The Texans' loss to the Vikings was filled with penalties, mistakes and turnovers

HOUSTON (AP) — Trailing 14-0 in the second quarter of Sunday’s rout by the Minnesota Vikings, the Houston Texans were trying desperately to put points on the board before halftime to get back into the game.

The drive was going well, starting with a 19-yard reception by Stefon Diggs and later a 13-yard catch-and-run by Dare Ogunbowale for another first down.

Then facing a manageable third-and-4, the Texans were flagged for a false start. And then another one. And then a third. Finally, a fourth straight penalty — this one for an illegal formation — was declined by the Vikings to force one of three consecutive punts.

Sure, Minnesota played well, but as coach DeMeco Ryans said, “the Texans helped the Vikings a lot” in the 34-7 win.

The Texans had 11 penalties Sunday after committing 12 in Week 2.

“We didn’t do anything to help ourselves,” Ryans said. “Way too many penalties, again. That starts with me. That’s too many penalties. Back-to-back games over 10 penalties is unacceptable. You can’t win that way. When we have something positive going, we negate (it) by the penalties. That just zaps the energy out of everyone.”

Left tackle Laremy Tunsil, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, was the worst offender Sunday, committing a whopping six penalties, including five in the first half. He was called for three false starts and three illegal formation penalties. The nine-year veteran has nine penalties in three games.

“The pre-snap penalties, it’s all self-inflicted, so we have to take ownership of it,” Ryans said. “We all have to man up and be man enough to just do what we’re supposed to do and be where we’re supposed to be and play smart, clean football."

Andre Ware, the 1989 Heisman Trophy winner and longtime Texans’ radio color commentator, was outraged after one of Tunsil’s penalties.

“It’s every week, though!” he yelled on the broadcast. “You’re a Pro Bowl player! There’s no excuse for that! None.”

The penalties weren’t Houston’s only problem. C.J. Stroud threw two interceptions after playing turnover-free football in the team’s first two wins.

“We weren’t executing, weren’t playing hard enough,” Stroud said. “It starts with me. Just got to be better. It’s something that I felt like can be fixed, so it’s nothing to hang our heads down about. But definitely can and will be better.”

Houston’s pass rush continues to be a strength. The Texans had five sacks Sunday after tying for the second-most sacks in franchise history with seven against the Bears.

There’s a lot to choose from after a game like Sunday’s, but the most pressing issue must be eliminating pre-snap penalties.

Stroud said he doesn’t know why they’re struggling so much in that area but vowed to fix the problem.

“There has to be conversation away from the game and just meetings and just seeing what we can do to be better when it’s loud and how intentional we have to be in practice and things like that, just to get those things fixed,” he said. “We’re moving the ball, it’s just you’re kicking yourself out of the red zone and kicking opportunities, and it’s hard to live on third-and-plus-10.”

Defensive tackle Tim Settle had a career-high two sacks Sunday after the seven-year veteran had just nine career sacks entering the game.

As noted, Tunsil’s penalties were part of a series of miscues that doomed Houston’s offense. Long lauded for his pass protection skills, Tunsil often has struggled with pre-snap penalties, though never to this extent.

RB Joe Mixon missed the game with an ankle injury. … RB Dameon Pierce was out for a second straight game against Minnesota with a hamstring injury. … WR Tank Dell looked to have injured his hand or wrist late in the game, but Ryans said he is expected to be fine.

266 – Stroud had thrown 266 passes without an interception before he was picked off on the team’s first drive on Sunday. It was a streak that dated back to Nov. 19, 2023, a span of nine games, including two in the postseason.

The Texans will work to clean up their play and try to get the offense back on track when they return to division play with a visit from the Jaguars on Sunday.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) celebrates after sacking Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) is sacked by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud talks with a coach on the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 34-7. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts' defense spent two weeks hearing critique after critique.

Some fans complained about the stats showing the unit couldn't stop the run and couldn't get off the field, and argued the solution would be firing defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.

Inside team headquarters, players and coaches went to work. And on Sunday, they finally responded by neutralizing Chicago's ground game, forcing quarterback Caleb Williams to throw 52 times in a crucial 21-16 victory.

