Texans clinch playoff berth by holding off Colts

Field Level Media|published: Sat 6th January, 23:39 2024

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) tosses the ball to Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary (26) on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, during a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. credits: Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

C.J. Stroud threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns Saturday night and the Houston Texans stopped the Indianapolis Colts on a late drive to secure a 23-19 win in Indianapolis and a spot in the AFC playoffs next weekend.

Devin Singletary's tie-breaking 3-yard run up the middle snapped a 17-17 tie with 6:20 left in the game. Houston (10-7) completed an improbable journey from the second overall pick in last year's draft to the postseason, thanks to Stroud and first-year coach DeMeco Ryans.

The Colts (9-8) drove to the Texans' 15-yard line on their final possession and faced 4th-and-1. After using a timeout, they opted for a pass play, but Tyler Goodson couldn't hold Gardner Minshew's throw in the left flat that probably would have gained first down yardage.

Stroud completed 20 of 26 passes.

The Texans could win the AFC South and earn a first-round home game next weekend if Jacksonville loses Sunday at Tennessee.

Minshew was 13 of 24 passing for 141 yards, while Jonathan Taylor piled up 188 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries. His 49-yard run and Minshew's two-point conversion pass to Mo Alie-Cox boosted Indianapolis into a 14-14 tie with 9:56 remaining in the third quarter.

But Taylor's heroics weren't enough to prevent the Colts from being eliminated from postseason consideration.

Each team scored on its first possession, though in drastically different ways. Indianapolis got the ball to start the game and methodically marched 56 yards, getting a 38-yard field goal from Matt Gay at the 9:15 mark.

Houston needed just one play to answer. Stroud hooked up with Nico Collins over the middle for a 75-yard touchdown, nine seconds after falling behind. That was the start of a huge night for Collins, who caught nine passes for 195 yards on nine targets.

The Texans made it 14-3 with 1:57 left in the half when Stroud flipped a 1-yard strike to Andrew Beck. However, the Colts cut the lead to 14-6 at the break when Gay bombed a 52-yard field goal with 35 seconds remaining.

—Field Level Media

Latest