HOUSTON - The Colts got off to a rough start to the season in Houston Sunday without quarterback Peyton Manning, losing to the Houston Texans 34-7. The team was shut out of the first half for the first time since 2008, and they didn't get on the scoreboard until Reggie Wayne's touchdown in the fourth quarter.
"I hadn't have that happen to me, I think. This is one of the worst, but the reality is, you're 0-1. Doesn't matter how many points you're up, or how many you scored. We're 0-1 and we've gotta go back to the drawing board and get better for next week," said center Jeff Saturday.
The day began with a somber reflection on the ten-year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The game got underway shortly after the 1:00 pm flag ceremony.
Houston got on the scoreboard with a field goal to make it 3-0 in the first quarter.
Colts QB Kerry Collins' fumble helped Houston early. Derrick Ward scored a TD on a one-yard run and Neil Rackers' kick made it 10-0 Houston. The Texans scored again just minutes later with Ben Tate's two-yard run to bring the score to 17-0.
"Listen, we've got guys that have been around. We know that sometimes days like this happen. They haven't happened here a whole lot over the years, obviously, but they do happen," Collins said. "We've gotta find out why and try to correct it."
In the second quarter, Andre Johnson caught a four-yard pass from Matt Schaub to put the Texans ahead 24-0. Neil Rackers kicked a 29-yard field goal, making it 27-0.
Jacoby Jones scored on a 79-yard punt return to bring it to 34-0 at the half. It was the first time since 2008 in Minnesota that the Colts were shut out of the first half.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, and Indianapolis finally got on the scoreboard with a TD by Reggie Wayne, which stood up to a review after some question over its validity. The score was 34-7 with about nine minutes to go, and that would be the final result.
Austin Collie caught the ball in the end zone with under six minutes left, but his heel was outside the line, costing the Colts a much-needed TD.
An Indianapolis Colts spokesman says Peyton Manning didn't travel with his teammates to Houston on Saturday, two days after having more surgery on his injured neck.
Sunday's game ends Manning's streak of 227 consecutive starts including the playoffs. For the previous three days, coach Jim Caldwell hadn't said whether Manning would travel with the team. Manning has had three surgical procedures on his neck in the past 19 months.
When Manning hasn't played in the past, he has usually stood on the sideline and occasionally wore a headset to help with play-calling.
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