The Indianapolis Colts entered Week 3 in a position no team ever wants to be in: Facing a 0-2 deficit and hosting a divisional rival. They were the best team for most of the game, but it ultimately came down to the wire.
Ultimately, the Colts hung on to take down the Texans 19-17 in a game that shouldn't have been as close as it was. The defense was almost perfect in the first half, but the offense wasted some opportunities to stay ahead of the chains.
It wasn't a perfect effort by any means, but we'll take it. Also, it came against one of the toughest defenses in the game, not to mention a divisional rival desperate for momentum. Without further ado, let's talk winners and losers from this much-needed win.
Winner and losers from the Indianapolis Colts' first win of the season
Winner: Josh Downs
Josh Downs is an extremely talented but mostly underutilized weapon. The Colts did a great job of turning to him early in this game, and it paid off with his best performance of the young season. Downs finished the game with five catches on 11 targets for 77 yards, often drawing the toughest defensive matchup but still managing to move the chains.
Loser: Sauce Gardner
The Colts are still waiting to see the best version of Sauce Gardner, and so far, they haven't gotten much from that polarizing trade. He's still a step behind on most plays, and he was called for an avoidable defensive pass interference in the end zone before the Texans' first score of the game. It's officially time to be concerned.
Winner: Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones looked like his best version early on in the game, and he made some big throws in the few moments he wasn't under duress. Unfortunately, he also showed shades of New York Giants Daniel Jones with a head-scratching interception to kill a scoring drive early in the second half. There's nothing to be worried about, though.
Loser: Jonathan Taylor
This one is a no-brainer, but it was still on full display on this one. The Colts couldn't get much going on the ground against the Texans' stout defensive front, and much of that had to do with the big-play threat not being on the field. Jonathan Taylor wasn't much of a factor, piling up just 68 rushing yards on 23 carries (3.0 YPC).
Winner: DeForest Buckner
There were legitimate reasons to be worried about DeForest Buckner entering the season. He was coming off a major injury, and not many players get better after their age-32 season. Buckner, however, was the best player on the field today, leading the team with 1.5 sacks to go along with seven total tackles (two solo). He's still pretty good.
Loser: Pass-rushing unit
Surprisingly, the Colts put more pressure on C.J. Stroud than usual, but all of their tackles came from the interior of the defensive line. Laiatu Latu missed most of the first half with a chest injury, and Arden Key did a solid job against the run, but the pass-rushing department still leaves plenty to be desired. Where's Jaylahn Tuimoloau?
Winner: Spencer Shrader
Spencer Shrader is the real deal. The guy seemed hurt early on in the game but walked it off and returned to knock down four of four field goals, including the 58-yard game-winner, and his lone PAT. He's got the range, the confidence, and — clearly — the toughness.
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