The Indianapolis Colts survived a close one. They made it tougher on themselves than it needed to be, but ultimately, Shane Steichen's team finally snapped a nine-game losing streak dating back to last season.
The Colts got their first win of the year, a much-needed 19-17 triumph, sending the Houston Texans into a 0-3 deficit and buying the head coach and the general manager some time. It wasn't always pretty, but they still took care of business.
This team is probably better than its 1-2 record shows, but at the end of the day, that's the only number that matters. If it weren't for these four players, the narrative around this team would be a whole lot different right now.
4 players who helped the Indianapolis Colts the most in Week 3
DeForest Buckner
Father Time, who? DeForest Buckner might not be a spring chicken, but he can still hold his own like the best of them. He manhandled the Texans' shaky offensive line time and time again, shutting down all gaps for the running game while also getting to C.J. Stroud.
The 32-year-old finished the game with a team-high seven tackles to go along with 1.5 sacks. He was everywhere on defense, and that should put an end to all the laughable trade rumors that floated online this week.
Keenan Allen
Keenan Allen desperately needed this one. Signing him was starting to look like a glaring mistake, not only because of the off-field scandals but also because of his lack of production and uncharacteristic drops.
Allen finally found paydirt early on in the game, finishing the contest with six grabs on nine targets for 63 yards and one score. With Josh Downs handling most of the workload, he made the most of his opportunities.
Josh Downs
Josh Downs should be te the team's go-to guy in Alec Pierce's absence. One might even say that he should be their chain-mover even when Pierce is back, given his skill set and ability to operate in traffic. He certainly showed that against the Texans.
Downs is about to get paid big bucks, and this performance shows why. He manhandled his way through defenders, logging five receptions for 77 yards against one of the most physical secondaries in football.
Spencer Shrader
Once considered the odd man out in the Colts' kicker race, Spencer Shrader proved to be the right guy for the job once again in this one. Things looked bleak for him after hurting his groin before the game, but he was as sharp as always.
Shrader might need some ice tomorrow, but he toughened up to get on the field and knock down all four of his field goal attempts, including a 58-yarder to regain the lead late in the fourth quarter. He also aced his lone PAT.
Adetomiwa Adebawore
Adetomiwa Adebawore wreaked havoc in the interior to keep C.J. Stroud on his toes. Not only did he combine to register 1.5 sacks on the Texans' quarterback, but he also stalled one of the Texans' drives to force a punt with that hit.
He's steadily progressing and will make it extremely difficult for defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to keep him off the field after today's performance. Numbers aside, he looked like a better fit next to Buckner than Stewart.
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