The Houston Texans’ season seems to be unraveling
at the worst possible time.

Rookie quarterback T.J. Yates and the vaunted defense struggled again Thursday night, and the playoff-bound Texans lost 19-16 to lowly Indianapolis, their second straight defeat after seven consecutive victories.

Houston (10-5) clinched its first AFC South title and playoff berth on Dec. 11, but has followed up with back-to-back poor performances.

The Texans lost 28-13 to Cam Newton and Carolina on Sunday, then couldn’t stop Dan Orlovsky from rallying the Colts in the fourth quarter.

Houston went 1-for-10 on third downs and committed a season-high 11 penalties to drop to 0-10 in Indianapolis.

The Texans wrap up the regular season at home against Tennessee on Jan. 1.

That’s all the news for today.

In week 16, I posted a 1-1 mark with my predictions for the AFC South division. The Tennessee Titans made me look good in beating the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the Houston Texans were surprisingly beaten by the Indianapolis Colts. Despite just a 2-3 record over the past two weeks, my overall record still stands at a respectable 34-14. Here is a look at how I think the teams in the division will fare against one another in the last week of the 2011 NFL season.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts:

As mentioned earlier, the Indianapolis Colts earned their second straight win, knocking off the Houston Texans 19-16. Dan Orlovsky played efficient, completing 23-of-41 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown, while the ground game totaled just 95 yards on 32 rushing attempts. Reggie Wayne also had a solid game for the Colts, hauling in eight catches for 106 yards, including the game-winning touchdown.

On the other side, we have a Jaguars’ team, who played the Titans close last week, but still came up a bit short. With rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert struggling, Maurice Jones-Drew has been forced to shoulder the offensive load for a majority of the season. Last week, Drew rushed for 103 yards on 24 attempts and caught six passes for 21 yards, while Gabbert threw for 198 yards, completing just 50 percent of his 42 passing attempts.

This game is difficult to predict because the Colts have been terrible against the run this season, which should favor the Jaguars. However, in week 15, they limited Chris Johnson to under 60 yards en route to their first victory on the season. In week 16, they gave up 158 yards to Arian Foster and the result was still a victory. I haven’t picked the Colts often this year, but I will give them the edge this week, especially if they do a good job of containing Jones-Drew.

Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans:

Two weeks ago, the Texans were 10-3 and were a strong contender for the top seed in the AFC. However, following two straight losses to the Carolina Panthers and the Colts, they have to settle for the third seed. With that being said, the Texans will probably be more concerned with resting their starters for the postseason instead of winning this game. The Titans on the other hand, will have a sense of urgency in this match-up because they still have a slim chance of making the playoffs. With that being said, I think the Titans will emerge victorious in this one.

James Tillman is a resident of the Chicago-land area who has been an NFL fan for over 20 years. James is also a fan blogger on Yahoo Sports and NJFFL Dynasty. For interesting topics on the NFL, NBA and MLB, follow him on Twitter @jtillman9693.

Sources:

Week 17 NFL Picks and Predictions

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INDIANAPOLIS—

The Indianapolis Colts scored a touchdown in the final minute to stun AFC South rivals Houston 19-16 at Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday.

It was the second consecutive win for the Colts, who lost their first 13 games of a miserable season. The Texans (10-5), who have already clinched the division, suffered their second loss in a row.

With several key players out with injuries both teams struggled offensively, scoring one touchdown each.

The Colts continue to miss quarterback Peyton Manning, who has been out following off-season neck surgery and were without tight end Dallas Clark.

The Texans started T.J. Yates in place of injured quarterbacks Matt Schaub and Matt Leinhart and wide receiver Andre Johnson remains out with a hamstring injury.

Dan Orlovsky, starting in place of Manning, led the Colts on a 12-play, 78-yard scoring drive in the final two minutes of the game, capping the drive with a one-yard pass to Reggie Wayne in the corner of the end zone with 19 seconds left.

“He walks by my locker every day and says: ‘Throw left,’” Orlovsky told reporters. “He walked by me in pre-game tonight and said: ‘Throw left.’ I think he deserved the opportunity.”

The Texans scored their touchdown in the opening minute.

Brian Cushing sacked Orlovsky on the first play of the game and two plays later Arian Foster scored on a nine-yard run.

