INDIANAPOLIS – Arian Foster has rushed for 138 yards and the game's only touchdown to help the Houston Texans lead the Colts 13-9 at the end of the third quarter on Thursday night.
Foster's 9-yard touchdown run came less than a minute into the game, but the defenses have dominated since.
Houston quarterback T.J. Yates has completed 9 of 11 passes for 93 yards.
Indy's Dan Orlovsky has connected on 14 of 25 passes for 130 yards. Joseph Addai has 18 carries for 56 yards and Reggie Wayne has five catches for 54 yards for the Colts.
The Texans led 10-6 at halftime and got their offense going right after the break. A 30-yard run by Foster helped set up Neil Rackers for a 35-yard field goal that pushed Houston's lead to 13-6 with 10:30 left in the quarter.
The Colts rallied late in the period, but Orlovsky just missed Wayne near the goal line on a third down, and Adam Vinatieri's 47-yard field goal cut Houston's lead to 13-9 with 54 seconds left in the quarter.
Things started badly for the Colts. On Indianapolis' first play from scrimmage, Houston's Brian Cushing sacked Orlovsky and forced him to fumble. Houston's Brooks Reed recovered at the Indianapolis 17. Two plays later, Foster's touchdown gave the Texans a 7-0 lead 54 seconds into the game.
The Colts (1-13) went three-and-out on their next drive. Houston took over at its 38-yard line, but this time, the Colts caught the break. Robert Mathis sacked Yates, forced a fumble and recovered it himself at the Houston 36-yard line. The Colts wasted the opportunity when Orlovsky was sacked by Connor Barwin at the Houston 40-yard line on third down.
Houston (10-4) punted out of its end zone on its next possession, and Indy's Pierre Garcon returned it 20 yards to the Houston 27.
Orlovsky's 12-yard completion to Austin Collie on third-and-8 set Indy up at the Houston 13. The drive stalled, and Vinatieri's 23-yard field goal cut Houston's lead to 7-3.
Houston ripped off huge chunks of yardage to start the next drive — a 29-yard pass from Yates to Kevin Walter and an 18-yard run by Foster — to move into Indianapolis territory. Eventually, the Colts' defense tightened up, and Rackers made a 44-yard field goal to push Houston's lead to 10-3 with 2:01 left in the quarter.
Indianapolis finally got its offense moving midway through the second quarter. Helped by a pass interference call and a defensive hold, the Colts pushed inside the Houston 20 before settling for a 32-yard field goal by Vinatieri that cut Houston's lead to 10-6.
The Colts got one more chance inside of two minutes, but Vinatieri missed a 42-yard field goal with 4 seconds left in the first half.
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Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cliffbruntap
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