Colts Fans Devastated After Playoff Hopes Die On Dropped Fourth Down Pass

The Houston Texans beat the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday night, 23-19, to win the AFC South with a 10-7 record. The Texans now return to the NFL postseason for the first time since the 2019 season. Meanwhile, the Colts finish the season 9-8 and miss the playoffs for the third straight season. The thing is the Colts were so damn close, but they failed to complete a fourth down conversion late in the game and it was just brutal to watch.

Gardner Minshew hit Tyler Goodson, a backup running back, in the hands, but Goodson could not complete the catch. Troy Aikman seemed to want to put part of the blame on Minshew because Goodson had to turn back for the ball, but it hit him right in the hands. All he had to do was catch the ball and fall down and it’s a first down with a minute remaining.

Whoever’s fault it was, the fans were devastated.

The Colts fans at least. Jonathan Taylor, who 30 carries for 188 yards and a touchdown in the game, was not on the field, presumably because of a foot / heel / ankle / lower leg injury sustained / reaggravated late in the game. Instead the ball went to Goodson, who didn’t have a single carry or catch before that play. So maybe, as Joe Buck pointed out during a postgame appearance on SportsCenter, that’s just sports.