Final Score: Texans 29 Colts 27
What Happened?
The Colts gave the Texans all that they could handle this week in Indianapolis, but it wasn’t enough to avoid a Week 1 loss. In a game that started off slow offensively, QBs CJ Stroud and Anthony Richardson picked things up in the second half. Starting at 5:04 in the 3rd quarter, every single possession ended in a touchdown besides the final one, which concluded with a Stroud QB kneel.
A risky decision by Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans to go for 4th-and-goal with less than 5 minutes left, up by 2 points, was proven correct by a crucial Stefon Diggs touchdown.
In essence, this matchup turned into a shootout. Both offenses looked fantastic by the end of the game. Indy’s offensive line graded out very well on PFF. G Will Fries came 2nd in blocking grade on the week, G Quenton Nelson in 7th, and T Bernhard Raimann in 18th. As this information suggests, the Colts were pretty efficient on the ground, ranking 12th in yards per carry this week. Richardson was especially effective with 6 carries for 56 yards and a touchdown.
Anthony Richardson also drew attention this week with flashes in the passing game. AR had the highest ADOT (average depth of target) in Week 1 (17.3 yards) by a wide margin, mostly thanks to two deep completions to WR Alec Pierce. The distance that the first ball travelled in the air is something that even avid NFL fans don’t see very often. Catching two of these long balls, Pierce was Indianapolis’ leading receiver with 125 yards.
Houston’s offense provided similar performances. Stroud was solid, throwing for 234 yards and adding in 2 touchdowns with no turnovers. WR Nico Collins racked up 117 receiving yards (55 on a bomb from Stroud giving his best Anthony Richardson impression) and Stefon Diggs nabbed 2 TDs in his first game as a Texan. New RB Joe Mixon was a menace in the rushing attack, and will be discussed shortly.
Players of the Game
Joe Mixon
It’s difficult to introduce yourself to a new fanbase in a better fashion than Joe Mixon did on Sunday running for 159 yards on 30 carries. The Texans were one of the worst teams in the league last year from a rushing standpoint, finishing 29th in yards per carry and 22nd in total rushing yards. Thanks to Mixon, they sit at 5th and 1st in those same categories after Week 1, respectively. Mixon was a wrecking ball and put all fears regarding his age to rest. The Texans have added another star to their offense (not that they needed it).
Calen Bullock
I would be remiss to not mention one of Houston’s rotational free safeties, Calen Bullock. The third round rookie made the most of his 25 snaps by finishing 2nd on his defense in both PFF coverage and tackling grade, resulting in him receiving the highest overall PFF grade among his Texans defensive teammates.
The main reason Bullock graded out so well was due to his pivotal red zone interception late in the 1st half. By sprawling out for an errant Anthony Richardson laser beam, Bullock took at least 3 points off of the board for the Colts. In a 2-point victory, that is obviously a huge deal. Bullock is a rookie to watch for this season!
What Does It Mean?
If this game is a good indicator of the rest of the season, it means that the Texans are scary. Most people already expected CJ Stroud to lead a dangerous passing attack with the help of his fantastic wide receiver trio. Last season, the offense ended off the season in a great spot even without WR Stefon Diggs and a very poor rushing attack. Add in Joe Mixon and give the Texans a massive upgrade in the rushing department while also giving the offense another pass catcher in Diggs, and you might have the best offense in the NFL on your hands.
From the Colts’ standpoint, I took this game as a net positive. The team looked good to me; they just lost a game that turned into a shootout against an elite offense. I don’t expect many defenses to hold up for 4 straight quarters against the Texans this year. Anthony Richardson also flashed some insane passing abilities in this game. If anything, Week 1’s tight loss to the Texans encourages me that the Colts could have a bright future ahead of themselves.