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Houston Texans fall to 0-3, losing 19-17 to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday after Spencer Shrader hit a 53-yard field goal with 16 seconds left. The Texans had a late 17-16 lead but could not close the game. They are now again in deep stakes for the second straight season.
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Will Anderson Jr. was everywhere; he delivered one of his best games of the young season, recording 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and seven tackles. Both forced fumbles came on strip sacks of Daniel Jones. His second came late in the fourth quarter and gave Houston another chance to win.
“It’s bigger than me, that’s a team effort right there. I would just say, man, we came out, we had joyful intensity. Everybody was cheering each other on,” Anderson said in post-game media availability.
“When offense is on the field, the defense has got to stand up, when defense is on the field, offense is standing up. We’re heading in the right direction…. We gotta keep chopping wood, keep responding the right way. And like I said, sometimes results betray you. But you keep going through your process, you keep getting better week in and week out.”
Anderson acknowledged that frustration naturally comes but stressed the importance of keeping the team together. He also pointed to the young players stepping into bigger roles and said the team’s leaders must continue setting the example.
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Texans’ Overall Performance
The Texans now have started 0-3 in consecutive seasons and there is reason to belief because last year’s team also opened 0-3 before finishing 12-5, but repeating that comeback will require immediate improvement. Only seven teams in NFL history have reached the playoffs after starting 0-3.
C.J. Stroud finished 16-of-27 for 167 yards and a touchdown. He avoided turnovers and led Houston’s late go-ahead drive, but the offense produced only 223 total yards. The Texans were held below 100 yards through three quarters before finally finding some rhythm late.
The running game remains a major issue, which managed only 70 rushing yards, with David Montgomery accounting for 33 yards on 11 carries. The Texans have now struggled to run the ball in consecutive weeks, following 60 rushing yards against Cincinnati. That puts even more pressure on Stroud and an offense that is already missing key players.
The Texans forced three turnovers and limited Indianapolis to 300 total yards. Anderson’s two strip sacks and Reed Blankenship’s interception gave Houston multiple chances, but the offense converted only one of those takeaways into points.
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This story was originally published September 27, 2026 at 10:39 PM.