INDIANAPOLIS -- Andrew Luck and Robert Mathis finally got the Colts out of their funk and back into their playoff groove Sunday. Phil Kessel Authentic Jersey . All they have to do now is keep playing this way. Luck threw two touchdown passes, Mathis broke the Colts single-season and career records for sacks by forcing a safety in the second half and the Colts rolled past Houston 25-3 in their best overall performance in two months. "We needed it," coach Chuck Pagano said. "We talked all week about coming back and even though we had clinched the division, we wanted to start building or gaining some momentum." Houston (2-12) extended its franchise-record losing streak to 12 and fell to 0-12 all-time in Indy. The timing for the Colts late-season turnaround couldnt be better. After losing 42-28 at Cincinnati last week, the Colts (9-5) learned on the bus trip home they had clinched the AFC South title when Denver beat Tennessee. At the time, it looked as if the Colts would be locked into the No. 4 seed and would have little to play for. But with Denver (11-3) losing Thursday night, New England (10-4) losing Sunday at Miami, Indy winning and Cincinnati playing Sunday night at Pittsburgh, the door has cracked just a bit -- if the Colts win their final two games. The problem, from November through Sunday, was that Indy had not played anywhere near well enough to string back-to-back wins together. Over those previous six games, Indy lost three times by at least two touchdowns and was outscored 114-24 in the first halves. Things suddenly changed dramatically. Luck went up-tempo right from the start and used a heavy dose of bubble screens to open things up down the field. It worked well. He finished 19 of 32 for 180 yards with the two first-half TD passes that gave the Colts a 20-3 halftime lead. Indy played without two starting offensive linemen, lost replacement starter Joe Reitz with a concussion on the opening series and lost running back Donald Brown with a stinger later in the first half. "We practice it," Luck said of the decision to go no-huddle early. "We have had some success with two-minute hurry up so its good to come out and do that." The defence forced punts and turnovers and got a safety on Mathis record-breaking sack. Punt returner Griff Whalen even set up a score with a 51-yard return. But the excitement was muted. They still settled for three field goals and Luck was picked off in the red zone when he tried to force a ball into coverage. "We looked like a team that lost 11 in a row playing a good football team," interim coach Wade Phillips said in his first game since Gary Kubiak was fired. "I thought we could compete with them, but we didnt do a good job of that." Most of Houstons problems were self-inflicted, again. Case Keenum was 18 of 34 for 168 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns. Andre Johnson, who needed five catches for another 100-reception, caught four balls for 18 yards. Ben Tate rushed 16 times for 72 yards and was fortunate not to lose a fumble. Houston also finished with 14 penalties, 10 in the first half. "That was bad today," said Keenum, whose fumble was recovered in the end zone by left tackle Duane Brown after Mathis strip sack. "My teammates deserve better, my coaches deserve better. Our fans deserve better." Luck opened the game by throwing a 14-yard TD pass to Whalen for Indys first opening-drive touchdown since Week 3. After Houstons Randy Bullock made a 49-yard field goal, Darius Butler picked off Keenum to set up Adam Vinatieris 37-yard kick. Luck made it 17-3 when he faked another receiver screen, then flipped the ball on a shovel pass to Trent Richardson for a 9-yard score. And after Butlers second interception, Vinatieri made a 43-yard field goal and Indy led 20-3. "We played good football today, kept the mistakes to a minimum and were just able to get after it," Mathis said. "A little bit of stuff here and there we can improve on, but for the most part, good football." Notes: Mathis, the NFL sacks leader, has 16 1/2 this season and 108 in his career. Longtime teammate and close friend Dwight Freeney held the Colts previous marks, getting 16 in 2004 and 107 1/2 in his career. ... Houstons 12-game losing streak is the citys professional football record. ... The Colts have gone 29 consecutive games without back-to-back losses. ... Hall of Fame running backs Eric Dickerson and Marshall Faulk joined Indys Ring of Honor at halftime. Tyler Bozak Jersey . -- The basic role that Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito shared as offensive linemen for the Miami Dolphins was protecting quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Nazem Kadri Maple Leafs Jersey . Agent Mike McCartney confirmed via Twitter on Sunday that Mendenhall had decided to end his playing career after six NFL seasons, all but one of them with the Pittsburgh Steelers.ATLANTA -- Eric Young Jr. is proving hes an important part of the Mets winning formula. Thats especially important with New Yorks outfield about to become more crowded. Young got three hits, stole three bases and scored four times as the Mets overcame Justin Uptons two home runs to beat the Atlanta Braves 6-4 on Thursday night. Young stole five bases in the series as the Mets won two of three from Atlanta. "Hes such a great kid, you root for him all the time, and tonight he showed you he can win games for you," manager Terry Collins said. Young has joined Curtis Granderson and Juan Lagares in the Mets outfield. Chris Young could be moving closer to making his return from the disabled list with a right quadriceps injury. Soon Collins could face difficult decisions in the outfield. "No question about it," Collins said, adding that Eric Young "makes things happen." "We saw it tonight," Collins said. "The guy creates runs." "We talked about it all spring and all winter, what Eric Young brings to the table. When he gets on base he scores runs. He showed it again tonight." Young had two steals in the Mets 4-0 win on Tuesday night. "Anytime you do your job at the top of the lineup, especially with a couple of guys behind me driving me in, its a lot of fun," Young said. The Mets broke a 4-all tie in the seventh. Luis Avilan (1-1) gave up a leadoff single to Daniel Murphy, who scored on a two-out single by Juan Lagares off Gus Schlosser. Murphy drove in three runs with three hits. Carlos Torres (2-0) allowed only one hit in two scoreless innings. Jose Valverde pitched a perfect ninth for his second save. Led by Young, the Mets stole five bases, their highest total since May 28, 2011, against Philadelphia. Young also used his speed to lead off a two-run third inning with a bunt single. "Young scored four runs by himself," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, who added, "that pretty much beat us." Upton drove in three runs with three hits. He had no homers before hiss breakout game.Jonathan Bernier Maple Leafs Jersey. He hit an opposite-field homer in the second inning before his long two-run blast to left field in the third. "Tonight I was just comfortable," Upton said. "The only thing I can do is try to take that same exact feel to tomorrow night and the next day and try to make something of it." Older brother B.J. Upton hit a triple after receiving pregame batting tips from former Braves star Chipper Jones. Justin Uptons second homer gave the Braves a 4-3 lead. Mets starter Jenrry Mejia, obviously frustrated, slapped his mitt and then appeared to throw the glove to the grass. "I just threw my hand up and the glove went out of my hand," he said. Mejia gave up four runs in five innings on six hits and four walks. Atlantas David Hale also had control problems as he gave up four runs, three earned, in 4 1-3 innings on five hits and five walks. The Mets tied the game in the fifth on a leadoff triple by Young and Murphys single. The Mets loaded the bases on two walks by Hale, but reliever Anthony Varvaro struck out Lagares and ended the inning on Travis dArnauds groundout. Ike Davis was 0 for 3 with two walks and a RBI in his start at first base. Collins said Lucas Duda, who had a pinch-hit single in the eighth, is still the starter. Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons was held out with a jammed right wrist. He said he hurt the wrist in a home-plate collision in Wednesday nights game. He is day to day. Ramiro Pena, making his first start of the season, replaced Simmons and had one hit. NOTES: Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, sat near the Braves dugout. ... Hale is Atlantas first starting pitcher to give up more than two runs this season. ... Young was 2 for 2 with two singles in an extended spring game in Port St. Lucie. ... RHP Dillon Gee will be on the mound when the Mets open a weekend series at the Angels, who will start LHP Tyler Skaggs, on Friday night. ... Atlanta RHP Julio Teheran will face Washington RHP Tanner Roark as the Braves homestand continues. cheap jerseys from chinacheap jerseys ' ' '
