Horseshoe Huddle

Colts Stars Gave Critical Performances in Loss to Texans | Crunching Numbers

The Indianapolis Colts lost a close one to the Houston Texans, 23-20, but a few of their stars showed up big-time.

Jake Arthur

Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) rushes for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) rushes for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
In this story:

The Indianapolis Colts (4-4) lost a hard-fought battle to the AFC South division rival Houston Texans (6-2) on Sunday, 23-20.

Despite it being only a three-point loss, the noise surrounding the play of quarterback Anthony Richardson and decision-making of head coach Shane Steichen has it feeling like an even more consequential outcome.

However, the deep dives into what went wrong and what still needs to be fixed are coming and are not intended for this piece. There are some gems to unearth throughout this game and some kudos to dole out for milestones reached.

The following achievements by the Colts were provided postgame by Colts Communications.

STATISTICAL LEADERS

  • Passing: QB Anthony Richardson | 175 yards
  • Rushing: RB Jonathan Taylor | 105 yards
  • Receiving: WR Josh Downs | 109 yards
  • Tackles: LB Zaire Franklin | 11
  • Sacks: DT DeForest Buckner, DE Dayo Odeyingbo | 1.0
  • Takeaways: DE Dayo Odeyingbo | 1 fumble recovery
  • Kicking: K Matt Gay | 2-of-2 field goals (100%) and 2-of-2 extra points (100%)
  • Punting: P Rigoberto Sanchez | 6 punts, 47.2-yard average
  • Returns: Ashton Dulin | 1 kickoff return, 55.0-yard avg.; Josh Downs | 2 punt returns, 6.0-yard avg.

OFFENSE

  • Jonathan Taylor's 105 rushing yards and Josh Downs' 109 receiving yards gave the Colts a 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver in the same game for the first time since Week 1 of 2022 (Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr.), again at the Texans.

Quarterback Anthony Richardson was 10-of-32 passing (31.3%) for 175 yards (5.5 YPA), 1 touchdown, 1 interception, and a passer rating of 48.3, as well as 6 carries for 45 yards (7.5 avg.).

  • His 69-yard touchdown pass to Josh Downs was a career-long throw.

Running back Jonathan Taylor ran the ball 20 times for 105 yards (5.3 avg.) and 1 touchdown.

  • He passed Lenny Moore (6,040) for the fourth-most yards from scrimmage by a Colts player in their first five seasons.
  • Taylor's four consecutive games with 100-plus scrimmage yards is the longest active streak in the NFL.

Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. caught 1-of-6 targets for 16 yards (16.0 avg.).

  • He tied Dallas Clark (70) for the fifth-longest streak of consecutive games with a reception in franchise history.
  • Pittman reached 4,000 career receiving yards, joining T.Y. Hilton, Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, and Bill Brooks as the only players in franchise history to reach the mark in their first five seasons.

Wide receiver Josh Downs caught 4-of-9 targets for 109 yards (27.3 avg.) and 1 touchdown.

  • His 69-yard touchdown reception was a career-long reception.

What happens next for the Colts? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!

DEFENSE

  • Kenny Moore II, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Grover Stewart each had at least 2 tackles for loss, marking the first time three Colts have done so in the same game since Week 8 of 2020 at the Detroit Lions (Denico Autry, Tyquan Lewis, and Bobby Okereke).

Defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo had 4 tackles (3 for loss), 1.0 sack, 3 QB hits, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovered.

  • His 3 tackles for loss tie his single-game career high.

Linebacker Zaire Franklin had 11 tackles (1 for loss).

  • He tied Shaquille Leonard (27) for the most 10-plus tackle games in franchise history.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Linebacker Segun Olubi had 2 tackles.

  • His 2 special teams stops tied his single-game career high.

Wide receiver Ashton Dulin had 1 tackle, and 1 kickoff return for 55 yards.

  • His kickoff return was a career-long and the longest for the team this season.

Need your fill on daily Colts' content? Head over to the Locked On Colts' YouTube channel where Jake Arthur and Zach Hicks hit on all the major topics surrounding this team. Hit that subscribe button while you are there!

Become a Locked On Colts insider! Ask your burning questions and get prompt answers from someone who's around the team every day! Get special access from the locker room, practice field, and press box!

Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and X, and subscribe on YouTube for multiple Colts live-stream podcasts per week.

Published
Jake Arthur
JAKE ARTHUR

Jake Arthur has covered the NFL and the Indianapolis Colts for a decade. He is a member of the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) and FantasyPros' expert panel. He has also contributed to multiple NFL Draft guides.

Home/News