Steelers at Colts, 1 p.m. Sunday, CBS

A freak injury is going to cost Henry Anderson the remainder of his third NFL season.

The Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle will soon be placed on injured reserve, according to a league source, after suffering a throat injury in Sunday's win over the Houston Texans. ESPN's Adam Schefter was first to report the news.

Anderson took a severe hit to the throat early in the game from Texans tackle Breno Giacomini, but still managed to stay on the field, lining up for 62 defensive snaps in the Colts' 20-14 victory.

But Anderson, in obvious pain, could barely speak in the locker room after the game. He hoped it'd be nothing more than a speed bump. It turns out, it'll cost him what was becoming a promising season. Schefter reported that Anderson will undergo an operation Friday.

Anderson, after fighting through a torn ACL midway through his stellar rookie season of 2015, finally was starting to play like himself again. He had two sacks in the last three games, and against the Jaguars in Week 7, he had four tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. A week later, in Cincinnati, he totaled seven tackles, had a tackle for loss and blocked a field goal.

It was the best he's played since his promising rookie season in 2015 that was cut short due to an ACL tear in Week 9 against Denver. Much of his second season was spend rebuilding the strength in his knee; he went as far as to grade himself an "F" after the year.

This year, especially lately, had been different. Anderson had been a difference-maker, tied for third on the Colts in sacks through nine games.

In his stead, Indianapolis will likely turn to Margus Hunt at the defensive tackle spot beginning with Sunday's home game against Pittsburgh.

Call Star reporter Zak Keefer at (317) 444-6134 and follow him on Twitter: @zkeefer.

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