INDIANAPOLIS (AP) C.J. Stroud provided a glimpse of what Houston could look like in December and January if he stays healthy.

A healthy Stroud and a suffocating defense could carry the Houston Texans pretty far.

Nico Collins ran 7 yards for the tiebreaking score early in the fourth quarter, Nick Chubb added another touchdown run, and Houston’s defense came up with a late stop to help the Texans preserve a 20-16 victory over the slumping Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

“I feel like I knocked off some rust and am back rolling,” said Stroud, who improved to 3-0 at Lucas Oil Stadium. “We’re super dangerous. ... We lost some close games against some really good teams. If we can find a way to win some close games after Thanksgiving, we’ll put ourselves in position to do whatever we want.”

Houston’s defense certainly has done its part during a four-game winning streak that has helped the two-time defending AFC South champs climb within one game the division’s co-leaders - Indy and Jacksonville at 8-4. On Sunday, they became the first team this season to hold the NFL’s highest-scoring offense under 20 points.

Getting Stroud back from the concussion protocol after he missed the three previous games could jump-start the Texans' offense. Although Houston (7-5) struggled to run the ball, Stroud went 22 of 35 for 276 yards.

Stroud's one interception led to an Indy touchdown, but Houston still managed to win a one-score game. All of the Texans' losses have been by eight points or fewer.

“How we’re finishing - that’s the difference,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We have resolve. We’re playing 60 minutes. We’re no longer looking at a bad play here or there and thinking that it’s going to send us into the tank.”

As a result, the Texans are back in the playoff picture.

Indy, meanwhile, has struggled since it rolled through the first eight games of the season.

The Colts have lost two straight for the first time and three of their last four. Daniel Jones, who continues to play through a lower leg injury, was 14 of 27 for 201 yards and two TDs. Jonathan Taylor, the NFL’s leading rusher, was held to 85 yards on 21 carries and failed to score for the fifth time this season.

Indy had a chance to complete a late comeback when Jones drove the Colts to Houston's 31-yard line with less than two minutes to play. But a drop by Josh Downs on third-and-9 and an incompletion on fourth down ended the drive - and Indy's perfect home record.

“Sometimes you win the tight games, but when you lose the tight games it's frustrating because you're like ‘Shoot, we could have had that,’” Colts coach Shane Steichen said. “You look back, it's three or four plays when you lose the tight ones so we've got to find a way to get those three or four plays when it is a tight game.”

The Texans were in control most of the day, taking a 3-0 lead on their first possession and responding immediately after Stroud's interception led to 19-yard TD pass from Jones to Alec Pierce. Michael Badgley's extra-point try hit the left goal post, keeping the Colts' lead at 6-3.

Chubb's 4-yard run to make it 10-6 and a 43-yard field goal to open the second half extended Houston's lead to 13-6. Jones tied it again with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Warren late in the third.

But the game swung on a critical pass-interference call on Indy cornerback Kenny Moore II on third-and-15 early in the fourth - after the play clock also appeared to run out. The Texans capitalized four plays later with Collins' 7-yard scamper around the right side for a 20-13 lead.

“When the clock hits zero, (the back judge) looks down to the ball and if the ball is snapped as he looks down from the clock to the ball, we leave that alone. That’s what he ruled on the play,” referee Clay Martin told a pool reporter before addressing the pass interference call. “The calling official had an arm grab at the top of the route. When you look back, the ball was in the air, and when you see the ball in the air, that makes it pass interference.”

All Indy could muster the rest of the way was a 42-yard field goal.

Pierce led the Colts with four receptions for 79 yards.

The Texans announced before the game that defensive backs coach Dino Vasso stayed home following the recent birth of his child. Houston's other defensive coaches collectively filled in for Vasso.

Texans: Safety Jaylen Reed went to the locker room in the first half with a right forearm injury and did not return. Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was checked for a concussion in the second half, was cleared and did return.

Colts: Starting CB Sauce Gardner suffered a right calf injury on the Colts' second defensive snap returned to the sideline in street clothes and a walking boot.

Texans: Visit Kansas City next Sunday.

Colts: Play at Jacksonville next Sunday for the division lead.

---

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Copyright 2025 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.