“I’ve got to give them a lot of credit,” Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said. “Dan (Orlovsky) did a great job on that last series.

“If we had made one more play on offense, or one more play on defense, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

In between the two touchdowns, the teams settled for field goals with Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri connecting on four of five attempts while Neil Rackers was three-for-three for the Texans.

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There is the quick update of the day.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

There is the quick update of the day.

Houston coach Gary Kubiak expects running back Arian Foster to play on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.

Foster returned to practice this week after missing the season opener because of a left hamstring injury.

“He looks ready to play,” Kubiak said after practice Friday. “He’s had a good week. I think he’ll be fine. As long as there’s no setbacks he’s ready to go.”

Foster, who ran for 1,616 yards last season to lead the league, has been bothered with the injury for a month.

While Kubiak said he wouldn’t put a play count on Foster, he didn’t expect him to play as many snaps as he normally would.

“We’ll go out and play and I’ll watch him and see how he’s holding up,” Kubiak said. “I would think that he’s definitely not going to be a 60-play guy, like he normally is for us. He’s a three-down player. We’ll listen to Arian, [running backs coach] Chick [Harris] will watch him, we’ll all watch him. Hopefully everything goes smooth.”

Foster said he can’t wait to get back on the field, but wasn’t sure how much he’d play.

“That remains to be seen,” he said. “I’m going to go out there and see how I feel and if I feel like it’s not an issue and my conditioning isn’t an issue, which I don’t think it is, I’m going to play like I normally play.”

Story continues below

While Foster should return Sunday, the Texans will be without running back Derrick Ward, who is out with a sprained right ankle. Ward started for Foster against the Colts and scored a touchdown.

Kubiak said Ben Tate, who ran for 116 yards and a touchdown against the Colts after missing all of his rookie season last year with a broken ankle, would back up Foster and share the load against Miami.

League tries to beef up security

The NFL has “enhanced” its security pat-down procedures for fans entering stadiums.

The league asked its 32 teams to instruct stadium security to search fans from the ankles up for banned items such as alcohol and weapons. Previously, the search was from the waist up.

Last week, a man was arrested for using an illegal stun gun at Sunday night’s Dallas Cowboys-New York Jets game.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Friday the “enhanced security procedures” didn’t result from any specific threat, but from the league’s practice of “always refining and improving” security.

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(Sports Network) – The Miami Dolphins had no answer for one of the league’s
elite quarterbacks this past Monday night. Now they’ll have to figure out how
to solve a Houston Texans team that is coming off one of its best games in
franchise history.

The Texans could have last year’s NFL rushing leader Arian Foster back as well
when they try for their second straight 2-0 start in Sunday’s matchup against
the Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium.

Houston heads to Miami looking to open the season with two straight wins for
the third time in team history after dismantling the Peyton Manning-less
Indianapolis Colts, 34-7, last Sunday. The Texans scored all of their points in
the first half and limited the Colts to under 250 yards of total offense.

Also impressive was the Texans racing out to a big lead despite Foster sitting
out the game with a hamstring injury. Ben Tate and Derrick Ward did an
excellent job in his place, however, in a game that head coach Gary Kubiak
called one of the best the team has ever played.

Kubiak also gave credit to new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.

“He’s done a hell of a job,” Kubiak said. “We played good defense in a very
short period of time. We got going really good. No doubt in my mind if we
don’t turn the ball over in the fourth quarter, it would have been even
better.”

While the defense enjoyed a resurgence under Phillips, the offense could get
Foster back after he returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time
since aggravating his hamstring on Aug. 27.

Kubiak said Foster took a normal workload for a starter in a positive
practice. If the running back does play this weekend, the head coach doesn’t
think he will be limited.

“If he can play, you play,” Kubiak said. “There won’t be being careful with
him. You may say this is how many times he’s going to touch it, but you can’t
do something half-speed out there. We’d have to see, but if he’s ready to go,
he puts us at our best and he’ll be out there.”

The Dolphins will be looking to rebound after a 38-24 setback to New England on
Monday night that saw Patriots quarterback Tom Brady throw for a team-record
517 yards and four touchdowns. Miami could do little to stop the reigning
league MVP, who also hit on a 99-yard scoring pass to hand the Dolphins their
fourth straight defeat dating back to last year.

