Colts edge Texans, now 8-0
INDIANAPOLIS – The Colts have no problems with close games – as long as they keep winning them.
Peyton Manning delivered a milestone performance, Joseph Addai produced a second straight winning score, and the Colts found a way to win when Houston’s Kris Brown missed a 42-yard field goal as time expired, keeping Indy’s winning streak intact with a 20-17 win.
“I think that’s the mark of a great football team,” center Jeff Saturday said, referring to the close calls. “We’ve won eight games so far, and we’re ahead in our division, which is really our main focus and goal.”
The implications of Sunday’s victory are monumental.
Indy is the fourth team in league history with 17 straight regular-season wins. New England did it twice – winning a record 21 straight from 2006-08 and 18 in a row from 2003-04. Chicago won 17 straight from 1933-34.
Next week, the Patriots come to town with a chance to prevent Indy from matching its original record.
A week after rallying the Colts with a fourth-quarter TD pass, Addai caught a touchdown pass, then ran 2 yards for the winning score with 7:11 to go.
Indy holds a commanding 3 1/2 -game lead in the AFC South over second-place Houston.
Jim Caldwell became the NFL’s first rookie coach to start 8-0 since Potsy Clark in 1931.
Colts 20, Texans 17
| Houston | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | — | 17 |
| Indianapolis | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | — | 20 |
Ind—Addai 7 pass from Manning (Stover kick)
Ind—FG Stover 22
Ind—FG Stover 37
Hou—FG K.Brown 56
Hou—Moats 1 pass from Schaub (K.Brown kick)
Hou—Slaton 1 run (K.Brown kick)
Ind—Addai 2 run (Stover kick)
| Hou | Ind | |
| First downs | 22 | 27 |
| Total Net Yards | 382 | 378 |
| Rushes-yards | 26-81 | 18-72 |
| Passing | 301 | 306 |
| Punt Returns | 0-0 | 2-8 |
| Kickoff Returns | 5-113 | 1-14 |
| Interceptions Ret. | 2-36 | 2-9 |
| Comp-Att-Int | 32-43-2 | 34-51-2 |
| Sacked-Yards Lost | 2-10 | 2-12 |
| Punts | 4-43.5 | 3-32.7 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 1-1 | 1-0 |
| Penalties-Yards | 13-103 | 4-40 |
| Time of Possession | 34:33 | 25:27 |
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Houston, Moats 16-38, Schaub 3-21, Slaton 6-17, Jones 1-5. Indianapolis, Addai 14-63, Clark 1-4, Simpson 2-3, Manning 1-2.
PASSING—Houston, Schaub 32-43-2-311. Indianapolis, Manning 34-50-1-318, Wayne 0-1-1-0.
RECEIVING—Houston, A.Johnson 10-103, Walter 5-67, Jones 4-67, Anderson 3-19, Moats 3-15, Slaton 3-12, Dreessen 2-15, Hill 1-9, Leach 1-4. Indianapolis, Clark 14-119, Wayne 8-64, Garcon 5-60, Addai 5-49, Collie 2-26.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—Houston, K.Brown 42 (WL).