Colts lose to Texans in overtime after questionable decision on 4th down sets Texans up with short field

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Colts lose to Texans in overtime after questionable decision on 4th down sets Texans up with short field

frank reich

Michael Hickey/Getty

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  • The Indianapolis Colts went for it on 4th down in a tied overtime game from their own side of the field and failed to convert.
  • The Texans got the ball from the Colts' 43, completed a 24-yard pass, then kicked the game-winning field goal.
  • While many in the NFL world questioned the decision, Colts head coach Frank Reich said the team was not going to tie and he would go for it every time.


A questionable decision on 4th down in overtime cost the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, as they lost, 37-34, to the Houston Texans.

After trading field goals in overtime, Andrew Luck got the ball with 1:50 left to play and got the Colts up to their 43-yard line. Facing 4th-and-4 with 27 seconds left, the Colts decided to go for it rather than punting the ball. That turned out to be a bad decision.

On 4th down, Luck's pass to Chester Rogers was incomplete, turning the ball over to the Texans on the Colts' half of the field, with 24 seconds to play.

On the first play of the drive, Deshaun Watson hit DeAndre Hopkins for a 24-yard pass, setting the Texans up for a 37-yard field goal. Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn nailed the field goal as time expired to give Houston the win.

The announcers for the game were  both stunned, openly questioning the Colts' decision. Though going for it on fourth down has become more popular across the league, in the Colts' case, opting not to punt gave the Texans a great chance to get the win, rather than settling for a tie.

Many in the NFL world questioned the decision.

After the game, Colts head coach Frank Reich told reporters, "We're not playing to tie. We're going for it 10 times out of 10."

While a tie may have been unsatisfying, the Colts made things easier for the Texans. Both teams are 1-3.

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