They gave it away Sunday. And not just any Houston team.
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Should the Colts make the postseason Chuck Pagano isn’t even sure when they will have quarterback Andrew Luck back. Again. On four consecutive possessions in the first half, they had unbelievable field position, starting three drives in Houston territory, launching the fourth from their own 47. The offense didn’t score in the second half. Luck has a lacerated kidney and has not been cleared to play in a game.
-Pass-rushing linebacker Justin Houston won’t play for the Kansas City Chiefs in the final two games of the regular season because of a hyperextended knee.
Nick Novak added his second field goal, from 32 yards out, with 1:56 left. The offensive line and pass rush, which were obvious weaknesses from last year’s team, must be addressed in 2016 far better than what Grigson did. It was a tough day. The Colts drove the ball easily, though only managed one touchdown and a field goal. But Hasselbeck couldn’t get anything going in the second half and Indy lost its third straight after Hasselbeck misread a deep route from Donte Moncrief and threw an interception on the first play of the Colts’ final series.
It Hasselbeck’s tank isn’t empty, he’s running on fumes. He’s won games for us when everyone counted him out. “It wasn’t too big for him, so I’m proud of him”. “This opportunity was right there, right there”. It was Weeden’s first game for the Texans this season.
Texans cornerbacks Johnathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson are as close as brothers.
“Obviously, we had a great opportunity and didn’t take advantage”, Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano said.
“I got sick of hearing about (the losing streak)”. Frank Gore was the leading rusher with 44 yards on 16 carries. With another 1,000 yards he joins some pretty good company.
Indianapolis Colts’ Adam Vinatieri (4) is congratulated by Andy Studebaker (59) after kicking a 29-yard field goal during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015, in Indianapolis.
Houston’s lone touchdown drive was kept alive by the narrowest of margins, as Alfred Blue’s fourth-and-one run converted the first down by no more than an inch. Finished with five punts I think in the second half and two turnovers, it’s just not good enough.
However, Houston is used to the Next Man Up mentality.
Hasselbeck was 17 of 30 with 147 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and needed help from Charlie Whitehurst to finish the game. Though he went through individual drills in practice Wednesday and Thursday, he didn’t practice at all on Friday.
But credit goes to the coaching staff for making the adjustments at halftime.
“I’m just going to give them what I got”, he said. “You know, “woulda, coulda, shoulda” kind of situations, but (we) didn’t do it”. The two biggest of those missed opportunities? “He just gets back up”. Typically, if a guy goes down, you don’t see him the rest of the game.
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More medical matters: Along with Whalen and Hasselbeck (jaw/back), safety Winston Guy was forced from the game with a hamstring injury and rookie receiver Phillip Dorsett with an ankle injury.
