News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Colts

Related Photos

  • Indianapolis Colts' Dan Orlovsky reacts following of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011, in Indianapolis. Michael Conroy

    Colts-Houston

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable as well as posts that are attacking other users. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.
comments powered by Disqus
December 23, 2011

Colts celebrate second straight division victory

Tom James The Tribune-Star

INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Colts fans finally got a little luck on their side Thursday night at Lucas Oil Stadium.

It may not have been Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, who is expected to the top pick in next spring’s National Football League draft.

But Indianapolis – thanks to some late game heroics from quarterback Dan Orlovsky and wide receiver Reggie Wayne -- found a way to register its second straight victory in five days with a wild 19-16 decision over the AFC South champion Houston Texans.

Orlovsky’s 1-yard scoring pass to Wayne with 0:19 remaining in the game capped a miraculous comeback that was highlighted by a 34-yard reception on the drive by the same duo.

The final drive also featured three costly penalties on the Texans defense that allowed Indianapolis to keep inching the football closer to the end zone.

Houston was penalized for illegal use of hands, roughing the passer and pass interference. The first two flags were thrown in the direction of rookie defensive end J.J. Watt and the final call went against strong safety Glover Quin, who grabbed the jersey of tight end Jacob Tamme at the 1-yard line.

All three penalties gave the Colts’ automatic first downs. Orlovsky’s scoring pass to Wayne concluded the hectic final drive which covered 78 yards in 12 plays and took all of 1:37 to complete.

With the victory, Indianapolis improves to 2-13 on the year heading into next week’s New Year’s Day regular-season finale at Jacksonville.

Orlovsky completed 23-of-41 passes for 244 yards and the TD pass to Wayne, who ended up with eight receptions for 106 yards and the touchdown.

The win, though, may have put Indianapolis in a precarious position when it comes to annexing the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Going into this weekend’s games, Minnesota and St. Louis are both 2-12. Losses by either team could move the Colts into either the No. 2 or No. 3 overall draft positions.

Most of the 64,159 fans who watched Thursday night’s game, though, weren’t thinking about the draft or the ramifications of the win. All they cared about was watching the Colts find a way to get past Houston for the 10th straight time in Indianapolis.

“I thought we did great job of moving the ball all night. Give [Houston] credit. They’re a good defense. We just continued to fight,” Orlovsky said afterward.

“Our defense played unbelievable again to keep us in the game and to give us a chance. It was just an unbelievable team effort.”

The Colts trailed 10-6 at halftime as Houston running back Arian Foster scored on a 9-yard run with 14:06 remaining in the first quarter and Neil Rackers connected on a 23-yard field goal.

That first touchdown was set up when Texans inside linebacker Brian Cushing blitzed on the Indianapolis’ first play from scrimmage and sacked Orlovsky. Cushing forced a fumble on the play, which was recovered by rookie strong side linebacker Brooks Reed.

Foster’s touchdown came two plays later as he took the handoff from rookie quarterback T.J. Yates and dashed off left tackle for the score.

The Colts’ lone first-half scoring came courtesy of two Adam Vinatieri field goals, hitting from 23 and 32 yards out.

A third attempt from 42 yards away with nine seconds remaining in the half was wide left. The miss snapped a streak of 33 straight made field goals by Vinatieri at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Indianapolis moved the ball on offense through the first two quarters. But the Colts were helped by numerous Houston penalties that allowed drives to continue. The Texans had seven first-half penalties and ended the night with 11 for 84 yards.

Vinatieri added two more field goals in the second half, connecting from 47 yards out in the third quarter and later adding a 31-yarder with 6:48 remaining in the game.

His last kick brought the Colts to within 13-12. Rackers, meanwhile, also had two second field goals, hitting from 35 and 31  yards respectively. His last kick, coming with 1:56 to go in the contest, gave the Texans a 16-12 lead.

Foster was a force all night for the Houston offense, which tried to protect Yates, as he ran for 158 yards on 23 carries. He had 82 yards in the second half as the Texans appeared to be complacent to keep the ball on the ground.

Yates, who was born in Indianapolis and has family in Anderson, was making his third straight start as he replaced starter Matt Schaub and top backup Matt Leinert, who are both injured and out for the remainder of the season. He completed 13-of-16 passes for 132 yards and was sacked four times.

“This team has been very good at looking ahead. I just tell that [Thursday night] was very special in that [Colts] locker room,” coach Jim Caldwell said.

“The guys fought like battle-tested individuals who have been through a lot just in terms of preparation for this game and the toughness of this individual ballgames.”

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Colts
Multimedia

Like us on Facebook!
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
Front page
AP Video
Boy to Rescuers: 'Do You Have a Plan?' US Airways: Diverted Flight Has 'Landed Safely' Serial Stabbings Suspect Guilty of Murder Fired Lingerie Employee Claims Discrimination Doctors and Devotees Debate Barefoot Running 8 Hurt in Oklahoma Shooting After NBA Playoff Blacks Seek to Find Their Own Missing Sheriff: DNA Links Suspect to Missing CA Teen Facebook Shares Continue Negative Slide A Few Odd Business Sparks but Europe Gloomy Remains of Veterans Found in Basement Are Buried New Medicine. Can IPads Help Spot Dementia Risk? Revived Focus on Regulation After JPMorgan Loss Raw Video: Private Rocket Blasts Off Joplin Marches to 'Remember' Tornado Victims Gerard Butler: the Good, the Bad and the Cannes At Least 25 Dead in India Train Collision White House Cautiously Optimistic on Iran Chicago Police: 90 Arrested in NATO Protests Ex-Rutgers Student Gets 30 Days in Webcam Case
NDN Video
Daisy Sizzles in Sexy Swimwear Officers Use Deadly Force on Mountain Lion in Santa Monica Lea Michele Shows Major Skin 8 Hurt in Oklahoma Shooting After NBA Playoff Why Cee Lo Thinks 'The Voice' is So Popular Burlesque New Orleans Mike Posner Talks Sneakers: Bamboozle 2012 Howard Stern Makes Kid Cry on AGT Neighbor Feud Results in Dog Poop in Mailbox Tiger's Ex-Wife Bares Her Bod VIDEO | Zoo Chimp Charges Children Child locked in washing machine after father put him there Incubus On Working With Odd Future: Bamboozle 2012 'PLL' First Look Clip! Fired for being 'too hot' Ashley Olsen is a Bikini Babe 'Part of Me' Details 'Bumpy' Marriage, Says Katy Music downloader owes nearly $700K in fines Kardashian Sisters Pose in Lingerie Raw Video: Man Saved After Niagara Falls Plunge
Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News