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Watson passed for 298 yards with touchdowns of
35 and 30 yards to Hopkins, who finished with six catches for 94
yards for the Texans (7-4). Indianapolis (6-5) had won three
consecutive games in Houston including in the wild-card round to
eliminate the Texans last postseason.
The second Watson-to-Hopkins connection erased a 17-13 deficit
with 12:34 left in the fourth quarter. Houston trailed 17-10
early in the third before Watson completed a 51-yard pass to
Will Fuller that set up a 36-yard Ka'imi Fairbairn field goal
with 2:43 left in the quarter. Fuller had seven catches for 140
yards.
The Colts appeared primed for a season sweep of their division
rivals after mounting two touchdown drives that featured a
combined 17 rushing plays over 18 total snaps. Indianapolis'
dominance on the ground was exemplified by Jonathan Williams'
13-yard scoring run with 5:36 left in the third quarter, a play
in which Williams bulldozed Texans linebacker Benardrick
McKinney before sidestepping cornerback Johnathan Joseph and
dashing into the end zone.
Williams rushed for 104 yards on 26 carries while the Colts
totaled 175 rushing yards. But the Texans held Colts quarterback
Jacoby Brissett to 129 passing yards and saddled him with his
first loss against Houston in five career starts with the Colts
and New England Patriots.
Having mustered only 29 yards in the first quarter, the Colts
capitalized on a break early in the second when Jabaal Sheard
tipped a Watson pass intended for Fuller that Kenny Moore picked
off at the Houston 42-yard line. Seven plays, all on the ground,
later, Brissett scampered in for a 5-yard touchdown that
provided Indianapolis a 7-3 lead with 4:28 remaining in the
first half.
The interception was the first for Watson at NRG Stadium in 10
games.
The Texans responded quickly in reclaiming the lead, with Watson
and Hopkins connecting on their first scoring strike to cap a
seven-play, 75-yard drive.
Houston's 10-7 lead didn't last long, though, as the Colts
skillfully used their three timeouts while covering 58 yards
over 10 plays. Adam Vinatieri hit a 36-yard field goal as the
half expired as the teams entered the break deadlocked.
--Field Level Media
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