The Indianapolis Colts started the season with a draw with the Houston Texans. Here are the players responsible for that outcome.
Unfortunately, the NFL still allows for games to end in a tie. Even more unfortunate is that the Indianapolis Colts finished Week 1 with a tie on their record. After storming back into the game late, the Colts were able to force overtime with the Houston Texans but neither team could score in the extra period and the game ended 20-20.
While Indianapolis didn’t lose, this still extends the streak of not winning a Week 1 game since 2013. As is typically the case with draws, there were some good and bad for both teams. Since winning is the ultimate goal, there was obviously more bad for Indy but there were some bright spots.
Let’s take a look at four Colts players that are responsible for the tie. We’ll highlight two players that did everything possible to keep Indy in the game and also the players that had a Week 1 to forget. Let’s start with the good.
Michael Pittman Jr. played like a true No. 1
Michael Pittman Jr. was one of the few bright spots for the Colts on Sunday. With an extremely inconsistent offense, Pittman played like a true No. 1 receiver in this league and provided stability to Matt Ryan in his first game.
Pittman finished the game with nine receptions for 121 yards and he scored the game-tying touchdown. Anytime Ryan dropped back to pass, Pittman was likely on the opposite end of the attempt. He was targeted 13 times on Sunday, six more targets than the next highest wideout.
Pittman was consistently open and showcased strong hands for the majority of the game. While there’s still a lot of concern about the offense, Michael Pittman Jr. showed that he will be a reliable No. 1 receiver for Indianapolis.