(Sports Network) - The Houston Texans came through with what was viewed as a landmark win in their last encounter with the Indianapolis Colts. When the two AFC South foes square off again Monday night at Lucas Oil Stadium, they'll be trying to achieve a franchise first.
Texans Vs. Colts: Houston Goes For Its First-Ever Sweep Of Indianapolis
Houston has never beaten the Colts in Indianapolis in its history, though the team has come close to doing so in recent times. The Texans owned a four-point lead in the fourth quarter of last November's clash at Lucas Oil Stadium, but a Colts touchdown with just over seven minutes to go dealt Gary Kubiak's club a tough 20-17 loss. Houston was also ahead in the second half of a 2008 clash in Indianapolis, but eventually fell by a 33-27 count.
The Texans did dish out a little payback against their longtime nemesis during Week 1 of this 2010 season, this time leading from start-to-finish in a 34-24 verdict that made the NFL world wonder whether a team that had been flirted with playoff participation in the past was indeed ready to break through.
Houston prevailed by abusing the Colts with an incredibly potent running game, unleashing running back Arian Foster for a club-record 231 yards and three second-half touchdowns on 33 attempts. The Texans piled up 257 yards on the ground for the game, also the most in team annals.
Indianapolis amassed its share of yardage that day as well, with star quarterback Peyton Manning shredding Houston's porous secondary for 469 passing yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Austin Collie hauled in 11 Manning throws for 163 yards, 73 of which came on a scoring catch in the game's waning stages, with All-Pro tight end Dallas Clark adding 11 catches of his own for a total of 80 yards.
Neither Clark nor Collie will be available for Monday's rematch, however, with the former done for the season with a wrist injury sustained in Indianapolis' 27-24 win at Washington on Oct. 17 and Collie having undergone surgery on his right thumb less than two weeks ago. Their absences take away two key components of the league's second-ranked passing attack, and the Colts may also be without leading rusher Joseph Addai due to a ailing shoulder.
Indianapolis still has a healthy Manning, however, and the four-time NFL MVP will likely be bombing away once again at a Houston defense that's surrendering a league-worst 306.2 passing yards per game and won't have one of its core players suiting up, with standout middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans tearing his left Achilles' tendon in the Texans' 35-31 shootout win over Kansas City back in Week 6.
Houston gave up 417 total yards to the AFC West-leading Chiefs and trailed 31-21 midway through the fourth quarter before rallying for two late touchdowns, with quarterback Matt Schaub and wide receiver Andre Johnson connecting on the go-ahead 11-yard touchdown pass with only 28 seconds remaining.
Both the Texans and Colts enter Monday’s showdown with 4-2 records and sit a half-game back of front-running Tennessee in the AFC South, with each team coming off a bye week as well.
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