INDIANAPOLIS — It all came down to Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium. Primetime, win and you're in—what players and coaches alike work for all year long. A win would give the Colts a playoff berth for the first time since 2020, and more importantly, re-establish a winning culture that's gotten away from a storied franchise.
In a year that expectations were low, the Colts burst onto the scene amid all kinds of distractions and adversity to blow away its predicted win count. Not only a playoff berth on the line, but a chance at a 10-win season under a first-year head coach and just three-and-a-half games with its shiny new rookie quarterback. With the nation watching, the Colts took the field in a pivotal moment for this new regime—what an opportunity.
Unfortunately, it began—and ended—quite poorly for the Colts.
The Colts with one inactive coming into the game. That would be defensive back Chris Lammons. Other than that, they were as healthy as they have been all season in the biggest game of the season.
Indianapolis got the ball first and drove 56 yards in 11 plays—only to come away with a Matt Gay 38-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead in the early going.
Lucas Oil Stadium was as loud as it's been all season as the Texans took the field. Immediately, though, they were silenced as C.J. Stroud delivered a strike to Nico Collins for a 75-yard touchdown on Houston's first play from scrimmage to lead 7-3.
Credit this Colts defense—it was far from perfect, but they responded and stopped the Texans on three consecutive possessions in the first half. However, the Indianapolis offense could not get going after the opening drive.
The Texans capitalized finally as they went eight plays for 57 yards in 4:27. Nico Collins took a swing pass 28 yards to get Houston within the 10. That was followed by a Stroud one-yard pass to Andrew Beck in the back of the end zone for a touchdown, giving the Texans a 14-3 lead with 1:57 to go in the half.
Indianapolis put together a solid drive to end the half, culminating in a Matt Gay 52-yard field goal. The Colts trailed 14-6 heading into the locker room.
That first half was far from perfect. The Colts got zero pressure on C.J. Stroud, struggled mightily in the defensive backfield, and had a nonexistent offense aside from Jonathan Taylor.
At the half, Gardner Minshew was a paltry 6-15 for 45 yards. Jonathan Taylor carried the load offensively with 13 carries for 81 yards. In contrast, C.J. Stroud was 10-13 for 151 yards and two touchdowns, while Nico Collins caught five passes for 129 yards and the long touchdown.
The second half brought a new energy to the game, courtesy of Lucas Oil Stadium. Aided by the Colts finally getting home and sacking Stroud. DeForest Buckner broke through and forced a Texans punt to start the half.
Then, it finally came. Indianapolis waited, and waited, and waited all year long for it—Jonathan Taylor breaking the long run. After a 23-yard connection from Minshew to Kylen Granson, Taylor took it the distance. A 49-yard touchdown run sent the roof off of the place. A two-point conversion from Minshew to Mo Alie-Cox was good, and this ball game was tied at 14 a piece. New life, a new energy, a new feel to this game as a result. Lucas Oil Stadium was as loud as it's been in a decade.
After forcing a three-and-out on the ensuing possession, the Colts drove it well again behind the performance of Taylor. Stopped at midfield, Matt Gay's 57-yard field goal attempt doinked off of the right upright, and we remained tied at 14.
On the following possession, Ka'imi Fairbairn drilled a 51-yard field goal to give the Texans a 17-14 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
At the beginning of the fourth, Jonathan Taylor walked to the Colts locker room with an apparent heel injury. Matt Gay proceeded to tie the game back up at 17 a piece, courtesy of a 35-yard field goal with 13:33 remaining in the game.
The following drive from the Texans and C.J. Stroud was special. Battling back from a Ronnie Harrison Jr. sack for a loss of 10 yards, as well as a holding call setting them back. However, Stroud delivered. A 12-play, 73-yard drive, taking 7:13 off the clock, was capped off by a Devin Singletary three-yard touchdown run to give the Texans the lead. After the PAT was missed, the Colts trailed 23-17 with 6:20 remaining.
