The Houston Texans (12-2) clinched the team's second AFC South division championship in two years, beating the Indianapolis Colts, 29-17, thanks to another strong defensive performance.
Colts vs. Texans, Week 15: Praising another big defensive performance
The Houston Texans and defensive end J.J. Watt put together another big defensive performance a week after struggling against New England.
Bob Levey
The Colts (9-5) were held to just 1-of-8 on third down and managed just 148 yards passing in the game. Andrew Luck was sacked five times in the game and failed to engineer another late-game comeback, this time facing a defense focused on rebounding from a bad game the week prior.
MDC of SB Nation’s Battle Red Blog praised the defensive game of the Texans on Sunday, highlighting the big play of the possible Defensive Player of the Year:
Your Texans, for all their problems (most of which can be traced to Joe Marciano's existence) held Tim's false idol, Andrew Luck, to 13-27 for 186 and 2TD. Ignoring the 61-yard TD, on which the Texans' secondary went full Frank Bush, Luck was 12-26 for 125 and a score. Even with that play, when you see that they sacked Luck five times, that's hardly a game that makes me think that Luck is the second coming of Peyton Manning.
Speaking of sacks, Justin James Watt finished the day with three, and I suspect he'll (rightly) have 3.5 after the film is reviewed. Three and a half would give him 20 on the season, meaning he has two games to get 3 to break the single-season record. His current line -- 19.5 sacks, 31 TFL, 15 PD -- is otherworldly, and the sack total is tied for 9th all-time in NFL history.
The Texans also hold onto the top spot in the AFC and share the best record in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons. Houston can lock up home-field advantage next Sunday, facing the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 23 at 1 p.m. ET.
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