Knee-jerk reactions: The Colts' late-game heroics fell short in their 23-20 loss to the Texans

After a 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts are now 4-4 in the 2024 season. Sunday's loss is less than ideal for an Indianapolis team hoping to win its first division title in a year decade to win. The Colts now look ahead to their primetime matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Colts' inconsistent offense shows STIFLES has a potential comeback

The Colts offense had some issues Sunday afternoon. Whether it was inconsistent throws from quarterback Anthony Richardson or simple drops from Indy's wide receivers, their offense struggled to find consistency throughout the game. With Richardson at the helm, this has become a consistent theme for Indianapolis this season. Aside from a 69-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Josh Downs in the first quarter, Richardson appeared unsettled because his offensive line and ground game weren't protected often enough with Jonathan Taylor back in the starting lineup.

Richardson finished the game 10 of 32 for 175 yards with a touchdown, an interception and two fumbles. The interception was easily the biggest play of the game as Richardson tried to force a throw from Downs late in the first half. Instead of controlling the ball in this situation, the Colts got greedy and it came back to bite them in the worst way. In all likelihood the game would have been tied before half time. Instead, Houston scored a takeaway touchdown and led 17-10. That play call from head coach Shane Steichen and the throw from Richardson just can't happen, and the result really hurt Indianapolis and gave the Texans a three-point win.

It wasn't until the second half that Richardson looked a little better as a thrower and runner. Many would have liked to see Indianapolis turn more to the ground game in the first half. The Colts did just that in the second half, leaning more on Taylor, who rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown on 20 total attempts. Richardson, meanwhile, managed six attempts for 45 rushing yards. However, Indianapolis stayed in the third period far too often on Sunday, converting on 2 of 13 attempts. That's not going to win you many games in the NFL.

The main problem for the Colts offense has been their point inconsistency this season. This is the world Indy will likely live in with an inexperienced quarterback at the helm. At some point, however, Richardson needs to start showing more than just flashes combined with a few good throws per game. At this point, it's fair to say that there are more questions than answers when it comes to the league's youngest starting quarterback. Head coach Shane Steichen also needs to do a better job of putting his young quarterback in the right positions to be successful. Both things can be true. For the Colts, this season was all about Richardson's development. Ultimately, it will be up to him to prove he can be the Colts' long-term answer at quarterback.

The Colts' strong defense isn't enough to overcome offensive woes caused by losses

Of the things that played a role in Indianapolis' loss on Sunday, their defense is at the bottom of the list. The Colts defensive unit played so well overall that the team was able to secure a win. Texans quarterback CJ Stroud, who was sacked twice, was under constant pressure. Indy's pass rush led to several three-pointers for Houston's offense. The Texans weren't much better than the Colts in third-down efficiency either, converting on just 4 of 13 attempts. Stroud finished the day 25 of 37 for 285 yards and a touchdown.

Houston's ground game was mostly kept under control as the Colts gave up just 96 total rushing yards on 29 attempts (3.3 average YPC). Without Nico Collins in the starting lineup, the Colts secondary performed well against Houston's wideouts. Stefon Diggs was the Texans' leading pass catcher and finished the game with five receptions for 81 yards. The box score doesn't necessarily tell the whole story behind Indy's strong defensive performance on Sunday. A fumble recovery for a touchdown by Colts defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo could have been a costly mistake by Houston's offense. Odeyingbo, who had an amazing performance, was knocked to the ground by contact, nullifying the touchdown. On the ensuing drive, the Colts offense took the lead again, missing a golden opportunity to either tie the game or take the lead late in the fourth quarter.

On a day where the Colts defense did everything it could to keep the team in the game, their offense just wasn't good enough in key spots. Aside from a few moments, Indianapolis' defense has certainly been playing better lately and did more than enough on Sunday to give the team a win. Great performances from defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, Odeyingbo and a more than commendable performance from the Colts' secondary shouldn't be overlooked despite the loss. There is no doubt that this loss will be painful for Indianapolis. Most importantly, it could ultimately become costly in a few months as the team is likely looking at a possible wild card spot as its best chance to make the playoffs this season.