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INDIANAPOLIS -- Andrew Luck and Robert Mathis finally got the Colts out of their funk and back into their playoff groove Sunday. 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. Brandon Workman Red Sox Jersey . The Twins announced Thursday the 28-year-old Albers cleared waivers. He will join the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization. Marco Hernandez Jersey . 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He won 186 votes out of 203 ballots.Charlotte, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera told reporters Thursday that Cam Newton will probably start Sundays game against Cleveland as the quarterback continues to progress well after a recent car accident. Newton took the majority of first-team reps during Thursdays practice, his first full session since injuring his lower back in a two-car accident on Dec. 9. He declared himself pain-free when speaking to the media afterward, though Rivera has yet to make it definitive that Newton would be back under center against the Browns. I dont want to say yes and then suddenly we have a setback, Rivera said. We want to go through the process and make sure we do things the right way. I would say hes on target. He had a good day today. He looked good out there, took the reps he was supposed to.dddddddddddd But were going through the process. He did a few more things, and well evaluate the tape and take a real good look to make sure hes fine. We did some more things with him that we didnt do yesterday, and well increase that again tomorrow to make sure hes really where he needs to be. Then well double-check him on Saturday morning. Derek Anderson filled in for Newton last week against Tampa Bay, throwing for 277 yards and a touchdown to help the Panthers to an important 19-17 win over the Buccaneers. I dont think were worried about who is starting at quarterback. I think were both ready, Newton said. At 5-8-1, the Panthers enter the seasons final two weeks just behind 6-8 New Orleans for first place in the NFC South. ' ' '