Miami wasted a career game from its own quarterback, as Chad Henne threw for
over 400 yards in a losing cause. In all, the two clubs combined for an NFL-
record 933 passing yards, which topped the 927 yards totaled by Miami’s Dan
Marino and Ken O’Brien of the New York Jets back on Sept. 21, 1986.

“Not the defensive performance that we were hoping for,” Dolphins coach Tony
Sparano said. “[The Patriots] had almost 700 yards of offense. That’s an
understatement.”

One thing working in the Dolphins’ favor is that the Texans haven’t won on the
road in almost a year, with Houston’s most recent win as the visitor coming on
Oct. 3 of the 2010 campaign. The Texans have lost their last six road games.

SERIES HISTORY

Houston has had the upper hand all throughout this rather brief series, having
won all five of the meetings by seven points or less. That streak contains a
pair of victories at Sun Life Stadium, including a 27-20 triumph during Week
16 of the 2009 season in the Texans’ most recent encounter with the Dolphins.
Houston also won a 21-20 squeaker in Miami in 2003.

Kubiak is 4-0 lifetime against the Dolphins, while Sparano has lost both of
his career meetings with both Kubiak and Houston.

WHEN THE TEXANS HAVE THE BALL

Houston wasn’t shy running the ball without Foster last weekend, ripping off
167 yards on 24 carries as a team. Ward (39 rushing yards, 1 TD) got the start
in place of Foster, but left early because of an ankle injury that has him day-
to-day. Tate (116 rushing yards, 1 TD) shouldered the load the rest of the way
in his NFL debut after spending all of last season on injured reserve.
Quarterback Matt Schaub (220 passing yards, 1 TD) had some short fields to work
with following some Colts turnovers, though he can’t be too happy with the pair
of interceptions he threw in the win. He was sacked just once while completing
17-of-24 pass attempts, however. Wide receiver Andre Johnson (7 receptions) was
targeted 11 times and finished with 95 receiving yards while hauling in
Schaub’s lone touchdown pass, with fellow wideout Kevin Walter making one catch
before exiting with a shoulder injury. It was feared he suffered a fracture,
but an MRI revealed just a bruise that still leaves his status for this game in
doubt. Jacoby Jones, who will take over for Walter if he can’t go, set a new
club record with his fourth career special teams touchdown after taking a punt
back 79 yards against the Colts.

The Dolphins will be licking their wounds before this game after allowing 622
yards of total offense in the national spotlight against the Patriots. The
summary play came when defensive back Benny Sapp was beaten for Wes Welker’s
99-yard score, and the nickel defender had his contract terminated during the
week as a result. To take Sapp’s place, Miami re-signed veteran Will Allen, one
of the team’s final cuts during training camp. He should step into a nickel
role behind starters Vontae Davis (4 tackles) and Sean Smith (3 tackles).
Safety Reshad Jones (12 tackles) led the Dolphins in tackles versus New
England, while linebacker Cameron Wake (3 tackles) came away with the team’s
lone sack. Defensive end Jared Odrick (2 tackles) came up with an interception
on a deflected pass, one of the defense’s few highlights on the night.

WHEN THE DOLPHINS HAVE THE BALL

Henne did his best to keep the Dolphins in the game, throwing for a career-
high 416 yards with a pair of touchdown passes. He also rushed for 59 yards
and a score while getting picked off once and sacked four times. Wide receiver
Brandon Marshall (7 receptions) got plenty of looks from his quarterback and
ended with 139 receiving yards, and Reggie Bush was targeted often as well in
his Dolphins’ debut. The running back made nine catches for 56 yards with a
score and rushed for another 38 yards on 11 carries. Wide receiver Davone Bess
and tight end Anthony Fasano also had big games on Monday, with each making
five catches and totaling 92 and 82 yards, respectively. Miami would like to
see a better effort out of the offensive line, which is led by All-Pro left
tackle Jack Long, after Henne was under consistent pressure in the opener.

