Colts season saved by Deshaun Watson fumble on potential game-winning drive

The Colts defeated the Texans in what should have been a loss.

The Indianapolis Colts were getting a gift from the Cleveland Browns. They were pummeling the Tennessee Titans and took a 38-7 lead into the half. That made Indy’s job all the more easier. Just keep the lead against the Houston Texans and you’re back tied for the lead in the AFC South.

Not so fast! Indy’s offense was unable to get anything done in the second half, and instead of opting for a chip-shot field goal to make it a 27-20 game, Frank Reich and the coaching staff decided to go for it on 4th and 1 in the middle of the fourth quarter. Nyheim Hines was stuffed behind the line of scrimmage and the Texans took over.

But wait! A safety from the Colts defense on a sack of Deshaun Watson made it a 26-20 game moments later. That should do it, right? Nah. The Texans defense held strong, for some reason Indy kept giving Jordan Wilkins carries even though he looked awful all day, and the offense kept committing penalties at the exact wrong time.

So it came down to the last possession. Texans ball on their own 20 with 2:43 remaining. It took them barely over a minute to get to the Colts’ one-yard line, and then this happened:

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1335693373802336256?s=20

And with that, the Colts are 8-4, the Titans are 8-4, and the Texans season is likely over at 4-8. Indy got the bounce it needed after getting crushed last week against Tennessee, which was huge because the team’s next three opponents will be the Raiders, Steelers and Texans again. The Colts’ season is saved in a sense. Now it won’t be as big as an uphill battle that it could have been if the Texans had won.

While everything was looking up in the first half on the offensive side of the ball, the defense outscored the offense in the second half with a safety. That’s all it took. Luckily, the defense was able to force two turnovers and keep Watson at bay after a 20-point first half from the Texans.

Punt, interception, punt, safety, fumble was how it went for Houston.

Nobody’s going to complain with an 8-4 record, but we watch the Colts every week and know what they’re capable of. The coaching staff needs to find a way to get both the offense and defense playing consistently as best they can, because it’s a roller coaster every week. It’s either the offense is moving and the defense is bleeding or the offense is stagnant and the defense is stout.

Let’s get everything to work in unison for one week. Please?

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