Rivalry games are a must-watch.
Even down to the last second.
One final hurrah to pull off the upset, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richarson was strip-sacked by Danielle Hunter to help the Houston Texans secure a 23-20 victory at NRG Stadium.
The Texans (6-2) now improve to 3-0 in the division with the sweep over the Colts. Houston can also end the month of October at 4-1 if it beats the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football.
C.J. Stroud wasn’t at his best, but he managed to make up for his underwhelming outing in Week 7. After throwing for 86 yards against the Green Bay Packers, Stroud completed 25-of-37 pass attempts for 285 yards and a touchdown.
Joe Mixon remained the constant on the ground, totaling his fourth 100-yard rushing performance (102) in five games off 25 carries. He also tied the game at 10-10 with a 14-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Richardson, who finished 10-of-32 passing, found a spark to close out the first quarter with a 69-yard touchdown pass to Josh Downs. After that, he only finished one other drive with 70 yards.
Following the two-minute warning, Richardson missed a pass intended for Downs and was intercepted by Jalen Pitre. That set up a Tank Dell 7-yard touchdown reception to extend Houston’s lead by seven.
Houston never lost the lead, but it never pulled away. Richardson connected on a 25-yard pass to Downs to set up a 1-yard touchdown run from Jonathan Taylor.
On second-and-goal, Mixon fumbled at the 18-yard line. The ball was recovered by Colts defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo for a 78-yard touchdown return, but upon further review, Odeyingbo was ruled down by contact. Indianapolis punted three plays later.
Richardson found Trey Sermon for a pickup of 14 yards before rushing to the line to spike the ball with one-second remaining. The Texans’ pass rush missed on the first attempt but rebounded when Danielle Hunter closed the running lane and stripped the ball loose, which was later recovered by Will Anderson Jr.
Taylor, who’s been known for his ability to win on the ground against Houston, was held to 105 yards. Hunter finished with a team-leading two sacks.
Stefon Diggs finished with a team-leading five catches for 81 yards. Diggs left late in the third quarter with a non-contact knee injury and did not return.
Kickoff from MetLife Stadium on Thursday is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.
