Indianapolis Colts | 5 Keys to Defeating Houston Texans

The Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans are prepared to battle in a high-stakes NFL season opener.

Indianapolis Colts safety Ronnie Harrison Jr. (48) runs Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) out of bounds on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, during a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. / Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Indianapolis Colts will defend Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, September 8th against the defending AFC South champion Houston Texans. With an exciting matchup on tap, it's time to look into five keys for Indianapolis in week one if they want to break the curse of losing in the debut game.

Pressure C.J. Stroud

Aug 17, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) in action during the game against the New York Giants at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Arguably the most important goal for the Colts’ gameplan on Sunday, they must apply consistent pressure to Texans QB, C.J. Stroud. Looking back to the week two matchup between Indy and Houston in 2023, the Colts sacked Stroud six times and applied constant pressures. While he still completed 30/47 passes for 384 yards and 2 scores, he was running from defenders all day and getting disrupted with his timing.

If Indianapolis wants to slow down a potent offense like Houston’s, it all starts up front defensively by getting to the field general. While the turnovers aren’t likely with how well Stroud takes care of the ball, Indy can still limit his impact by ruining the pocket and forcing quicker decisions.

Limit Nico Collins

Jan 20, 2024; Baltimore, MD, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) runs the ball against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens (21) during the second quarter of a 2024 AFC divisional round game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

It’s simple with this entry, Texans receiver Nico Collins is a league-wide WR1, and Indy knows all too well why. Through both games in 2023, Collins was fantastic, grabbing 16 catches for 341 receiving yards and 2 TDs against Indy. If the Colts have a shred of defeating Houston on Sunday, they cannot allow Collins to continue destroying their secondary.

The bad news is Collins did massive damage in the second matchup without Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell, both of whom will be ready to rock on Sunday for the Texans. Gus Bradley has to be ready for #12, or it will be another 8+ catches with 100+ yards and a score (or more) from Collins. Indy's young corners JuJu Brents and Jaylon Jones will see plenty of him during the divisional gridiron battle.

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A Heavy Workload for Jonathan Taylor (Ground Game)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) hands the ball off to running back Jonathan Taylor (28) during a preseason game Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. / Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

For the Colts to win, they’ll need a lot from running back Jonathan Taylor and the ground attack. While quarterback Anthony Richardson will be a factor as well, Taylor will handle the majority of the rushing duties. While Taylor didn’t play in the first matchup last year, he ran over Houston in the second.

Despite losing in week 18, Taylor shined with 30 carries for 188 rushing yards and a 49-yard touchdown. This was with Gardner Minshew, not Richardson. If Indianapolis can establish a ground rhythm early, Houston may have too much to handle from the QB-RB duo, with Taylor potentially blowing up DeMeco Ryans’ game plan.

Remember Week 2, 2023 Victory

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) moves with the ball Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, during a game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. / Hali Tauxe/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

While Indianapolis dropped their second meeting in week 18 last year (23-19), they dominated the initial matchup earlier that season. A few things to remember from that game are the pass rush and Richardson’s dominance through two quarters. As mentioned earlier, 6 sacks were absorbed by Stroud, but Richardson also scored 2 rushing touchdowns without breaking a sweat before exiting with a concussion in the second quarter.

If the Colts can implement Richardson’s ground abilities and get a good performance from notables like DeForest Buckner, Laiatu Latu, and Kwity Paye, they have a good chance to take this first meeting between division rivals.

No Missed Field Goals

Aug 22, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Indianapolis Colts kicker Spencer Shrader (3) kicks a field goal against the Cincinnati Bengals in the second half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Since it appears that Colts kicker Matt Gay won’t suit up on Sunday due to a hernia, backup Spencer Shrader likely will be tasked with the job. The downside for Indianapolis is this contest will probably come down to the kicking units in crunch time. Making it possibly one of the worst times for Gay to miss a game.

Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn is one of the best in the NFL and finished 2023 with 27/28 on field goals (96.4%), so if it comes down to the wire, Fairbairn has the advantage. There’s also the low probability that a ‘kicker’s delight’ matchup takes place, in which case Fairbairn also has the advantage. Either way, the Colts hope that Shrader is needed only for extra points for scoring purposes in an important game.

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