The Houston Texans couldn't snap their winless streak in Indianapolis, falling 17-10 to the Colts.
The Texans were within one score for the entire game, despite losing starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick early in the second quarter. Fitzpatrick suffered a leg injury on a two-yard scramble early in the second quarter and was carted off the field. He finished the day, completing 3-of-6 passes for 30 yards.
"I felt for him because he knew right away that his leg was injured, and I felt bad for him," head coach Bill O'Brien said after the game. "He put a lot in for this week, but at the end of the day, I just told this team that I was very proud of them. I thought they fought. We had a good week of practice. We came in here and we fought and we competed and we gave ourselves a chance to win the game. In the last two minutes, we just didn't get it done."
Tom Savage took over for the rest of the game, completing 10-of-19 for 127 yards and one interception. Arian Foster had 117 yards from scrimmage, rushing for 99 yards on 26 carries.
DeAndre Hopkins led the receiving corps with five catches for 77 yards. The Texans offense was without Andre Johnson, ruled out after not clearing the league's concussion protocol.
Houston's defense forced two turnovers and scored the lone touchdown of the day. The Texans held Luck and the Colts to just three points in the second half. Watt had two sacks for a loss of 19 yards, six tackles, and one pass defensed.
"All of our guys, we fought hard," Watt said. "We got our third-string rookie quarterback in there getting thrown into the fire for the first time in a tough environment on the road. I think the way that everybody fought, the way that everybody pulled it together, I thought we did a good job of that. There are no moral victories in the NFL. It hurts regardless. It doesn't matter who the heck was out there. We just need to find a way to win a game and we didn't."
Andrew Luck was 18-of-34 for 187 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. T.Y. Hilton had four catches for 50 yards but left late in the game with a hamstring injury.
The Texans defense scored its fifth touchdown of the season, on a first-quarter pick six. Kendrick Lewis intercepted Luck returned it 27 yards to give Houston an early 7-0 lead.
"I got a good read on him," Lewis said. "He was eyeing down T.Y. (Hilton). He was trying to get him started and get him the ball. I was able to make a jump on it. From there, I just thought, 'Get into the end zone.'"
Luck, scoreless through the first quarter, threw two touchdowns passes in the second quarter. Hakeem Nicks and Dwayne Allen both scored as the Colts took a 14-7 lead.
Savage struggled early but led the Texans on a fourth quarter scoring drive, headlined by a 30-yard completion to DeVier Posey. Randy Bullock kicked a 53-yard field goal to cap a ten-play, 54-yard drive.
The Texans defense forced a Colts field goal to remain within one score in the fourth quarter. Kareem Jackson and John Simon, in his first Texans start, stopped Luck on third-and-six for a loss of five yards. Viniateri's 29-yard kick gave the Texans a 17-10 lead with 2:11 left in the game.
Savage's final drive of the game ended in an interception on fourth-and-three. Savage's pass, intended for Hopkins, was picked off by Vontae Davis. The Colts clinched the AFC South with the win while the Houston dropped to 7-7 on the season.
"Obviously, the first couple drives, some things happened, but I think that it slowed down," Savage said. "We lost and that's the only thing and I think the defense did a really good job of keeping us in it and shoot, if we don't have that turnover, we're probably still in it."
The Texans return to Houston for the final two games of the season and will face the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16.