“We all knew we had a job to do and the last thing you want to do is let someone down,” defensive lineman Tyquan Lewis said Monday. “Stopping the run, it's your pride. You want to withstand, withhold and show who you are.”

The Colts certainly showed they could problem solve after starting Week 3 bruised by the 237 yards rushing it allowed over the first two weeks, battered by injuries and quickly becoming the butt of jokes around town.

Things looked even bleaker when Indy's most consistent defender, three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, went on injured reserve with a sprained ankle.

Somehow, though, the Colts (1-2) made all the right plays against Chicago (1-2).

On fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line, Lewis took it upon himself to threw Bears running back DeAndre Swift for a 12-yard loss.

Cornerback Jaylon Jones picked off two passes — one on the run that might have gone for a touchdown if his momentum hadn't carried him out of the bounds; the other an acrobatic, one-handed snag near the sideline.

The Colts harrassed Williams, this year's No. 1 overall draft pick, repeatedly and forced an errant throw on a 2-point conversion pass that could have cut a five-point deficit to three.

And rookie pass rusher Laiatu Latu, the first defensive player taken in April's draft, got the strip-sack that led to Jonathan Taylor's second TD run that essentially sealed the victory.

It wasn't happenstance.

“I just remember when (defensive end) Kwity (Paye) had told me I would get that look to attack a certain person,” Latu said after the game. "I did that on the edge and then shoot — Caleb was right there about to throw it, and I went for the ball.”

Now that Indy has succeeded once, albeit against a team that entered Sunday with just one offensive TD, the question becomes can the Colts continue to play this way?

Next up: Unbeaten Pittsburgh and quarterback Justin Fields, who runs a struggling offense ranked in the bottom quarter of the league in total yards and points — just like Chicago.

But if the Colts want the complaints to cease and desist, they must find a way to replicate the way they performed against the Bears.

"The defense played their tails off,” coach Shane Steichen said. “I think 63 yards on the ground, three takeaways — helluva a job by those guys.”"

Taylor. The 2021 NFL rushing champ reverted to his old form against the Bears, freeing himself up for a 29-yard TD run to start the scoring, using his power for a 1-yard TD plunge to make it 21-9 and adding a late 13-yard run in the waning minutes to run out the clock. He has posted back-to-back 100-yard games and has three TD runs in four weeks.

Penalties. For a team that has been on the wrong side of the time of possession battle, badly, eliminating the flags certainly would help. Indy had nine penalties for 78 yards against Chicago and, at one point in the first half, had more penalty yards than total yards.

Jones. The Colts need their young cornerbacks to start asserting themselves and with the injured JuJu Brents out, it was the 2023 seventh-round draft pick who made quite the impression Sunday. In addition to coming up with the first two interceptions of his career, Jones batted a halftime heave out of the end zone and had five tackles, two for loss.

Anthony Richardson. Yes, the second-year quarterback is now 3-4 as the starter. But through three games this season, he’s completing just 49.6% of his throws. In the last two games, Richardson has thrown five interceptions and just one TD pass. He finished Sunday's game with a passer rating of 39.0.

Buckner (ankle) and Brents (knee) are already on injured reserve and two more starters were hurt in the waning minutes Sunday: Pro Bowl CB Kenny Moore II (hip) and Paye (quadriceps). Neither returned and Steichen had no updates Monday.

2.3 — The Bears ran 80 plays Sunday, but only 28 were runs, largely because they averaged a paltry 2.3 yards per carry against the Colts.

Sunday's game was the most promising game to date this season. While the defense has strung together three consecutive solid halves, Taylor has run effectively. It's a winning combination that could help the Colts start living up to their own expectations.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) is hit by Chicago Bears defensive tackle Chris Williams (91) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) is pressured by Chicago Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. (99) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) runs against the Chicago Bears during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) is pressured by Indianapolis Colts defensive end Tyquan Lewis (94) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) throws a pass against the Indianapolis Colts during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Indianapolis Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu (97) celebrates a play against the Chicago Bears during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Jaylon Jones (40) tips the ball away from Chicago Bears tight end Gerald Everett (14) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)