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Shrader's 53-yarder lifts Colts past Texans, 19-17

Spencer Shrader kicked a 53-yard field goal with 16 seconds remaining to secure a 19-17 victory for the Indianapolis Colts over the Houston Texans on Sunday.

Sasha Yoder

September 29, 20262 min read

Sunday Night Football - illustration, Jake Team LLC
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Houston Texans17
Indianapolis Colts19

September 27, 2026

A Narrow Victory on the Road Home

The Indianapolis Colts defeated the Houston Texans 19-17 on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium, a result that improved Indianapolis to 1-2 while dropping Houston to 0-3. The decisive moment came in the final seconds of the fourth quarter, when Colts kicker Spencer Shrader connected on a 53-yard field goal to cap a tense finish before a crowd of 63,400.

Early Momentum and Second-Quarter Trade

Indianapolis established an early lead in the first quarter when Shrader booted a 39-yard field goal, putting the home team up 3-0. The Colts extended their advantage in the second period with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Daniel Jones to Keenan Allen, followed by Shrader’s 58-yard field goal. However, Houston responded before the half.

C.J. Stroud found Foster Moreau for a 1-yard touchdown pass, and Ka'imi Fairbairn’s extra point kick made it 13-10 in favor of Indianapolis at halftime. The Texans had scored seven points in the second quarter, while the Colts added ten.

A Scoreless Third and Fourth-Quarter Thriller

The third quarter saw no scoring from either side, leaving the game at 13-10 heading into the final frame. The fourth quarter became a back-and-forth affair. Shrader kicked a 37-yard field goal to push the lead to 16-7.

Fairbairn answered with a 24-yard field goal for Houston, narrowing the gap to 16-10. The game’s climax arrived when Woody Marks rushed one yard for a touchdown, with Fairbairn’s kick making it 17-16 in favor of Houston. With seconds left, Shrader delivered the game-winner from 53 yards out.

Key Performances

Daniel Jones led the Colts with 235 passing yards on 24 of 36 attempts, adding one touchdown and one interception. Jonathan Taylor contributed 68 rushing yards on 23 carries, while Josh Downs caught five passes for 77 yards. For Houston, C.J.

Stroud completed 16 of 27 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown. David Montgomery rushed for 33 yards on 11 attempts, and Xavier Hutchinson had three receptions for 51 yards.

Sources

ESPN

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Sasha Yoder

Sasha Yoder covers Richardson high school and area college sports.

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