|
 Johnson, who caught 64 touchdown passes over 12 seasons in Houston
before being released during the offseason, had scoring grabs of 4
and 2 yards from Matt Hasselbeck while finishing with six receptions
for 77 yards.
The Colts (3-2) won their third consecutive game and extended their
streak within the AFC South, where they last lost in Dec. 16, 2012,
at Houston.
Hasselbeck, who battled illness during the short week, completed 18
of 29 passes for 213 yards with no interceptions. Colts running back
Frank Gore added 98 yards on 22 carries, including a 3-yard
touchdown run early in the third quarter.
Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer, who entered midway through the
second quarter, engineered four scoring drives and threw for 312
yards and two touchdowns on 24-of-31 passing. However, his
interception with 1:45 to play, the second pick of the game for
Colts safety Mike Adams, sealed the loss.
Houston (1-4) also was undone by 13 penalties for 125 yards.
Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins finished with 11 catches for
169 yards.
Keyed by an interception from Adams that stalled a promising Texans
opening drive, the Colts discovered a quick rhythm and scored to
close three consecutive possessions to take a 13-0 lead.
Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett led Houston into the red zone before
Adams snagged a deflected pass intended for Adrian Foster and
returned it 38 yards. Five plays later, Adam Vinatieri nailed the
first of his two first-half field goals, a 48-yarder that gave the
Colts a 3-0 lead at the 6:28 mark.
[to top of second column] |
On their second possession, the Colts covered 60 yards in six plays,
with Johnson capping that march with a four-yard scoring grab, his
first career touchdown against Houston. It wasn't until Vinatieri
drilled a 42-yard field goal on the ensuing Colts possession that
the Texans mounted their comeback, with Hoyer entering midway
through the second quarter to lead a 12-play, 62-yard drive
culminating in a Nick Novak field goal.
Mallett departed with an injury midway through the second quarter.
Hoyer ensured that he would be the Texans' quarterback in the second
half with his 42-yard scoring pass to rookie Jaelen Strong on the
final snap of the second quarter, a Hail Mary that capped a
nine-play, 95-yard blitz over just 1:16 and cut the Colts lead to
13-10 at the intermission.
Texans running back Arian Foster left the game in the first half. He
was taken to the locker room to be tested for a head injury. When
trainers claimed Foster's helmet, he was visibly upset, spiking a
plastic Gatorade drink carrier near the Houston bench.
Foster returned to action in the third quarter, and he finished with
19 carries for 41 yards.
(Editing by Julian Linden)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
