How Texans defense came up huge vs. Colts to take control of division

TEXANS ON TAP

How Texans defense came up huge vs. Colts to take control of division
Texans defeat the Colts, 23-20. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images.

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.

Injuries

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.

Honoring Andre

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.

Up next

Colts: Visit Minnesota next Sunday.

Texans: Visit the Jets Thursday night.

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Fans of Houston sports and Houston food can now score tickets to The Tailgate, CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. The event, presented by Verizon, goes down from 6-9 pm November 11 at 8th Wonder. Find out more about it here.

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The A's beat the Astros, 15-3. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

Nick Kurtz became the first major league rookie to hit four homers in a game, leading the Athletics to a 15-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night.

Kurtz went 6-for-6 with eight RBIs and six runs scored. He’s just the second player in Major League Baseball history to have four homers in a six-hit game, joining Shawn Green of the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 23, 2002 at Milwaukee, and he matched Green’s MLB record with 19 total bases.

It was the first six-hit game for the Athletics since Joe DeMaestri on July 8, 1955 at Detroit.

The 22-year-old also had a single and a double that hit just below the yellow line over the visitor’s bullpen in the fourth inning.

Kurtz singled in the first and his two-run homer in the second put the Athletics ahead 5-0. His solo shot in the sixth made it 10-2. His third homer was his longest, a 414-foot drive into the second deck in the eighth.

Kurtz’s final homer came against outfielder Cooper Hummel, a three-run, opposite-field line drive to the Crawford boxes in left field that made it 15-2.

Kurtz extended his hitting streak to 12 games and his 23 home runs are the most for an A’s rookie since Yoenis Céspedes in 2012 and fourth most in franchise history.

Tyler Soderstrom and Shea Langeliers also homered for the A’s, who had a season high in runs.

Jeffrey Springs (9-7) allowed two runs over six innings. Zack Short hit a two-run homer for Houston in the fifth.

Ryan Gusto (6-4) allowed eight runs on eight hits over 3 1/3 innings.

Key moment

Hummel had allowed one run and retired two batters in the ninth when Kurtz hit a 77 mph, 2-0 pitch for his fourth homer.

Key stat

Kurtz is batting .553 (26 for 47) with nine homers and 20 RBIs during his 12-game hitting streak.

Up next

Houston RHP Hunter Brown (9-4 2.57 ERA) opposes LHP Jacob Lopez (3-6 4.60 ERA) when the series continues Saturday.

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