Miami will be getting its first look at the Texans’ new 3-4 scheme that had
success a week ago. In his new role at outside linebacker, Mario Williams (2
tackles) had two sacks — giving him 50 for his career — along with a forced
fumble, while defensive end Antonio Smith (3 tackles) added a sack and forced
fumble of his own. Houston struggled against the pass a season ago, but held
Indianapolis’ Kerry Collins to just 197 yards through the air and a fourth-
quarter touchdown pass. The new-look secondary features corner Johnathan Joseph
(5 tackles) and safety Danieal Manning (2 tackles), both acquired as free
agents during the offseason, while rookie defensive end J.J. Watt (5 tackles)
also made his debut as a starter last week. Linebackers Brian Cushing (7
tackles) and DeMeco Ryans (6 tackles) also had solid games for Houston in the
opener.

KEYS TO THE GAME

The Dolphins will need to keep an eye on Johnson, who will be looking to go
off in his hometown. The Miami-born wide receiver has 30 catches, 426 yards
and three touchdowns in four career games against the Dolphins and will
certainly be looking to copy what made the New England receivers so successful
in Week 1.

The team that has the ball last just might win. Four of the five all-time
meetings between these clubs have been decided by three points or less,
including three in the final 30 seconds of the game. Schaub ran for a three-
yard score to clinch a Houston win in 2008, while the Texans’ Kris Brown was
good on a field goal attempt from 57 yards out with one second to go in the
previous season’s matchup.

Miami’s secondary will need to quickly forget last week; no silver linings,
just get better. It is unfortunate that Sapp was the one to fall on the sword,
but now the rest of the unit needs to turn the guilt into anger and big hits
versus the Texans.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

After getting torched through the air on Monday, the Dolphins will be facing a
more balanced Houston attack and could have to contend with a rested — and
hopefully healthy — Foster. Henne will be out to prove that last week’s
numbers were not a fluke, while Houston should also be looking to show that
missing a matchup with Manning didn’t lead to its big defensive showing. The
Texans raised expectations for the season with their big Week 1 victory, but
can’t afford to take the foot off the gas in Miami.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Texans 21, Dolphins 17

The Sports Network

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HOUSTON — Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak said he expects running back Arian Foster to play on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.

Foster returned to practice this week after missing the season opener because of a left hamstring injury.

“He looks ready to play,” Kubiak said after practice Friday. “He’s had a good week. I think he’ll be fine. As long as there’s no setbacks he’s ready to go.”

Foster, who ran for 1,616 yards last season to lead the league, has been bothered with the injury for a month.

While Kubiak said he wouldn’t put a play count on Foster, he didn’t expect him to play as many snaps as he normally would.

“We’ll go out and play and I’ll watch him and see how he’s holding up,” Kubiak said. “I would think that he’s definitely not going to be a 60 play guy, like he normally is for us. He’s a three-down player. We’ll listen to Arian, [running backs coach] Chick [Harris] will watch him, we’ll all watch him. Hopefully everything goes smooth.”

Foster said he can’t wait to get back on the field, but wasn’t sure how much he would play.

“That remains to be seen,” he said. “I’m going to go out there and see how I feel and if I feel like it’s not an issue and my conditioning isn’t an issue, which I don’t think it is, I’m going to play like I normally play.”

While Foster should return Sunday, the Texans will be without running back Derrick Ward, who is out with a sprained right ankle. Ward started for Foster against the Colts and scored a touchdown.

Kubiak said Ben Tate, who ran for 116 yards and a touchdown against the Colts after missing all of his rookie season last year with a broken ankle, would back up Foster and share the load against Miami.

“Both of those guys will play and Steve [Slaton] is available if we need a third guy,” Kubiak said. “He’s definitely going to play. Our second guy is going to get some carries and play.”

Receiver Kevin Walter remained out of practice Friday with an injured left shoulder and Kubiak says they will work him out Saturday and Sunday morning and that he will be a game time decision.

Gotta run!.

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It’s a bit easy to say the AFC South should belong to the Houston Texans this season.

But I’m joining the chorus and saying it anyway: If this team can’t win this division, it’ll be time for owner Bob McNair to crumple up the plan and aim it for the closest trash can.

The Texans have a championship-caliber quarterback, receiver, tight end and running back (maybe two or three of those) all working with a smart and skilled offensive line that understands how it needs to work.

Mindset is the only question mark on offense, starting with Matt Schaub’s ability to rise to big moments. Even if he’s only average in that category, with Peyton Manning out for at least the bulk of the season, Schaub is the best signal-caller in the division by a wide margin.

