PASSING OFFENSE: B
The Colts moved the ball through the air when they needed to, although there was some sluggish play at times during the game. QB Peyton Manning completed 25 of 34 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns. He threw one interception. WR Reggie Wayne was the primary receiver in the game, hauling in seven passes for 97 yards and a TD. Manning completed passes to eight receivers during the game.
RUSHING OFFENSE: C-plus
Indianapolis' running game continues to struggle. The Colts ran 22 times for 79 yards, led by RB Joseph Addai's 71 yards on 17 carries. Addai's biggest run came on Indianapolis' final offensive possession, as he picked up 15 yards to give the Colts a first-and-goal at the Houston 5-yard line. The play set up the game-winning touchdown pass from Manning to Wayne.
PASS DEFENSE: C-plus
QB Sage Rosenfels hit on 21 of 38 passes for 246 yards and one touchdown. WR Andre Johnson caught a game-high nine passes for 131 yards and a TD. Houston averaged 11.7 yards per reception. But when the game was finally on the line, the Colts were able to force turnovers, including a fumble and an interception. Rosenfels was also sacked twice.
RUSH DEFENSE: C-minus
Indianapolis is still giving up too many yards on the ground. The Texans ended the day with 156 yards on 32 carries, led by rookie RB Steve Slaton's 93 yards on 16 total rushes. Instead of getting better over the team's bye week, the Colts' run defense continues to be inconsistent. There's a lot of room for improvement as the season progresses.
SPECIAL TEAMS: B
Interestingly, while the Colts offense and defense struggle to find some consistency, it's been the special teams units — an area of concern for Indianapolis over the past several seasons — that have probably played the best in the first four games of the year. Hunter Smith had three punts and averaged 50.0 yards (43.3 net). He also had one punt downed inside the Texans 20-yard line. PK Adam Vinatieri was 1-for-2 on field-goal attempts, hitting from 46 yards and wide left on a 49-yard attempt. Houston averaged 26.8 yards on four kickoff returns.
COACHING: B-minus
The Colts had a bye week to clean up problems on offense and defense, but if the performance against Houston was any indication, there's a lot more work that needs to be done. The offense continues to be sluggish and has yet to get into synch. Defensively, Indianapolis still can't stop the run on a consistent basis. And then coach Tony Dungy talked after the game about needing to play with more passion, more fire than the team has showed so far.