Colts: 3 Good, 3 Bad in Win Over Texans

The Indianapolis Colts played a solid game all-around en route to a 31-20 victory against the Houston Texans. However, there are still areas to smooth up despite their first win of 2023.

The Indianapolis Colts notched their first win under both Shane Steichen and Anthony Richardson on Sunday against the Houston Texans by a score of 31-20.

With the first win for Indianapolis this year in the books, it’s time to jump into three goods and bads for the Colts from their second divisional match of the year.

The Good - Shane Steichen and Gardner Minshew

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Steichen made solid play calls despite the Colts losing Richardson to a concussion early in the contest. Even though the rookie quarterback exited the game, Gardner Minshew stepped in and played efficiently, operating Steichen’s game plan perfectly.

Minshew would tally 19-of-23 completions for 171 yards and a touchdown toss to Kylen Granson. While Minshew may not be as dynamic of a runner or deep ball passer, he is safe and reliable. He’s also in his third season of Steichen’s offense, spending 2021-2022 with the Philadelphia Eagles.

It’s not a fun thought that Richardson self-reported his symptoms of a concussion and had to leave the game, but the silver lining is that the Colts may have the best backup QB in the league and a coach who knows his skills and tendencies every step of the way.

The Bad - Darrell Baker Jr.

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The cornerbacks for the Colts couldn’t stop Texans receiver Nico Collins from dominating the passing share, grabbing 7 catches for 146 yards and a touchdown. Fellow pass-catchers Tank Dell (7 catches for 72 yards and a touchdown) and Robert Woods (6 catches for 74 yards) would also play solid with C.J. Stroud. While the entire secondary could be looked at to improve, Kenny Moore II played great and is an outlier for this entry.

However, it was Darrell Baker Jr. who was exposed by the Texans receiver corps more than anyone. Baker is a player who has worked hard to get his starting defensive snaps and showed out during training camp and the preseason. His momentum came to a halt Sunday afternoon at NRG Stadium. The worst play was a brutal missed tackle that led to a Dell walk-in touchdown.

While the team snagged a win and the stop troops of Gus Bradley played solid as a whole, Baker will need to reassess things ahead of a far tougher matchup against the Baltimore Ravens waiting.

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The Good - The Defensive Front

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Yet again, the defensive front for Indianapolis played lights out. This time, the line alone would grab 5 sacks; with Kwity Paye, DeForest Buckner, Samson Ebukam, Taven Bryan, and Jake Martin each grabbing one.

Not to mention, they would stuff the Texans' ground game (26 carries for 52 rushing yards), forcing the rookie Stroud to throw 47 passes on the day.

If this group continues to play this way, they could establish the entire defense while being a top-10 unit in the NFL. Look for this momentum to be valuable going against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in the next contest.

The Bad - The Penalties

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Whether it was offensively or defensively, the Colts racked up many penalties that ultimately wouldn’t cost them the game. This time.

On the day, the team would have eight penalties for 42 yards. While they still got the victory, this has to be curbed now in the earlier part of the season while it still can be.

Teams that accumulate this many penalties typically don’t pull out wins at a high rate. Look for these to be cleaned up for Indianapolis with Steichen preferring for his squad to be sharp and on point.

The Good - Kylen Granson

Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

The Colts' tight end group is still missing their number-one player, Jelani Woods. Even though Woods is currently rehabbing a hamstring injury, the tight end room didn’t miss a beat against the Texans.

While both Mo Alie-Cox and rookie Will Mallory had contributions, it was Granson who continued to show that he deserves more targets and playing time, even when Woods makes his return.

He would put up 3 catches for 16 yards, which isn’t the most vibrant stat line. But, he would get his first career touchdown reception and is gaining trust in Steichen’s offense. He’s also a solid target for each QB that has played (Richardson and Minshew).

Granson’s momentum could continue to carry him as he finds rhythm in an offensive scheme that seems to fit his skills perfectly.

The Bad - Injuries (Concussions)

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Both QB Richardson and former Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly had to exit the contest due to concussions.

It ultimately didn’t lead to many obstacles since Minshew and Wesley French filled in admirably, but it’s not a good sign when two of the biggest pieces for the offense have to leave due to potential brain injury. Richardson would report to the coaching staff that he wasn’t feeling right a few drives after he would score his second TD and take a big spill in the end zone, landing on the back of his head.

Richardson was teeing off until he departed from the game, putting up 6-of-10 completions for 56 passing yards and 3 carries for 35 rushing yards and 2 scores. Kelly was playing solid and blocking well on all fronts, putting together a united and efficient performance with the rest of the offensive line.

The hope is that these concussions are minor and won’t linger. The Colts did win this time with Minshew and French, but they don’t want to make a habit of not having Richardson and Kelly as better competition comes to face the offense across the line of scrimmage than the Texans had.

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