Five Things Learned: Colts-Texans (2020, Week 15)

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» DOWN TO THE WIRE: While the Colts started off hot, leading 14-0 heading into the second quarter, Deshaun Watson wasn't going to be held down much longer. By halftime, the Texans had cut the Colts' lead to 14-10; the two teams traded field goals in the third quarter, and then Rodrigo Blankenship nailed another kick — a career-long 53-yarder — four plays into the fourth quarter to give the Colts a 20-13 lead. Watson stayed hot, however, leading the Texans on a 10-play, 80-yard drive, capped by a nine-yard touchdown pass to Keke Coutee to tie the game at 20 with 7:30 left in the fourth quarter. It was now up to Philip Rivers and the Colts' offense to put together one more huge drive to take control. Twelve plays, 75 yards and five minutes and 38 seconds later, they did just that, as Rivers found wide receiver Zach Pascal, who stretched out for the pylon for his second receiving score of the day, this time from five yards out, to give the lead back to the Colts, 27-20, with 1:53 left in the fourth quarter. There were two key plays before that Pascal TD. The Colts faced 4th and 1 from the Houston 36-yard line, and backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett came on for the sneak to move the chains. Two plays later, after an offensive pass interference penalty, Rivers, on 2nd and 20, chucked it deep down the middle of the field to a wide open T.Y. Hilton, who beat linebacker Tyrell Adams over the top for a 41-yard gain to the Houston 3-yard line. "There was one thought to just try to get back in field goal range, but I really was just trusting Philip, trusting T.Y. — 'Hey, let's take the shot if it's there. Let's see if we can get the coverage we want and get T.Y. isolated like we wanted to and if it's there, let's take it and if not let's work underneath, try to get some yards and get back in field goal range if that's what we have to do,'" Reich recalled of that huge play.


» DEFENSIVE HEROICS: The Colts have seen their defense step up time and time again in crucial situations throughout the 2020 season, and that's exactly what ended up panning out late in Sunday's game. After the touchdown pass to Zach Pascal gave the Colts their seven-point lead with 1:53 left, it was Watson's turn to try to lead a potential game-tying drive. He marched the Texans right down the field. The ballgame eventually came down to this: 4th and 5 from the Indy 15-yard line. Watson, lined up in the shotgun, took the snap and had a quick three-step drop before delivering a pass to the middle of the field to Keke Coutee, who made the catch just out of the reach of safety Khari Willis at the Indy 8. Coutee turned around and had the end zone in his sights. Safety Julian Blackmon was unable to bring the receiver down around the 5-yard line, but he slowed him down just enough to allow Darius Leonard to come charging in from behind and punch the ball out of his hand two yards shy of pay dirt. There was a mad scramble for the loose football, but ultimately it landed in Okereke's grasp for the touchback. Ballgame. "Every last series in practice we always talk about finish the practice because if you finish the practice, you finish the game," Leonard said. "I'll always say pressure does two things: bust pipes or make diamonds. I'm the type of guy that when it is time for pressure to be there, I want the pressure on me. I want to be the one to make the play and luckily today, I was in the right position to make the play."