The Schaub-Andre Johnson-Arian Foster combination is among the league’s best. Who has a better trio?

Philadelphia perhaps, with Michael Vick-LeSean McCoy-DeSean Jackson. Maybe Matt Ryan-Roddy White-Michael Turner in Atlanta. If we sub tight ends for running backs, San Diego with Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson is in the conversation as is Green Bay with Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings and Jermichael Finley.

[+] Enlarge

Troy Taormina/US PresswireThe Texans’ defense had an outstanding performance in its first game under coordinator Wade Phillips.

The revamped Houston defense was outstanding in the opener. Sure, much of that had to do with the Colts’ offense in its first game with Kerry Collins playing in place of Manning. But we saw all the elements of a defense that can win games — stout run defense, consistent pressure on the quarterback, quality coverage, the ability to cope with sudden-change situations.

One can see swagger and confidence in the body language of guys thrilled to be working under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. I think he’s too low key, but it can clearly work for him as a coordinator. He has a way of keeping things simple and keeping the mood light, and players have bought in. I never sensed a similar feeling when Richard Smith or Frank Bush manned the post, though they obviously didn’t have the same quality of personnel Phillips will enjoy.

On special teams, Neil Rackers has a big leg that will make a lot of touchbacks and long field goals. Jacoby Jones and Danieal Manning can provide a jolt in the return game. Rookie punter Brett Hartmann isn’t proven yet but has a big leg.

The schedule is hardly a breeze, but look at the quarterbacks they could face: Collins twice, Chad Henne, Matt Hasselbeck twice (or maybe rookie Jake Locker), Luke McCown twice (or maybe rookie Blaine Gabbert), Colt McCoy, Andy Dalton and Cam Newton.

Houston’s been called a soft team, a finesse franchise. Not too many soft teams produce the NFL rushing champion the way this team produced Foster last season.

If the Texans’ offensive blocking scheme amounts to a finesse one, so be it. The Colts have won the division eight times in nine seasons with a lot of finesse. They’re fine with you insulting them over it while admiring their success.

The Texans can show their toughness this season in how they stand up to Pittsburgh on Oct. 2 and at Baltimore on Oct. 16 and in how they fare in their games with the Jaguars.

The Colts’ issues should be a huge assist for the Texans, as will the fact that the Titans and Jaguars are trying to stay afloat with temporary quarterbacks while developing top-10 draft picks in Locker and Gabbert. Although both teams may be ascending, their talent doesn’t match Houston’s.

If the Texans can make it through the first three-fourths of the season with a good record and in good health, they should be golden with a home stretch against Cincinnati (away), Carolina, Indianapolis (away) and Tennessee.

It sets up for success.

If this team folds under the expectations, if it cannot go get what’s so attainable, it’s going to have to be dismantled. It will require no more Mr. Nice Guy from McNair, who will have to part ways with a lot of nice guys he truly admires, starting with GM Rick Smith and coach Gary Kubiak. McNair will have no choice but to look for a different tone after a house cleaning.

I don’t think that’s how things will play out. I think Manning’s injury is a big break that opens the door, a door the Jaguars and Titans are not ready to approach. The Texans are more than talented enough to storm through it if they don’t complicate things. Run the ball. Work the play-action and bootleg game off of it. Rush the passer. Build from there as the season goes on and finish strong.

Watch pundits pick you to be a team that can do damage in the playoffs, and respond to it.

It sounds simple.

It just might be.

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HOUSTON — Hey, Peyton Manning. If there was ever a doubt about what you mean to Indianapolis, there isn’t anymore.

Final score in Sunday’s season opener: Texans 34, Colts 7.

What already looks like a long, long season ahead for the Colts might be the chance, at last, for the Texans to make a leap forward in the AFC South.

Matt Schaub threw for 220 yards and a touchdown, Ben Tate rushed for 116 yards and another score in relief of injured Arian Foster, and Houston dominated Kerry Collins, Manning’s replacement.

The Texans (1-0) weren’t ready to say the win signals a change in the division. Houston beat the Colts with Manning in last year’s home opener, but finished 6-10.

“We were in the same situation last year,” star receiver Andre Johnson said. “And then, things just went bad for us.”

