Here’s the Real Reason Why the Texans Beat Colts

The Houston Texans narrowly defeated the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

Kade Kimble | Sep 10, 2024

Aug 17, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans watches play against the New York Giants in the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

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The Houston Texans secured a 29-27 victory over the Indianapolis Colts during Week 1 -- defeating a division rival on the road to open the season. To kick off a second year under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the Texans were able to secure a sound win, despite a close score.

With an offense led by second-year star quarterback C.J. Stroud, the Texans are going to be able to put points on the board. He's been equipped with a set of weapons any quarterback in the league would be happy to have.

Houston running back Joe Mixon made his debut with the franchise during Week 1, where he was able to absolutely dominate. He had 30 carries for 159 yards and one touchdown score. Averaging 5.3 yards per carry, Mixon played a key role in the Texans dominating the time of possession against the Colts.

Ryans understands how crucial dominating the ball was to the team's victory, the defense was able to stay fresh and the offense benefitted from that.

“When it comes to the time of possession, I was really pleased with how we were able to control the game from that perspective," Ryans explained. "From holding the ball for 40 minutes is really indicative of running the football and playing physical upfront, controlling the football game, that is how you want to play. I was very proud of our offense to be able to do that."

The offense dominating the time of possession was crucial for the Texans, as the defense was able to stay fresh, but also the Colts had some huge plays that, had they had more opportunities, could have really hurt Houston.

"Then defense only being there for 20 minutes, not as many plays but as a defense we can be better. When it comes to first and foremost, eliminating the explosive plays," Ryans continued. "We have to definitely get that off of our tape, we have to definitely communicate better, be where we are suppose to be and drive the field.”

Anthony Richardson and the Colts made some huge plays and were able to score, but Houston holding possession for 40 minutes, compared to the Colts' 20 minutes, helped them fend off Indianapolis and secure a victory on the road.

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