The Indianapolis Colts lost to the Houston Texans 20-16 on Sunday, falling second in the AFC South. Early in the contest, Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner left with a non-contact leg injury. He spoke with the media afterwards, confirming that he avoided an Achilles injury.

“I think it's like a strain,” Gardner said, per Stephen Holder of The Athletic. He then said that he wasn't fearing or thinking about an Achilles injury as he was down on the ground. He was alone in that mindset, as Colts fans feared the worst for their trade deadline pickup. Undoubtedly, Game 7 of the NBA Finals played in their minds as Gardner lay on the turf.  According to Joel A. Erickson of the Indiapaolis Star, Gardner left the locker room on crutches.

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The Colts are still in the thick of the AFC playoff race even after falling out of the division lead. Trading for Gardner was a win-now move, and losing him from their defense is a massive loss. Even playing the second half on Sunday without their top cornerback cost them a valuable win in the division race.

The Colts have lost three of their last four and hit the road for two huge games coming up. They face the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are also 8-4 on the season and have jumped Indy in the standings. After that, the high-flying Seattle Seahawks are on the schedule. Without Gardner, those tough games would get even harder. Even the best-case scenario does not guarantee his presence next week.

The Colts are already dealing with injuries on the offense, including to Daniel Jones. The quarterback played through a broken fibula on Sunday, throwing for 201 yards. For the Colts to capitalize on this promising season, they have to get into the playoffs. Gardner will be a big part of that down the stretch.