Four Colts who need to thrive in Week 8 against the Texans

The Indianapolis Colts are set to travel to Texas to take on the current leaders of the AFC South: the Houston Texans. The upcoming game is a big one for both teams; the Texans will be looking to expand their lead over the Colts, whom they are ahead by just one game. The Colts, meanwhile, are hoping to expand their current two-game winning streak, and upset the narrative that the Texans will win the division, without any other team even having a chance to be competitive.

Yet the Texans will be a formidable opponent against the Colts. They're coming fresh off a loss to the Green Bay Packers, and their best wide receiver -- Nico Collins -- is out, which has seriously limited quarterback C.J. Stroud's game. Even with those things working against them, though, it will surely be a tough game and the Colts will need to be at the top of their game. And this is especially true for three players in particular.

Zaire Franklin

Colts fans are breathing a sigh of relief to know that DeForest Buckner is on his way back - but there's no guarantee that he'll be on the field this Sunday. And in his absence, it will be more important than ever for linebacker Zaire Franklin to do his absolute best against the Houston offense.

Franklin has been a league-leader in tackles throughout his career, and has made incredible plays this season, despite the Colts' ongoing struggles - particularly on defense. Franklin has been the leader this defense needs, and they will need him more than ever Sunday. The Texans offense is lethal, and Franklin will be a key figure in keeping them from gaining momentum

Anthony Richardson

Was there any doubt that the Colts' controversy-riddled QB would be on this list? One of the biggest issues Richardson has is his consistency; he has occasional flashes of brilliance, and then doles out plenty of disappointment. In the second half of the game against the Dolphins, Richardson's ability to break tackles was on full display, as well as his run game. Those are both great weapons, but Richardson will need to do more.

Richardson has yet to complete over 50 percent of his passes, and he's had a turnover of some sort in every single game. (Against the Dolphins, he didn't throw an interception, but fumbled a bobbled snap.) The Texans are ranked seventh in the league in defensive EPA per play, and they will surely use the blitz often on Richardson, as the Dolphins did. Richardson was able to mostly adjust last week, but the Texans' defense will be much more formidable. He will not only need to be prepared to outmaneuver their defense, but also improve his pass game. We all know that Richardson is an incredible athlete; now, more than ever, he needs to prove that he can be an incredible QB, too.

The Offensive Line

A bright spot throughout the 2024 season has been the Colts' o-line, which has consistently been one of the best in the league. And they'll need to continue to be the best for Richardson this week.

The Texans' defense is counting on their ability to get Richardson flustered, and force him to throw picks. Richardson will need to have time to make good passes, and clear those lanes for good run plays. Fans saw that Richardson could run last week; Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson have also been playing admirably in Jonathan Taylor's absence. The run has been what has kept the Colts afloat so far this season, and the offensive line -- the foundation of the Colts offense -- needs to continue to be spectacular if they want a chance at beating the Texans.

Matt Gay

Matt Gay was responsible for nine of the 16 points the Colts scored against the Dolphins; he clearly had a good game Sunday. Yet previously in the season, he's missed several field goals, and in a game as contentious as the Texans' game will surely be, the Colts can't afford to have that happen again.

A field goal can be the difference between a win and a loss. The Colts defense has improved mightily over the season, and could very well hold the Texans' offense. And with Richardson's inconsistent play, getting to field goal range could be what the Colts offense has to offer. So Matt Gay cannot afford to miss any field goals Sunday. He needs to be reliable and able to perform under pressure, because this high-stakes game very well may depend on it.