Early Thoughts (Week 15): Houston Texans Leave Indy at .500

It’s been a long time coming but the Houston Texans finally managed to accomplish something they had not in their brief history.

Dec 20, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) is blocked by Indianapolis Colts running back Frank Gore (23) in the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Texans won 16-10. Mandatory Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports

For the second time this season, the Houston Texans won an enormous road game after their starting quarterback had been knocked out of action.

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You will recall that T.J. Yates came off the bench in place of veteran Brian Hoyer on a Monday night at Cincinnati last month and handed the Bengals their first loss of 2015.

On Sunday at Indianapolis, it was Yates that went to the sidelines and Brandon Weeden who came in and helped Houston to a win at Indianapolis. It marked the first time in 14 games that Houston managed to beat the Colts on the road.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport (via Kevin Patra of NFL.com) reports that Yates may have suffered a torn ACL on Sunday. With Hoyer still sidelined, is it possible that Weeden could be the Texans’ starting quarterback for the remainder of the season?

That would be ironic if that was the case, considering that earlier this season that Weeden couldn’t get the job done for the other NFL team from the state of Texas.

Dec 20, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Brandon Weeden (5) runs with the ball against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Texans won 16-10. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Against the Colts, the fourth-year signal-caller hit on 11 of his 18 attempts for 105 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown strike to rookie wideout Jaelen Strong early in the fourth quarter to give Houston the lead for good.

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This contest was far from a thing of beauty. Each team went through two quarterbacks, both clubs committed two turnovers and gave up three sacks apiece. But it was the Houston defense that wound up limiting the Colts to only 50 yards on the ground and just 190 yards of total offense.

Via IndyStar.com, Indianapolis head coach Chuck Pagano had his own feeling regarding the team’s second divisional loss in eight days. Before that, the Colts had won 16 consecutive games vs. their AFC South rivals and entered Sunday’s contest with a 23-4 lifetime advantage in a series that dates back to 2002.

For the Colts, it’s been a trying season with quarterback Andrew Luck sidelined. But the same issues that plagued the team when he was in the lineup continue to be an issue. The lack of a running game and the inability to consistently hold onto the football has added up to the team’s 6-8 record and current three-game losing streak. Indianapolis leads the NFL with 29 turnovers, just one year after coughing up the football 31 times in 2014.

Could the Colts still rebound and win the AFC South. It’s not out of the question but they now will need some help.

Next: Next-to-Last Game at Oakland for the Raiders?

This is a team that could use a lot of help in a lot of different areas. A healthy Luck would certainly help but as has been the case for seemingly the last four years, a better supporting cast and a capable defensive unit would be welcome additions as well.

But as for now, it’s the Texans’ opportunity to shine. And we’ll see if Bill O’Brien’s team can seize the moment over the next few weeks.