Colts-Texans Tilt Could Affect Coach of the Year Battle

After being bumped to a primetime game for Saturday night, the Indianapolis Colts vs Houston Texans could have more on the line than a playoff spot.

When Shane Steichen and DeMeco Ryans were hired in their respective roles as head coaches of the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans, the expectations were pretty low for both squads. Coming off of awful records that resulted in coach firings in 2022 (Indy 4-12-1 and Houston 3-13-1), it’s understandable why nobody saw much happening from either team in 2023.

However, heading into a monster week 18 win-and-in scenario, Steichen and Ryans will face off this year for the second and final time with more on the line than anyone could have imagined. Currently, the Colts hold the seventh seed in the AFC playoff race, and the Texans are right behind them and outside of the picture, with both teams having a 9-7 record.

Given this showdown to decide a Wild Card spot (and potential AFC South champion), there’s a huge accolade possibly on the horizon. Whoever comes out on top at the end of this battle might just be the NFL Coach of the Year. Let’s discuss why.

Indianapolis Colts | Shane Steichen

After heading the Philadelphia Eagles offense that led to a Super Bowl LVII appearance against the Kansas City Chiefs, Steichen was one of the most innovative play callers that was to hit the coaching market.

Luckily for Indianapolis, they would get the dynamic mind.

At first, it was believed that the otherworldly athletic QB Anthony Richarson would head this charge after being picked fourth overall in the draft and lead the team to maybe six or seven victories in 2023. This would still be a vast improvement from the dumpster fire that was the previous season.

But, this wouldn’t be the case, as Richardson would have multiple injuries and, eventually, a season-ending AC joint sprain against the Tennessee Titans in Week 5. In would step backup QB and former Eagle’s passer Gardner Minshew, who is more limited than Richardson but understood Steichen’s game plan better than anyone on Indy’s roster.

But, even with multiple injuries to several key offensive linemen and playmakers throughout the 2023 campaign, Steichen still has the Colts in playoff contention and wins over teams like the Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders. Also, the Colts still sit seventh in the NFL in points per game offensively (23.6) and have been winning with limitations and young names on the roster.

Stars like WR Michael PIttman Jr. and RB Jonathan Taylor have stepped into their respective roles and hardly missed a beat with a backup like Minshew. Pittman has already set career highs in receptions (104), targets (150), and receiving yards (1,108), with Minshew being the whopping seventh QB to throw him the ball in his four-year NFL career.

As for Taylor, he walked into this season with an ankle injury and, while dealing with a few other setbacks, still has 553 rushing yards and seven all-purpose TDs in nine games played. Not to mention, backup runners Zack Moss and Trey Sermon have also had good seasons filling in and helping the committee backfield when needed.

Steichen has brought life back to the Indianapolis franchise that hasn’t been seen in a very long time. Will he be able to will his squad into the playoffs after Saturday night? If he can, he very well might win Coach of the Year. But, there’s someone who stands in his way. That is the Houston leader Ryans, who has made his claim for the coveted award.

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Houston Texans | DeMeco Ryans

Ryans played linebacker for a decade in the league from 2006-2015, with six of his years being with the Texans (four with the Eagles). Through his tenure as a player, Ryans dazzled at times and would grab Defensive Rookie of the Year (2006), Second-team All-Pro (2007), and Pro Bowl (2007 and 2009) honors before he called it a career.

Ryans then coached the defense for the San Francisco 49ers in 2021 and 2022, lighting the NFL ablaze with his aggressive, yet efficient schemes that gave OCs across the league fits. This would lead him back to where it all began, as the next head coach of the Texans in the 2023 off-season.

After acquiring both Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud and Alabama DE Will Anderson Jr. in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the thinking was still that the team would struggle with a defensive-minded leader. However, this has not been the case at all.

Currently, Stroud could be leading the Offensive Rookie of the Year discussions with a solid 299/473 completions for 3,844 passing yards, 21 TDs to 5 Ints. Along with this fantastic feat of coaching, Ryans has also had QBs Case Keenum and Davis Mills fill in for Stroud when he was out with injuries this year. Regardless of having backups and a rookie field general, the Texans are right in the thick of the playoff fight.

Also, defenders like DE Jonathan Greenard (12.5 sacks) and Anderson (7 sacks), along with DT Sheldon Rankins (6 sacks) and a young secondary (S Jalen Pitre and CB Derek Stingley Jr.), have been able to put serious pressure on QBs as of late and cover well. Tack on that, Houston is tied for third in the league in rushing yards allowed per game (88.5), and it sets up a potential offensive vs. defensive guru war on January 6th.

Can Ryans’ defensive mindset and surging young squad weather the storm of Lucas Oil Stadium to clinch the victory? It will undoubtedly be hard for either coach to run away with this one, as it’s probably going to be a photo-finish type of ending.

The Takeaway

There’s not enough room to shine both Steichen and Ryans in one article for what they’ve done as rookie head coaches for their teams. Nobody thought they would be here, yet here they stand.

Steichen has also blossomed players like rookie WR Josh Downs and TE Will Mallory, while Ryans has helped the hugely impactful WR Nico Collins erupt for a campaign nobody foresaw (71 catches for 1,102 receiving yards and 7 TDs) alongside fellow pass-catcher and rookie Tank Dell.

This game will be one of the most important of the entire week 18 slate. It will be a spectacle to watch and could surface the NFL’s best coach of 2023 when it’s at the conclusion on Saturday night.

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