INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- For most of the first half, it appeared as though the Indianapolis Colts were sleepwalking after their bye week. Then Peyton Manning and the offense woke up.
Manning threw three touchdowns in a three-minute span late in the second quarter and early in the third as the Colts rallied for a 30-21 triumph over the Houston Texans.
The Colts (6-1), who were coming off a bye after suffering their first loss two weeks ago to Carolina in overtime, trailed, 14-3, before Manning tossed a one-yard touchdown to tight end Marcus Pollard with 1:54 left in the half.
Texans rookie running back Domanick Davis fumbled after being hit by Colts defensive tackle Montae Reagor, and defensive end Raheem Brock recovered the ball at the Houston 23.
"I take responsibility for it," Davis said. "It was in my hands and I fumbled it."
Four plays later, Manning hit receiver Reggie Wayne on a two-yard touchdown after calling an audible to give Indianapolis the lead for good with 15 seconds left in the half.
"It feels good to get a win and get back on the winning track," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "The offense got the job done for us with some really good drives in the second half."
On the second play of the second half, Manning hit Wayne for a 57-yard touchdown on a slant across the middle to make it 24-14, and Mike Vanderjagt gave the Colts a 13-point lead with a 29-yard field goal with 4:34 left in the quarter.
"You put emphasis on all games, but I think in division games, you have to put a little more emphasis on them," Manning said. "You have to dig deep and come up with some different things. You have to make special throws and runs because we're playing for the AFC South. We have the lead right now, and we want to keep it."
Houston pulled within 27-21 with 12:31 remaining when Davis scored on a two-yard run. The score came after Chad Stanley ran for 12 yards and a first down on a fake field goal.
But Vanderjagt added a 22-yard field goal, his third of the game, after a drive consuming 7:15, and Houston was blanked thereafter.
Vanderjagt has made all 18 of his field-goal attempts this season.
"I would like to make 41 (consecutive field goals). The NFL record is 40, I think about it all the time," Vanderjagt said. "Today is the first day I really hit the ball well. It takes a good day like today to get into the groove, and head down to Miami (next week)."
Manning completed 22-of-30 passes for 269 yards, Marvin Harrison had eight catches for 100 yards and Wayne six for 96 and two scores.
"Peyton has been outstanding," Dungy said. "The things and corrections we talk about at halftime he is doing. The thing that is important is he has confidence in a lot of guys. I think what he is doing is running the offense and has confidence his guys will make plays."
Edgerrin James, who had missed three games with a back injury, had 23 carries for 104 yards.
"Anytime you haven't played in a while and then you finally get out there, it's going to feel good," James said. "But you just really never know what to expect. You never know how things are going to happen and how things are going to turn out."
Davis had his second straight 100-yard game, going for 109 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries for the Texans (2-5), who had been outscored, 42-6, in two losses to the Colts last season.
"When you're going through what we're going through, there's only one thing this team can do, and that is fight," Texans coach Dom Capers said. "And we have a bunch of fighters out there. I don't think anything was wrong with our effort today, but our execution wasn't what it needed to be out there at times."
Starting quarterback David Carr was 8-of-9 for 62 yards before leaving the game with a sprained right ankle after throwing a one-yard touchdown to tight end Billy Miller with 4:55 left in the first half. Backup Tony Banks went 12-of-17 for 88 yards and an interception.
"Tony ran the offense the way he was supposed to," Carr said. "I'm happy I have a guy back there where if something like this happens, he can step in and take care of business. It is just unfortunate we came up a little short today."
"David's a warrior, but I know I'm just one play away," Banks said. "I wish him a speedy recovery, but if not, I'll try and help this team win. I'm always hoping I'll get in there, but not because of an injury. If I have to go out there and help this team win next week, I'm prepared to do that."
After Banks replaced Carr midway through the first quarter, the Texans took a 7-3 lead on a 15-yard run by Davis over right tackle 3:46 into the second quarter.
Carr taped up his ankle and went back in the game on Houston's next drive, which culminated in his pass to Miller. But Carr limped off the field after completing the throw and did not return.
"We came out and got out to another fast start where we had a lead, but they have a good offense and they made some great plays," Capers said. "In this game, it's hard to give up the big plays and be able to overcome them, but I thought our guys hung in there and fought and gave it everything they have. And when you do that, you're going to get better."
