Texans take playoff spot with win over Colts; Steelers top Ravens to move toward postseason
Texans take playoff spot with win over Colts; Steelers top Ravens to move toward postseason
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) calls a play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) shakes hands with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew (10) after an NFL football game Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) runs for a long touchdown after making a catch in front of Baltimore Ravens cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during the second half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024 in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Ravens running back Gus Edwards, center, is tackled by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56), linebacker T.J. Watt (90) and linebacker Mykal Walker (38) during the second half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024 in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) calls a play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) calls a play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) shakes hands with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew (10) after an NFL football game Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) shakes hands with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew (10) after an NFL football game Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) runs for a long touchdown after making a catch in front of Baltimore Ravens cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during the second half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024 in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) runs for a long touchdown after making a catch in front of Baltimore Ravens cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during the second half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024 in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Ravens running back Gus Edwards, center, is tackled by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56), linebacker T.J. Watt (90) and linebacker Mykal Walker (38) during the second half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024 in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Baltimore Ravens running back Gus Edwards, center, is tackled by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56), linebacker T.J. Watt (90) and linebacker Mykal Walker (38) during the second half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024 in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans wrapped up a playoff spot with a 23-19 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday night, with Devin Singletary scoring the go-ahead touchdown on a 3-yard run with 6:20 left.
The Texans (10-7) are going to the postseason for the first time since 2019. They won seven of their final 10 games and still could win the AFC South if Jacksonville loses at Tennessee on Sunday.
Indianapolis (9-8) was eliminated from the playoff chase with its third loss in five weeks. It hasn’t made the postseason since 2020.
Stroud was 20 of 26 with 264 yards and two touchdowns. Nico Collins had nine catches for 195 yards and a score — a 75-yarder on the Texans’ first play from scrimmage.
The Colts had a late fourth-and-1 play from the Houston 15. But a wide-open Tyler Goodson dropped Gardner Minshew’s pass, ending the Colts’ hopes.
Jonathan Taylor ran for 188 yards and a TD for Indianapolis.
STEELERS 17, RAVENS 10
BALTIMORE (AP) — Mason Rudolph threw a 71-yard touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson on the first play of the fourth quarter and Pittsburgh beat Baltimore to take a took a step toward the postseason.
Rudolph led Pittsburgh (10-7) to three straight wins to close the season, and now the Steelers wait. They would make the playoffs Sunday if Buffalo loses to Miami, or Jacksonville loses to Tennessee. They also had a chance to clinch a berth if the Houston-Indianapolis game Saturday night ended in a tie.
There was some bad news for the Steelers. T.J. Watt — who had two sacks to take sole possession of the NFL lead with 19 — left in the third quarter because of a knee injury.
The Ravens (13-4) already had the top seed in the AFC locked up, and they held MVP favorite Lamar Jackson out of this game, along with a handful of other key players. Tyler Huntley started at quarterback, and both teams had a hard time moving the ball on a rainy, windy day.
With the score tied at 7, Rudolph found Johnson over the middle for the one big play Pittsburgh needed.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL