Colts Let One Slip: Missed Chances, Costly Drops, and a Painful Home Loss to Houston
Coming into Week 13, the Indianapolis Colts had a perfect home record, a firm grip on an AFC playoff spot, and a golden opportunity to create some breathing room in a crowded postseason race. But by the time the final whistle blew at Lucas Oil Stadium, all they had was a 20-16 loss that felt as frustrating as it was avoidable.
This wasn’t just a loss-it was a lesson in how quickly things can unravel when a team fails to capitalize on its chances. The Colts had control early.
They had momentum. They had opportunities.
But what they didn’t have was execution when it mattered most. And against a surging Texans team led by the returning C.J.
Stroud, that margin for error was razor-thin.
The Moment That Changed the Math
Let’s start with a play that rarely gets top billing: a missed extra point. Michael Badgley’s PAT attempt after Alec Pierce’s touchdown in the first half hooked wide, and at the time, it felt like a minor hiccup. But as the game wore on and the Colts’ offense sputtered, that single point loomed larger and larger.
Fast forward to the fourth quarter. Down four instead of three, the Colts drove into Houston territory.
They reached the Texans’ 31-yard line-prime field goal range. But because of that earlier miss, a tying field goal wasn’t an option.
They had to go for it on fourth down. The attempt failed.
Game over.
Badgley’s been steady most of the year, but this one miss came at the worst possible time. And in a game decided by inches, it turned out to be a defining moment.
Run Game Stalls Against Stacked Box
Jonathan Taylor fought for every inch, finishing with 85 yards on 21 carries. On paper, that’s solid production.
But the Texans clearly made the decision to load the box and dare Indianapolis to win through the air. And the Colts couldn’t make them pay for it.
Taylor averaged 4.0 yards per carry-not bad, but not game-breaking either. Houston’s defense kept the Colts behind the chains, creating long down-and-distance situations that neutralized Taylor’s impact and put the pressure squarely on the passing game. The run game didn’t lose this one, but it didn’t tilt the field either.
Drops That Changed the Game
Daniel Jones deserves credit for gutting it out through a leg injury and keeping the Colts in it until the final drive. He delivered a late touchdown to Tyler Warren that gave the team a chance. But when the Colts needed their receivers most, the hands just weren’t there.
Josh Downs and Michael Pittman Jr.-two of Indy’s most reliable targets-each had key drops in the fourth quarter. These weren’t tough, contested catches.
These were catchable balls in critical moments. And they killed drives.
Earlier, the Colts had already failed on a fourth-and-one in the red zone. Add it all up, and you get a passing game that just didn’t execute when the pressure cranked up.
Head coach Shane Steichen said it best postgame: “It’s three or four plays when you lose the tight ones.” And the Colts lost every one of them.
Losing Gardner Changed the Defensive Equation
The officiating will get plenty of attention, especially the late pass interference call on Kenny Moore II that extended a Texans drive and led to a touchdown. But before pointing fingers at the refs, it’s important to acknowledge the impact of losing Sauce Gardner early in the game.
Gardner’s injury took away the Colts’ top corner and opened the door for Houston to attack the secondary in ways they couldn’t have otherwise. Stroud didn’t waste any time. He adjusted, found favorable matchups, and led the go-ahead scoring drive that ultimately proved decisive.
The Colts’ defense battled, but without Gardner locking down one side of the field, Houston found just enough daylight.
A Painful Reality Check
This loss doesn’t derail the Colts’ season. At 8-4, they’re still firmly in the playoff mix.
But this one stings because it was there for the taking. A missed PAT.
A few dropped passes. A failed fourth down.
A questionable flag. It wasn’t one thing-it was everything.
In December, with playoff positioning on the line, the margin for error shrinks. And in Week 13, the Colts found out the hard way that even the smallest missteps can have the biggest consequences.
They’re still in the hunt. But if they want to be more than just a playoff team-if they want to be a serious contender-they’ll need to clean up the details. Because in games like this, the details decide everything.