Jonathan Taylor was ruled as doubtful to return with an ankle/heel injury; he in fact did return for what turned out to be the final drive of the game. The Colts ran it effectively and were in position to score the game-winning touchdown with a minute to play. This was the moment of the game.
It was 4th and 1 at the Houston 15 with 1:06 remaining in the game. Gardner Minshew dropped back and threw it to Tyler Goodson in the flat. The throw was behind Goodson, but it hit him in the hands—alas, it was dropped and fell incomplete. A stunning turn of events. The Texans then drained the clock, took a safety, and iced the game for a final of 23-19.
The Colts playoff hopes were dashed in an instant. The final play was called into question by many—wondering why Jonathan Taylor, who rushed the ball 30 times for 188 yards and a touchdown, wasn't given the ball in such a pivotal situation. A number of Colts, including head coach Shane Steichen, responded after the game.
"The play we had up, we had to look for it. It was man-to-man coverage and just it didn't work out. Obviously, we called time out there. It was fourth-and-one, we saw the front they were in, and we liked the look for that play in that situation," Steichen said. "Felt good about (Tyler) Goodson in that situation. He’s a pass catcher for us in the backfield, and it is what it is. Yeah, we would have had him (Jonathan Taylor) in there for something, but we could have done something. Obviously if it doesn't work, you're going to second-guess it. I understand that. That's part of the business.”
"Kind of a pick play for Goody (Tyler Goodson). Shoot, I mean, think it's just a tough play, man. There's about a million of those, what ifs in that game. Wish I had put a better ball under him. Given us a better chance. Yeah, it's a hard one to get over," Gardner Minshew said. “I thought it was a great call, perfect look. I throw it to Goody (Tyler Goodson) a million times over. Like, you know, it's just one of those plays. I'm equally as responsible for that not working as he is. We all have plays we wish we could have back. Just because it's the last one, doesn't really make it that much more significant."
"That will never happen again," Tyler Goodson remarked after the game. "I work too hard to just drop the ball like that. I have to accept that on the chin. The ball touched my hands. Next year, I won't be in that position ever again."
"We have to execute," Jonathan Taylor said. "That was the play we called, and I stand by the coaches. You've seen what Shane (Steichen) has done all year."
It was a bitter end to what was a remarkable season for the Colts. Not to take away from a heartbreaking finish, because the Colts should feel this—they should let it hurt—but it was a season that without question exceeded expectations and was encapsulating until the final whistle.
"I think just the resilience that these guys had. Sitting at 3-5, bouncing back and winning four in a row and putting ourselves in a position to get in the playoffs today was huge," Steichen said. "I always say this – this league is all about the players. I credit a lot to those guys, the work they put in, the time they put in. Everything they do to get ready, their minds, their bodies to get ready to go play a 17-week season is unbelievable what they do. So, hats off to those guys in the locker room for fighting like crazy this year.”
"I couldn't be just more grateful for the opportunity," Minshew said. "You know, first, with Shane (Steichen), the faith to bring me here and to give me a chance, and the team kind of rallying around me. Like I couldn't be more grateful for this year and the guys in that locker room. It doesn't feel right that it ends this way, you know, but man, just really happy to be part of this group.”
"Coming in, nobody had any expectations for us. Nobody thought we would be worth a damn—especially when Anthony (Richardson) went down," Zaire Franklin said. "The addition of Shane (Steichen) was a big deal. At the end of the day, I was proud of what we were able to put out this season, but it feels so unfinished."
"From the day Shane (Steichen) got here, he wanted us to compete and wanted us to be ourselves. We built an incredible staff around him to empower us to go play, and it's one we love to go play for," Ryan Kelly said. "We're playing for each other. That's what it comes down to. If you look at where we were a year ago to now, we're a much different team than we were a year ago."
The Colts finish 9-8 in Steichen's first year at the helm. Now, the attention turns to the contract situations of Michael Pittman Jr., Kenny Moore, and Grover Stewart, among others. Certainly a lot to look forward to with this Colts franchise, even though this season ended in disappointment—a disappointment many didn't think possible back in August. That, in and of itself, is cause for optimism.
