Colts Frustrated After Missed Extra Point Review vs Texans

The Indianapolis Colts lost a close 20-16 game at home to the Houston Texans on Sunday. But the talk of the game wasn’t the final score—it was a controversial extra point by Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn that looked like it missed. Fans and players wanted a review, but the Colts couldn’t challenge the play.

Late in the fourth quarter, Texans receiver Nico Collins scored a touchdown. Fairbairn lined up for the extra point, and many in the stadium thought the ball went wide left. But the referee, Clay Martin, signaled it as good.

After the game, Martin explained why the play couldn’t be reviewed: “The calling official had the ball above the upright and completely inside the outside edge of the upright, so he ruled a successful try. Since the ball was above the upright, it’s not reviewable.” In simple terms, NFL rules say the whole ball has to be inside the upright to count, and any kick above the upright cannot be challenged.

That extra point mattered a lot. Because it counted, the Colts had to go for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter instead of just a field goal to tie. They fell short and lost by four points. This loss also ended their perfect home record and gave them their first two-game losing streak of the season. The Colts now have an 8-4 record and are tied with the Jacksonville Jaguars for first in the AFC South.

The Colts also had a missed extra point earlier. Kicker Michael Badgley’s first-quarter attempt looked like it went just over the left post. That miss kept the score close and made the late-game situation even tougher. NFL rules expert Gene Steratore explained that the referees followed the rules correctly: the ball must fully pass inside the upright to be reviewable.

Colts head coach Shane Steichen’s offense, which had been one of the best in the league, has cooled off recently, scoring only 18 points in the last two games. Now, the team must quickly focus on their next matchup against the Jaguars, a game that will be very important for the division lead.

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