Texans sneak out win over Colts as WR Stefon Diggs leaves early with non-contact knee injury

Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs went down with a non-contact knee injury in the second half of their 23-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday afternoon.

Diggs, late in the third quarter at NRG Stadium, went to cut on a route and his right knee buckled. He started hopping around while reaching for his knee before dropping down to the field, clearly in pain. Diggs eventually got up and walked off to the locker room.

The Texans (6-2) initially said he was questionable to return with a knee injury, and then they ruled him out late in the fourth quarter. Specifics of his injury are not publicly known.

Diggs entered the game with 415 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 42 catches this season, his first with the Texans. He had a team-high 81 yards on five catches when he went down.

Texans fend off Colts late

Anthony Richardson and the Colts came close to rallying back on Sunday afternoon.

After entering halftime down seven — thanks to a huge 14-point second quarter from the Texans — the Colts came within a field goal after a 1-yard touchdown run from Jonathan Taylor midway through the fourth quarter. That touchdown was set up by a wild 25-yard catch from Josh Downs, who nearly scored himself before the play was called down at the half-yard line after a review. Downs managed to extend back and haul in the ball directly over Texans safety Jalen Pitre.

C.J. Stroud and the Texans went on a long 8-play drive that lasted more than five minutes and brought them into the red zone to respond, and seemed poised to score again and put the game away.

That, however, is when the Texans nearly gave it away. Stroud went to pitch the ball to Joe Mixon, who bobbled the ball right into the arms of Colts defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo. After Odeyingbo pinned the ball against his facemask, he actually ran it all the way back into the opposite end zone — though a review determined he was down by contact.

The Texans quickly backed Richardson up nearly into his own end zone after a sack, which forced an Indianapolis punt. Though the Colts got the ball back one last time after the Texans punted it away, they weren’t left with enough time to get into field-goal position to try and extend the game. The Texans held on and snuck away with the three-point win.

Richardson went just 10-of-32 for 175 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the loss for the Colts, who dropped to 4-4. Taylor finished with 105 rushing yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, and Downs had 109 receiving yards and a touchdown on four catches.

Stroud finished throwing 25-of-37 for 285 yards with a touchdown for the Texans. Mixon had 102 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. The Texans are 4-0 at home this season. They’ll take on the New York Jets (2-6) next on Thursday night.