HOUSTON – Determined to bounce back from an embarrassing loss, the Houston Texans used big performances from Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins and solid defense to beat the Indianapolis Colts and move into first place in the AFC South.
Watson threw two touchdown passes to Hopkins and finished with 298 yards to help the Texans to the 20-17 division win Thursday night.
The Texans (7-4), who were routed 41-7 by the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday, trailed the Colts by four points early in the fourth quarter when Hopkins got in front of Pierre Desir and stretched out to haul in a 30-yard touchdown reception. The Texans got things going on that drive with a 33-yard run by Carlos Hyde.
“It was a good team win,” coach Bill O’Brien said. “Guys came in here on Monday to turn the page and were very focused this week and it showed up on the field.”
Houston’s defense stepped up after the touchdown by Hopkins, forcing a punt on the next drive before stopping the Colts (6-5) on fourth-and-7 with three minutes left. Jacoby Brissett threw for just 129 yards, and the quarterback came up a yard shy of a first down on the Colts’ fourth-down attempt late in the fourth quarter.