INDIANAPOLIS — The Houston Texans beat the Indianapolis Colts, 29-27, at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday afternoon to keep the Colts winless in season openers since 2013.
Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud hit wideout Nico Collins for 12 yards on a critical third-and-long to help Houston seal the game. The Colts' winless streak in season openers now stands at 11 games.
Colts' head coach Shane Steichen was aggressive from the start, going for it on fourth-and-1 from the Texans' 46-yard line on the first possession of the game. Colts QB Anthony Richardson misfired to his intended target on the play, rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, turning the ball over on downs. Houston took advantage of the short field, taking a 3-0 lead on a Ka'imi Fairbairn 51-yard field goal.
As off as Richardson was on the throw to Mitchell, he was on the money to receiver Alec Pierce on the next drive for a 60-yard touchdown. The spectacular throw gave the Colts a 7-3 lead.
The Texans responded with a Fairbairn 50-yard field goal and a Stroud-to-Stefon Diggs 9-yard touchdown connection to go back on top, 12-7.
The Colts had a chance to regain the advantage before the break, driving down to the Houston 20-yard line, but Richardson threw an interception to Calen Bullock to end the threat.
The Texans had the opportunity to add to their lead before the break, but mismanaged the game clock and took a 12-7 lead to halftime.
Fairbairn made his third field goal of the game and second from 51 yards to give Houston a 15-7 lead early in the third quarter.
The Colts' special teams then provided a spark as Segun Olubi blocked a Tommy Townsend punt deep in Texans' territory. Trevor Denbow recovered at the Houston 5-yard line. Indianapolis running back Jonathan Taylor scored on the next play to make it 15-13. The Colts went for the two-point conversion and the tie, but Taylor was stopped.
The teams swapped touchdowns twice. Houston RB Joe Mixon scored from three yards out and Richardson found receiver Ashton Dulin for a 54-yard touchdown to keep the Colts within striking distance.
With Houston nursing a 22-20 lead, DeMeco Ryan rolled the dice and went for it on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line. Stroud hit Diggs for his second touchdown of the game to extend the Texans' lead again.
The Colts refused to go away quietly. Richardson hit Pierce for 57 yards to move down to the Houston 16-yard line. Richardson then scored on a fourth-and-goal play from the 3-yard line to make it 29-27.
Richardson finished 9-of-19 for 212 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in his return from a shoulder injury last season.
Stroud was 24-of-32 for 234 yards and two touchdowns, receiving a huge boost from Mixon, who ran for 159 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries.
Colts' kicker Matt Gay was inactive, so Indiana native Spencer Shrader did the kicking.
The Colts will play their first road game of the season next week when they visit the Green Bay Packers at 1:00 p.m. on FOX59.