Honestly, it wasn’t supposed to end like this. Watching the scoreboard tick up to that final Colts football game score of 38-30 in Houston was a gut-punch for anyone who’d ridden the rollercoaster of the 2025-2026 season. You've probably seen the box score by now. 38 for the Texans. 30 for the Colts. It looks like a shootout, but if you actually sat through those final five seconds at NRG Stadium on January 4, 2026, you know it was way weirder than that.
The Colts finished 8-9. Again.
There's something uniquely frustrating about a team that starts 8-2—looking like world-beaters after a thriller in Germany against the Falcons—only to fall off a cliff. Seven straight losses. That is how the season ended. It wasn't just a slide; it was a total collapse.
The Chaos Behind the 38-30 Colts Football Game Score
Let's talk about those final seconds. If you just look at the Colts football game score, you might think the defense gave up a late touchdown. They didn't. Not exactly. With 12 seconds left, Ka'imi Fairbairn nailed a 43-yard field goal to put the Texans up 32-30. It was his sixth field goal of the day. Six! The guy was a one-man wrecking crew.
But then came the "Colts Special."
On the final play, rookie Riley Leonard tried a desperation lateral. It went from Josh Downs to Michael Pittman Jr., then back to Leonard. Basically, a game of hot potato that nobody wanted to win. Leonard fumbled. Tommy Togiai, the Texans' defensive tackle, scooped it up and rumbled 17 yards for a touchdown as the clock hit zero. That’s why the score says 38 instead of 32.
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It was a meaningless touchdown for the standings, but a massive blow for anyone who bet the spread.
Riley Leonard’s First Start: A Mixed Bag
Shane Steichen made a wild choice for Week 18. He benched the 44-year-old Philip Rivers—who had briefly come out of retirement to try and steady the ship—and handed the keys to the rookie, Riley Leonard.
The kid showed flashes.
- Passing: 270 yards, 2 TDs.
- Rushing: 1 TD on the ground.
- The Ugly: One interception and that back-breaking fumble at the end.
Alec Pierce was the absolute star of the afternoon, hauling in 132 yards and two scores. One of those was a 66-yard bomb that briefly had Colts fans believing in a miracle. But the running game? Non-existent. Jonathan Taylor, who usually eats the Texans for breakfast, was held to just 26 yards on 14 carries. You can't win in the NFL when your star back is averaging less than 2 yards a pop.
Why This Game Was the Ultimate Tease
Most people forget that the Colts actually led this game 30-29 with under three minutes to go. Blake Grupe had just hit a 22-yard field goal. The defense just needed one stop. One.
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But the Texans didn't even have C.J. Stroud on the field for the second half. DeMeco Ryans had seen enough and decided to rest his stars for the playoffs, since the Jaguars were already blowing out the Titans. The Colts were literally beaten by Davis Mills and a bunch of backups.
That hurts.
It highlights a massive depth issue in Indianapolis that became glaringly obvious during this seven-game losing streak. The defense, led by Zaire Franklin and Laiatu Latu, kept things close, but they couldn't get off the field when it mattered most. Fairbairn's leg was the difference-maker, but the Colts' inability to finish drives in the red zone was the real killer.
The 2025 Season Summary
If you're looking for a silver lining, good luck. The season started with so much promise.
- September: 3-0 start. Hype was at an all-time high.
- October: Went 7-1 after a dominant win over Tennessee.
- The Turning Point: That overtime loss to the Chiefs in Week 12. Something broke in the locker room that day.
- The Finish: Seven losses in a row to end the year 8-9.
What Happens Now?
The 38-30 Colts football game score wasn't just a loss; it was an exit interview. The front office has a lot of soul-searching to do. Do they stick with Riley Leonard as the future? Was the Philip Rivers experiment a mistake that cost them a playoff spot?
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By finishing third in the AFC South, the 2026 schedule is already looking tough. They'll be hosting the Dolphins, Cowboys, and Giants next year, plus road trips to Philly and Pittsburgh.
To turn things around, the priority has to be the offensive line. Jonathan Taylor finishing second in the NFL rushing title (behind James Cook) is great, but 26 yards in a "must-win" finale shows the trenches are failing.
Keep an eye on the 2026 NFL Draft. The Colts are picking high enough to grab a blue-chip tackle or a lockdown corner. If they don't fix the secondary, we're going to see a lot more games where opposing kickers set career highs.
For those tracking the off-season moves, watch the waiver wire for veteran secondary help. The collapse from 8-2 to 8-9 suggests a leadership void that a few draft picks won't fix. The focus now shifts entirely to the scouting combine in Indianapolis this February to see if they can find the pieces to ensure next year's Week 18 score looks a whole lot different.