't miss the video below as the crew from Texans on Tap reacts to the game live on YouTube!
Houston’s defense intercepted Anthony Richardson once and hurried and harassed him all game as the Texans swept their season series with Indianapolis (4-4) for just the second time in franchise history.
The Colts appeared to have taken the lead with about three minutes left when Mixon fumbled and it was recovered by defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo.
He jumped up after grabbing the fumble and rumbled 84 yards for what was first called a touchdown that made it 27-23. But the play was reviewed and the score was wiped away when he was ruled down by contact.
The Colts couldn’t move the ball after that and had to punt after Danielle Hunter sacked Richardson on third down.
Indianapolis got the ball again late, but Richardson was sacked by Hunter again and fumbled on the last play to end the game before he could attempt a desperation pass.
Richardson was 10 of 32 for 175 yards with a touchdown in his second game back after missing almost three full games with an injured right hip. He was sacked five times and hit another eight times.
Jonathan Taylor had 20 carries for 105 yards and a touchdown for the Colts in his return after missing the past three games with a sprained ankle.
The Texans led 17-10 at halftime and Ka’imi Fairbairn’s second field goal of the half pushed Houston’s lead to 23-13 early in the fourth quarter.
Richardson found Josh Downs for a 25-yard gain that was initially ruled a touchdown, but a review showed that he was down at the 1. Taylor scored two plays later to get the Colts within 23-20 with 8½ minutes left in the fourth.
The Texans, who were already playing without Nico Collins, lost Stefon Diggs to a non-contact knee injury in the third quarter. Diggs was running a route late in the third quarter and pulled up and grabbed at his right knee before falling to the ground.
He walked to the locker room under his own power and didn’t return. Diggs, who is in his first season in Houston after a trade from Buffalo, had five receptions for 81 yards before he was injured.
The game was tied at 3 when Richardson found Downs for a 69-yard touchdown that made it 10-3 late in the first quarter.
The Texans tied it again when Mixon scored on a 14-yard run, evading one defender before dragging cornerback Jaylon Jones into the end zone with him.
Jalen Pitre intercepted Richardson and returned it to the Indianapolis 7 near the end of the second quarter. Stroud found Tank Dell in the back of the end zone on the next play to put Houston on top 17-10.
Colts: S Trevor Denbow injured his knee in the first quarter and didn’t return.
Texans: LT Jarrett Patterson left in the second quarter with a concussion. … S Calen Bullock injured his shoulder in the third quarter.
Andre Johnson was presented with his Hall of Fame ring of excellence during a halftime ceremony. The receiver, who starred for Houston from 2003-14, became the first Texans to be inducted into the Pro Footbal Hall of Fame this summer.
“Me making the Hall of Fame wasn’t just about me, it was about this whole city,” Johnson told the crowd.
Colts: Visit Minnesota next Sunday.
Texans: Visit the Jets Thursday night.
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Jose Altuve hit a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning to move into second place on Houston's career hits list and the Astros beat the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Wednesday night to win their 12th straight series.
Jose Altuve DRVIES IN 2 ... and passes Jeff Bagwell for 2nd in career hits with the @astros#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/IcLVdy5iOn
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) July 3, 2025
Altuve went 2 for 5 and gave the Astros a 4-2 lead with his 2,315th career hit, moving him past Jeff Bagwell. Craig Biggio leads the franchise with 3,060 career hits.
Altuve spoke about his relationship with Bagwell, and more after the game.
Jose Altuve got a congratulatory text message postgame from Jeff Bagwell after passing him on the Astros’ all-time hits list. pic.twitter.com/KtKk28SZEt
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) July 3, 2025
Hunter Brown (9-3) allowed two runs on six hits in six innings. He struck out eight to join Lance McCullers Jr. as the only Astros pitchers to reach 500 in their first 86 appearances.
Bennett Sousa pitched the ninth for his third save.
Jake Meyers had a one-out double off Austin Gomber in the first and Altuve and Cam Smith followed with back-to-back singles for a 1-0 lead in the first.
Rookie Shay Whitcomb hit his first home run 451 feet to left-center field for a 2-0 lead in the second.
SHAY WHITCOMB! FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE HOMER! #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/zHfQUuIXnS
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 3, 2025
Cooper Hummel singled and Mauricio Dubón drew a walk off reliever Angel Chivilli (1-4) in the sixth. Altuve drove a two-out pitch from Jake Bird to center to score both. Smith followed with an RBI single for a 5-2 lead.
Cam makes it 5-2 Astros! #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/j4xMIaY62F
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 3, 2025
Thairo Estrada went 3 for 4 and singled and scored ahead of Mickey Moniak's 12th home run to tie it 2-2 in the Rockies' second.
Gomber allowed two runs on eight hits in five innings.
Houston has won three in a row and 16 of 21.
Brown struck out Hunter Goodman in the third for No. 500 and then fanned Jordan Beck swinging on a 99.8 mph fastball — his fastest this season — to end the inning.
The Rockies have lost all 14 series at home, dropping the first two games 13 times.
Astros LHP Brandon Walter (1-1, 3.34 ERA) starts Thursday's series finale opposite Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-9, 5.56).
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