Texans Must Be On 'A-Game' vs. Colts Rookie QB Anthony Richardson

Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson has already proven to be a tough match for his opponents, which has drawn the attention of the Houston Texans.

HOUSTON — The Houston Texans are in the midst of preparing for their first battle against Anthony Richardson as an AFC South rival. But coach DeMeco Ryans already understands the challenges Richardson will bring Sunday at NRG Stadium. 

"He can sling the football – does a really good job there," Ryans said. "I think he’s a young kid who shows a lot of potential and we have to be on our ‘A-game. He does a really good job of creating plays on the move, he can get out of the pocket, and scramble. He’s a very big, strong guy."

The Texans' Week 2 contest against the Indianapolis Colts will mark Richardson's second career game. 

The Colts dropped their season opener 31-21 to the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium despite an impressive debut from Richardson. He finished the game completing 64.8 percent of his passes for 241 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He used his legs to find the end zone on a two-yard run early in the second quarter.

Richardson showcased the skill set that encouraged the Texans to hold an informative meeting with the former Florida prospect at the NFL Combine. The encounter in March was with general manager Nick Caserio. It was held to give the Texans a chance to get acquainted with Richardson as a person.

Ryans studied Richardson during the pre-draft evaluation. He described the former Florida prospect as a "very talented kid" while acknowledging that his defense must sustain their SWARM defensive philosophy.

C.J. Stroud will not be responsible for slowing down Richardson. But as one of his peers since high school, Stroud has an idea of what makes Richardson a difficult opponent.

"All of the physical traits pop out, but to me, he can sling the ball around," Stroud said. "He really has a great deep ball, he’s very accurate in the RPO game. He drives the ball really well, and of course, he’s very athletic and he’s hard to bring down. He’s built in a lab, so you’ve really got to be on your ‘A-game,’ because he’s going to bring it every time."

Richardson embodies the dual-threat quarterback of the modern day, throwing for 2,549 passing yards and 17 touchdowns for the Florida Gators in 2022. He also rushed for 654 yards and nine touchdowns.

His experience as a rookie is far from the MVP-caliber status the Texans faced against Lamar Jackson during their Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. But Ryans believes their season-opener gave his defense the blueprint on how to contain a quarterback who can beat teams using their arms and athleticism.

The Texans did a good job containing Jackson in Ryans' eyes. Will Anderson Jr. helped limit Jackson to a mediocre performance of 169 passing yards at M&T Bank Stadium. Anderson believes the Texans must replicate the rushing attack that led to four sacks on Jackson while holding the former league MVP to 38 yards on the ground.

"They are similar as running quarterbacks," Anderson said. "It is about keeping him contained, making sure that the offensive line is in his lap and that he is not escaping. We have to make sure we are all rushing together and that is the biggest thing."

Each time Richardson steps onto the field at NRG Stadium, Ryans said it will take multiple guys to bring him down while sticking to the fundamentals and rules of their defense.

Slowing down Richardson will give Houston its first win of the 2023 campaign. But a victory against the Colts will give the Texans a chance to open the next chapter of their divisional rivalry against Indy on a positive note.