Houston now waits for the winner of the Pittsburgh-Baltimore game to determine who they’ll play.
HOUSTON — C.J. Stroud accounted for two touchdowns and Ka’imi Fairbairn made a go-ahead field goal with 12 seconds left to lift the Houston Texans to a 38-30 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday that extended their winning streak to nine games.
The victory gives the Texans (12-5) the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs.
Defensive tackle Tommy Togiai scooped up a fumble on the final play and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown to pad the lead.
The Texans clinched a third straight postseason berth last week and they had a chance to win the AFC South with a victory and a Jacksonville loss. But with the Jaguars up big over the Titans at halftime, coach DeMeco Ryans opted to rest quarterback Stroud, defensive stars Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter, Derek Stingley and several other starters after the break.
The Colts led 30-29 after a field goal with about 2 1/2 minutes to go before Fairbairn’s 43-yard kick put the Texans on top 32-30 and gave him a career-high six field goals in the game.
Rookie Riley Leonard had 270 yards passing with two TDs and he ran for another score. But he also lost a fumble and threw an interception in his first NFL start after the 44-year-old Philip Rivers started the past three games for the Colts after coming out of retirement.
It’s the seventh straight loss for the Colts (8-9), who were eliminated from postseason contention with Houston’s win last week.
Stroud had an 11-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and added a 2-yard run in the period to put the Texans up 20-10.
The Texans trailed 27-26 early in the fourth when Alijah Huzzie picked off Leonard to give them great field position. They failed to move the ball and settled for a 44-yard field goal to take a 29-27 lead.
Jonathan Taylor had 14 carries for just 26 yards to end the season with 1,585 yards and finish second in the NFL in yards rushing behind Buffalo’s James Cook.
Alec Pierce had four receptions for a season-high 132 yards with two touchdowns before being ejected late in the third quarter for making contact with an official. He was ejected when he brushed an official with his arm as he was complaining about a flag not being thrown on a pass intended for him in the end zone. He was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and disqualified.
The Colts took a 24-23 lead on a 1-yard TD scamper by Leonard on Indy’s first drive of the second half. That score was set up by a 53-yard reception by Pierce.
Houston went back on top with a 43-yard field goal later in the third.
After the penalty on Pierce, the Colts settled for a 39-yard field goal that put them up 27-26.
Houston took a 13-10 lead when Stroud threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Higgins with about 9 ½ minutes left in the first half.
About a minute later, Danielle Hunter sacked Leonard and caused a fumble which Henry To’oTo’o recovered on the 2-yard line. Stroud ran for the score on the next play to make it 20-10.
Pierce’s second touchdown came on an 8-yard grab that capped a 92-yard drive and cut the lead to 20-17 with about 90 seconds until halftime.
Fairbairn’s 29-yard field goal extended the lead to 23-17 at halftime.
Leonard connected with Pierce on a 66-yard touchdown pass to put the Colts up 7-3 early in the first.
Fairbairn’s second field goal of the game cut the lead to 7-6 later in the first.
A 50-yard field goal by Blake Grupe pushed Indy’s lead to 10-6 near the end of the quarter.
Houston RB Jawhar Jordan injured his ankle in the second quarter and didn’t return.
The Texans will hit the road for the playoffs next week with an opponent to be determined.
First half
Houston took the opening kickoff down the field, but had to settle for 3 after it stalled in Colts’ territory. The key play was this Dalton Schultz one-handed catch.
The Colts quickly answered with this Riley Leonard bomb in his first start, hitting Alec Pierce for a 66-yard scoring strike.
After Houston forced a fumble deep in Colts’ territory, CJ Stroud faked everyone out and ran it in.
Indy kept things close before halftime with this Leonard touchdown pass.
Second half
Indy took the second half kickoff and drove the length of the field for a Riley Leonard touchdown. Colts take a 24-23 lead.
A Ka’imi Fairbairn field goal would give Houston the lead back, 26-24 — a lead that was taken right back by Indy with a field goal.
The Texans sealed it with a defensive touchdown.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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