Then again, with Manning out indefinitely, Houston has never had a better chance to earn the franchise’s first postseason berth.

“Every year, you get your group together and it’s your chance to do something special,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. “So it was this group’s first opportunity together and they made it happen.”

No Manning on the field certainly helped.

Last year, the Colts rallied from the opening loss to finish 10-6 and win the division for the seventh time in eight seasons. In the fourth quarter on Sunday, Indy receiver Reggie Wayne gathered his teammates and reminded them of the turnaround.

“I just told them: ‘We’re going to be all right. It’s a long season and there’s no reason to worry,”‘ Wayne said. “We were in the same position last year and we still accomplished our goal and that’s taking care of our division.”

This loss definitely had a different feel, though.

The four-time MVP quarterback didn’t travel with the team as he recovers from his third neck surgery in the 19 months. His streak of 227 consecutive starts, including playoffs, ended.

The Colts (0-1) lured the 38-year-old Collins out of retirement less than three weeks ago to take a crash course in the offense. Based on the opener, they may need to find a better solution.

Collins fumbled on consecutive snaps that set up Texans touchdowns in the first quarter, and he was sacked three times. He didn’t throw an interception, but the offense mustered only 236 yards and 15 first downs against Houston’s 3-4 defense guided by new coordinator Wade Phillips.

“This wasn’t the day, obviously, that we’d hoped for, but it’s a long season,” Collins said. “I don’t care what the situation is, we just can’t do those things and expect to have a chance to be in the ball game. We’ve got a lot to do obviously. We’ll get back to work.”

The Texans sprinted to a 34-0 halftime lead, even with 2010 NFL rushing leader Foster deactivated with a left hamstring injury. Foster ran for 231 yards in the opener against the Colts last year.

Tate, a 2010 second-round draft pick who sat out last season with a broken ankle, carried 24 times and Ward scored a touchdown before leaving with an ankle injury.

Indy, meanwhile, seemed overwhelmed on both sides from the start.

Mario Williams hinted what was coming when he sacked Collins for a 9-yard loss on Indy’s fourth snap. Williams, Houston’s sacks leader in each of the past five seasons, made his first start at outside linebacker, one of the big changes introduced by Phillips.

Houston’s defense showed improvement after ranking as one of the league’s worst in 2010.

“It was obviously a good start for us,” Phillips said. “We felt like we had to come out strong against that team. They had adversity with their quarterback. We had to play strong early, and I thought we did that.”

The Colts’ defense was just as vulnerable as the offense, allowing 259 yards and 19 first downs in the first half.

“We couldn’t do anything right in all three phases,” Colts defensive end Robert Mathis said.

Even after jumping to a 17-0 lead, the Texans couldn’t feel comfortable just yet, recalling they’d blown 17-point leads to the Colts in Houston in 2008 and ’09.

Manning wasn’t here to bail out Indy, though, and Houston poured it on.

Schaub went 5 for 5 on the Texans’ next series, finding Johnson open in the back of the end zone for a 24-0 lead. Johnson had seven catches for 95 yards in the game.

“That’s the best half of football we have probably played as a team,” Kubiak said. “It was explosive in every area.”

The Colts used their timeouts at the end of the half to give the offense one more chance to do something, and even that backfired.

Jacoby Jones fielded a punt with just over a minute left and outran the Colts down the sideline for a 79-yard touchdown. It was Jones’ third punt return for a TD and his first since 2008.

Tate fumbled with about 10 minutes left in the game, and the Colts averted the shutout when Wayne caught a 6-yard TD pass from Collins.

“We’ve got to go back to the basics and focus in on the things we did really poorly,” Indy coach Jim Caldwell said. “They are all correctable. There is an old saying, ‘You’re never as bad as you think you are when you lose, and you’re never as good as you think you are when you win.’ That certainly is true for us today.”

Notes: Colts LB Ernie Sims left in the first half with a knee sprain. LB Gary Brackett sprained his shoulder after an interception return in the fourth quarter. … The Texans recognized the Sept. 11 anniversary by allowing four members of both the New York city police and fire departments to lead the team onto the field before the game. Linebacker DeMeco Ryans, the last player introduced, waved an American flag as he came out of the tunnel.

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