Make that four in a row.
With a fourth-quarter touchdown from Nico Collins, the Houston Texans secured a 20-16 victory over the Indianapolis Colts and remain one game back in the division race for first place. Sitting with a 7-5 record, Houston very well enters the conversation for the AFC Playoffs, including the wild-card race.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNick Chubb scored the game-tying touchdown in the second quarter after Collins set up Houston inside the 4-yard line. The Pro Bowl receiver finished with five catches for 98 yards, including two catches for 30 yards.
The Texans' defense once again stepped up big, sealing a win by forcing a turnover on downs with 1:45 to play after Daniel Jones had taken Indy to Houston's 31-yard line. Jones, who had been dealing with a leg injury throughout the week, finished with 201 yards and two touchdowns.
Houston's ability to contain Jonathan Taylor was the deal-breaker for any chance of a Colts' comeback. After struggling to move the ball last week in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Taylor was held to 85 yards on 21 carries and failed to score.
Let's grade the Texans' performance as they look to move into the playoff conversation with a win next week on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Nov 30, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) drops to throw during the first half against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn ImagesC.J. Stroud - C
No one should have expected Stroud to be playing at a Pro Bowl level in his first game back since Week 9, but there were still some lackluster moments. He overthrew Nico Collins twice for what could have been touchdowns. He also tried to force a pass into double coverage to Xavier Hutchinson, which resulted in an interception. He looked rusty, but it was somewhat expected. Overall, Strud finished 22-of-35 for 276 yards and an interception.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe will need to play better next week if Houston plans on winning in Arrowhead for the first time in the DeMeco Ryans era.
Houston Texans running back Nick Chubb (21) hits the turf Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, during a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.Running backs: C+
Once again, the run game struggled early, especially after Woody Marks' injury during the first quarter. He returned and so the consistency on the ground. Marks finished with 64 yards, including 47 in the second half. Meanwhile, Nick Chubb scored one of Houston's two touchdowns and finished with 34 yards.
Nothing new. Nothing flashy. Enough to get the job done. Call it a day and move on.
Nov 30, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) scores a touchdown during a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christine Tannous-USA TODAY Network via Imagn ImagesReceiving Game: B
The Colts killer appeared once more as Nico Collins finished with 98 yards on five catches and scored the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. This was expected since entering Sunday, Collins had posted three 100-yard outings against the Colts. Including the 7-yard TD run, he finished with 105. Dalton Schultz caught seven passes for 55 yards, and Jayden Higgins finished with 65 yards. Overall, three targets were enough to secure a win.
Houston Texans running back Nick Chubb (21) celebrates after rushing for a touchdown Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, during a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.Offensive Line: B
Yes, the offensive line gave up two sacks, but one was on a play that Stroud could have thrown the ball out of bounds to hit reset. Overall, they did a good job holding Kwity Paye and Laiatu Latu at bay off the edge. Penalties still remained a killer as Houston was called for four flags on the trench play.
Nov 30, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (90) and Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) celebrate after sacking Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) during the first half at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn ImagesDefense: B-
It was a meh day for the unit. The defensive line only finished with one sack, while the secondary allowed four catches of over 20 yards. The good news? Houston was great at defending All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor, holding the MVP contender to 84 rushing yards on 21 carries. Derek Stingley Jr. also came up clutch on fourth down with a pass deflection on a pass intended for Michael Pittman Jr.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat'll do, but much like Stroud, it needs to be better against Kansas City.
Nov 30, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans and Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen greet each other after a game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn ImagesSpecial teams: A
The special teams unit didn’t make any mistakes. That's a win and an A.
Nov 30, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans during the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn ImagesCoaching: C-
What was Ryans doing at the end of the first half? No, really, what was he doing? There's over a minute left on the clock and it never felt like there was a game plan. They even had two timeouts, but chose to burn the clock. Even Ryans had a chance to go up by a score and take the points, he chose to take a gamble and end the game right there. They would have ended the game regardless of if they converted because has slowed down Taylor for the entire afternoon.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBut the Texans won and that's all fans will care about. It needs to be better. It must improve before next week, but no one should ever apoligize for a win.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Grading the Texans' comeback win over Colts in Week 13
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