absolutely had to have at home against the New York Giants. It was not a pretty effort Pierre Desir Color Rush Jersey , with both the offense and defense starting very flat before entering halftime down 17-7. A rousing speech from Andrew Luck and better execution in the 2nd half got them off to a better start and they were able to work their way back from behind and take the lead late. Malik Hooker was able to get the pick to stop the Giants as they drove to attempt to get in range for a game winning field goal. All in all, not a game the Colts will feel fondly about, but one where the result was what they needed. Let’s take a look at some of the winners and losers from this game.WinnersT.Y. HiltonThomas J. Russo-USA TODAY SportsYet again T.Y. Hilton showed up big and helped lead this offense to a win, however ugly. He had two of the prettiest catches I can remember on long passes from Andrew Luck, and made them look plain easy. His 138 yards on 7 receptions pushed him over 1200 yards for the season and makes his 3rd season eclipsing that mark. He has been an absolute warrior for this team, battling through injuries and making himself an indispensable part of the offense for the Colts. Chester RogersIndyStar-USA TODAY NETWORKAs bit as Hilton was, Chester Rogers might have been just as instrumental in the Colts getting a win. His numbers were not nearly as impressive, but his 54 yards on 7 catches came at critical points in the game and helped them move the ball consistently when they seemed to struggle to get in a rhythm. Rogers has been an up and down receiver this season, unable to consistently make an impact with regularity. This game, however, he was perfect, catching everything that was thrown his way, and getting yards after the catch on them all. That was something the offense desperately needed from someone not named Hilton.Malik HookerIndyStar-USA TODAY NETWORKMalik Hooker has gotten a lot of grief this season from some who believed he has been less impactful than he should be. While that gripe has some merit, it also is worth noting that the guy is still not all that far removed from an ACL/MCL tear, and was originally drafted as a single high safety whose production is lessened by his use in the Colts’ scheme. Gripes aside, Hooker had a big game today, because he did what the Colts needed someone, anyone https://www.coltsfanshop.com/Kemoko-Turay-Jersey , to do. He got a takeaway to close out the game. Sure, it was a gimme throw. Hooker didn’t have to make some crazy athletic play to get the ball, he just had to catch it. However, guys drop those all the time, and he did not. This was one the Colts needed in the worst way, and Hooker was the guy who did it. He also had a pass defended and 6 tackles on the day. Not a bad day’s work considering that most of the Giants’ passes went to the flat and relied on yards after the catch. Hopefully we are seeing Hooker beginning to feel more comfortable and like himself, and that will continue to progress as he heals and grows in this scheme.Andrew LuckPhoto by Joe Robbins/Getty ImagesThis game was a tale of two halves for Luck. He made one of the most mind-boggling interception throws I’ve seen him make in the first half. It didn’t take a schooled analyst to see him let the ball go and feel like it was a bad move. When it sailed deep and in bounds, my first thought was that maybe someone had sneaked open and I missed it. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Luck said after the game that it had simply been a bad throw which he had been attempting to throw away. Had the game ended there, it would have been a truly depressing showing.Fortunately, Andrew Luck came out in the second half and did what he is so often able to do. He shook off a bad half of play, pumped up his team with a halftime speech, and came out guns blazing. The result was that he finished 31 of 47 for 357 yards and 2 TDs with just that first interception working against him. It is remarkable how Luck is able to simply shrug off his struggles and move forward, but he consistently does so, and it is what makes this team impossible to count out. Even when they get a bad half of football from Luck, you simply cannot help but think that he has what it takes to bring his team right back. LosersMatt Eberflus (the whole defense really)Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesOne week after his defense pitched a shutout and had his name buzzing as a possible head coach, Eberflus’ defense came out looking unprepared and overmatched by a Giants team that abused them at the seams. Despite Eli Manning having had a season where his age has begun to show, it was clear that the Colts were facing a veteran quarterback.Eberflus started the season rushing four and relying on them to get home without doing much in the way of blitzing. They have been blitzing more over the last several games and finding success that way Anthony Castonzo Jersey , but that was not the case Sunday. Manning seemed to be well prepared for the blitz, the protection held up well, and the Giants abused the Colts in the seams, dumping he ball to Sterling Shephard and Evan Engram who chewed up big yards after the catch. If the defense went into the day with the goal of stopping Saquon Barkley, they did so. The problem was that they failed to limit Engram or Shephard, and both provided more than 100 yards from scrimmage apiece. The defense struggled to get off the field, and greatly missed Clayton Geathers and Anthony Walker.It seemed very much like this defense overlooked the Giants and already had their eyes on the Titans. Eberflus can’t let that effort stand, and I don’t think it is likely that he will tolerate it. Offensive lineThis was one of the poorer performances by the offensive line in recent memory, although the stat line won’t necessarily validate that.Luck was sacked just once, and was hit just 7 times in the game. The reality however, was that this team let pressure dictate the flow of the offense for much of the game, and was unable to get consistent running lanes, with Marlon Mack rushing for just 34 yards. While Ryan Kelly exited the game with a neck injury, that was not the primary reason for their struggles, as the unit was having a hard time across the board from early on. They were saved from an absolutely devastating strip sack that Anthony Castonzo gave up only because T.Y. Hilton was held down the field. This season the offensive line has been making largely a positive impact on the outcome of games. This one was not so great. Let’s hope this was more of an anomaly and that the unit will snap back next week. ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 137 yards and the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, and the Dallas Cowboys hung on for a 24-22 wild-card win over the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night.The playoff win by the Cowboys (11-6) was the first for Elliott and quarterback Dak Prescott on their second try after losing a divisional game as rookies two years ago. Dallas will play either New Orleans or the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round next weekend.The loss ended a run of nine straight victories in playoff openers for the Seahawks (10-7). The Elias Sports Bureau says it was the longest streak in NFL history. Dallas' defense, ranked in the top 10 most of the season Ryan Kelly Color Rush Jersey , mostly kept quarterback Russell Wilson under control and handed him his first loss in four wild-card games.It was the eighth win in nine games for the Cowboys.Prescott, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2016 when the Cowboys lost to Green Bay at home as the top seed in the NFC, threw for 226 yards and had a 1-yard sneak for what appeared to be a clinching score before Tyler Lockett's 53-yard catch set up a quick Seattle touchdown.Wilson's 7-yard scoring pass to J.D. McKissic got the Seahawks within four, and they made it a two-point game on their second 2-point conversion following an injury to kicker Sebastian Janikowski.But the missing kicker left the Seahawks no good options on an onside kick with 1:18 remaining. Punter Michael Dickson's drop kick was caught by Cole Beasley at the Dallas 31, sealing the first playoff win for the Cowboys since beating Detroit in the wild-card round in the 2014 season.COLTS 21, TEXANS 7HOUSTON (AP) — Andrew Luck threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns and Indianapolis raced out to a big lead and cruised over Houston in the wild-card game.Luck put on a show in his hometown, throwing for 191 yards and two touchdowns before halftime to help the Colts (11-6) build a 21-0 lead.Running back Marlon Mack had 148 yards and a touchdown for Indianapolis, which advances to face the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round next weekend.Houston (11-6), which overcame a 0-3 start to win the AFC South, gave up too many big plays and couldn't get anything going on offense in the first half to fall into the huge hole.Deshaun Watson, who was sacked an NFL-leading 62 times in the regular season, was sacked three times and hit eight more times in a disappointing playoff debut. He finished with 235 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception.The Colts, who opened the season 1-5, continued an impressive run by winning their fifth straight and for the 10th time in 11 games. Saturday was their first playoff appearance since the AFC championship game loss at New England in the "Deflategate" game in the 2014 season.