INDIANAPOLIS — There are gut wrenching ways to lose and then there is this.

The writers who come up with the torture scenes for Homeland could not have envisioned a more excruciating way for the Houston Texans to blow homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.

How about giving up a 101-yard kickoff return the very next play after finally taking the lead? How about allowing Andrew Luck to turn a third-and-23 into a 70-yard touchdown dagger?

The Texans did both in a matter of minutes in the second half at their personal house of horrors — and now their playoff road is almost sure to get much, much harder.

Colts 28, Texans 16. Sound taps on the season?

Houston (12-4) pummels to the third seed in the AFC as both Denver (13-3) or New England (12-4) easily win their late afternoon games to grab both of the coveted first round byes.

Now, Gary Kubiak's reeling team must open the playoffs in just six days at Reliant Stadium against the sixth seed Cincinnati Bengals (10-6). Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

And if the Texans win? They will be playing at No. 2 seed New England in round two.

So much for the road party in Indy. So much for history. So much for anyone believing in this team.

Even after Deji Karim returned a kick 101 yards for a touchdown, the Texans had a chance. Down only five points, they forced Luck and the Colts offense into a third-and-23.

So what happens? Luck hits rookie receiver T.Y. Hilton down the middle and Johnathan Joseph and Quinton Demps both miss chances to tackle him. There's your 70-yard kick to the heart.

Fumbles and bumbles

The Houston Texans weren't just getting beat by the Indianapolis Colts, threatening to add a new cruel chapter to their woes in this city. They were getting desperate.

Down 14-6 to the Colts, knowing they need a win a secure a bye and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, the Texans put starting safety Danieal Manning in on special teams, having the former elite returner return a kick for the first time this season.

It wasn't a bad idea. The Texans were desperate for any type of spark.

But like most things Gary Kubiak's team tried, it didn't work. Manning could only bring the ball out to Houston's 13-yard line, Matt Schaub and the offense quickly went three and out and rookie Keshawn Martin went back to returning the next several kicks.

That's how it went in a first half marked by missteps, mistakes and missed opportunities. The Texans committed five penalties, converted only one third down and produced only 123 yards of total offense in the first 30 minutes of football.

Arian Foster only managed 23 yards on eight carries. Schaub under threw a deep ball and watched it get picked off and returned to the Houston 30-yard line to set up a Colts field goal.

It's like Indianapolis came out flying, powered by the emotional return of coach Chuck Pagano, who'd missed three months undergoing leukemia treatments. And the Texans . . . well, they barely even came out.

Then, the second half started and the Texans started marching down the field. The first drive of the second drive resulted in a Houston touchdown, thanks to critical third down conversions by Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter and Foster's 13-yard sprint into the end zone.

That was the Texans' first touchdown in nine quarters of football. The Texans would take the lead on their next drive too, even if it bogged down into a field goal attempt.

Suddenly, Houston led 16-14. Surely, everything was righted now. Right?

Not quite. Not by a long jolt.

Karim — a 26-year-old journeyman who only played in two of the Colts' first 15 games — took the next kickoff right back up the middle 101 yards for a touchdowns. He would not be touched by a single Texan.

Pagano was jumping up and down on the sideline and Chuck Strong was more than a hashtag and phrase to put on signs all over Lucas Oil Stadium.

And the Texans troubles are more than real.