Squandering a commanding lead, the Texans finished with a 20-20 tie to open the season following a scoreless overtime Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium.
Colts kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, whose field goal sent the game into overtime in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, shanked a potential game-winning field goal wide right.
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That set the stage for Texans second-year quarterback Davis Mills to try to position Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn, but the drive never gained momentum as the Colts defense rose to the occasion and the Texans were forced to punt.
The Texans built a 20-3 lead through three quarters, but were outscored 17-0 in the fourth quarter as Colts quarterback Matt Ryan engineered an epic comeback.
Colts Pro Bowl running back Jonathan Taylor rushed for 161 yards and one touchdown in this AFC South division matchup.
Ryan completed 32 of 50 passes for 332 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
The Texans’ running game was unproductive.
They rushed for just 77 yards on 28 carries, averaging just 2.8 yards per run. Veteran runner Rex Burkhead rushed for 40 yards on 14 carries, averaging 2.9 yards per run. Rookie running back Dameon Pierce, a preseason sensation, gained 33 yards on 11 carries with a long run of eight yards.