The Indianapolis Colts suffered a brutal home loss to the Houston Texans, which now puts the AFC South entirely up for grabs. One of the 20-16 defeat’s most consequential plays came on a missed extra point, which many in attendance thought was through the uprights.
NFL rules analyst Gene Steratore, however, gave a full explanation of why the controversial on-field call was reasonable.
Gene Steratore Explained Why the Indianapolis Colts’ Extra Point Attempt Did Not Count
The Indianapolis Colts are 8-4 amid their first two-game losing streak of the season. Head coach Shane Steichen’s squad was one of the hottest teams in the NFL through most of 2025, ranked No. 1 according to PFSN’s Offense Impact with an impact score of 91.4.
Unfortunately, that unit has come crashing down to earth over the past two games, averaging just 18 points per game, and now the Colts are tied with the Jacksonville Jaguars at the top of the AFC South. In addition, the Texans, who got off to a 0-3 start this year, are 7-5 and set to face their divisional rival again in Week 18.
With a daunting remaining schedule, Jonathan Taylor and company are up against the odds down the stretch, and one of the plays the Colts are going to rue is their missed extra point halfway through the second quarter. Placekicker Michael Badgley, who has made 18 out of 21 extra point attempts this season, saw his kick go right over the left upright to keep the score at just 6-3.
The Colts ultimately lost by four points, but could’ve tied the game late in the fourth quarter if they’d been down only by a field goal. With many fans confused about why the extra point attempt wasn’t counted and wasn’t reviewed, NFL rules analyst Steratore broke down exactly why the referees’ final decision was justifiable.
“First and foremost, because the ball is above the upright, it’s not a reviewable play. And by rule in the NFL, the entire football must be inside the outside edge of the upright. I mean you guys hit it, it’s tough to see right where does it cross that point. But by rule the entire football must be inside the outside edge of the upright,” he said.
The incomparable @GeneSteratore breaks down the XP in Indy pic.twitter.com/KFu2Tgtlzh
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 30, 2025
Overall, the Colts cannot dwell on this result for too long, as they will visit the Jaguars next week for firm control of the AFC South. This group is managing a few key injuries at this point in the regular season, specifically to quarterback Daniel Jones, who is playing on a fractured fibula.
In addition, star cornerback Sauce Gardner had to leave Sunday’s game with a concerning, non-contact calf injury. The Colts still have the upside to win the AFC South for the first time since 2014. That’s the longest drought in the division for a franchise that was a perennial contender throughout the early 2000s.
