Luck’s hard count pays dividends
Barking out a hard count late in the fourth quarter Sunday, Indianapolis quarterback Andrew
Luck managed to draw Texans outside linebacker Jadeveon
Clowney offside. Although the neutral-zone infraction in the final minutes wasn’t the deciding factor in the Texans’ 24-21 loss at NRG Stadium, the automatic first down effectively ended any hope of a game-tying or game-winning comeback for the AFC South leaders as their nine-game winning streak ended.
When the Pro Bowl player jumped on third-and-1, it set the stage for Luck to kneel down three times to end the game. Clowney declined interview requests after the game inside the Texans’ locker room.
“We were real close to calling a timeout because it didn’t look like they were going to jump,” Colts coach Frank Reich said. “I just got to credit Andrew and the way he handled it. First, he came out, broke the huddle like we were going to speed snap it. We didn’t.
“They held on. Sometime what you do is you do that and you hold and you try to get them to soften in and you snap it at the last second. He hung with it, and it eventually got him.”
Texans defensive end J.J. Watt had little to say about his teammate’s miscue.
“He jumped offsides,” Watt said. “I think we all saw the same thing. I don’t know what you want me to tell you.”
Backup QB Webb pitches in as WR
When Texans wide receiver DeAndre Carter suffered a concussion Sunday, it left the offense low on options.
It forced third quarterback and special-teams contributor Joe Webb into service as the slot receiver. The Texans already were playing without rookie starter Keke Coutee because of a hamstring injury.
Webb caught two passes for 13 yards on three targets
“I’m not going to say it’s difficult,” Webb said. “It’s an adjustment mentally in the game. Filling in for somebody based off injuries, it’s nothing new to me.”
Webb has played wide receiver before in the NFL.
The 6-4, 230-pounder entered Sunday’s game with eight career receptions for 61 yards.
“Joe is a guy who gives us a lot on special teams, some reps at receiver,” quarterback Deshaun
Watson said. “We’re asking Joe Webb to do a lot of things. At the end of the day, it’s part of the NFL. We were short at receiver. Joe stepped in, did a good job.”
This time, Luck withstands pressure
Creating pressure on Colts quarterback Andrew Luck spelled the difference between a win and a loss earlier this season for the Texans.
Luck was sacked a season-high four times in a 37-34 overtime defeat to the Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium in September.
On Sunday at NRG Stadium, Luck manufactured a 24-21 victory as he was sacked only twice and completed 27 of 41 passes for 399 yards and two touchdowns. He was hit five times.
In two games against the Texans this season, Luck passed for 863 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions.
“He’s a great player,” said Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, who sacked Luck once. “He obviously had a very strong game. Gets the ball out of his hands, quick in a lot of situations, can move around when he has to.
“Has a lot of good receivers, spreads the ball out, did a great job. Have to give him a lot of credit.”
Secondary stands pat despite Hilton’s speed
The Texans signed cornerback
Aaron Colvin to a four-year, $34 million contract in March that included $18 million guaranteed.
The former Jacksonville starter injured his ankle, though, in September. He has played in only seven games with two starts. One week after recording six tackles in a victory over Cleveland, Colvin wasn’t used much on defense in a 24-21 loss to Indianapolis. Although cornerback Shareece
Wright was struggling against speedy Colts wide receiver T.Y.
Hilton and other Indianapolis players, Colvin wasn’t inserted into the game.
“I think we try to just make decisions in the best interest of the team relative to him coming back from an injury, where we are with Shareece,” Texans coach Bill
O’Brien said. “Shareece has been playing well for us. Aaron has been helping us on special teams. We just try to play the guys we feel in the position where we feel like they can execute the best for us where they’re at right now.”
Foreman a scratch despite being back
Although he was activated this week from the reserve-physically unable to perform list, running back D’Onta Foreman wasn’t a part of the Texans’ game plan Sunday.
The former University of Texas All-American was a healthy scratch against the Colts as the Texans haven’t shaken up their depth chart of starter Lamar
Miller and backup Alfred Blue with his return.
This wasn’t a surprise, though, as coach Bill O’Brien has downplayed the impact of Foreman being available all season.
Foreman tore his Achilles tendon as a rookie last year.