Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is the problem the Houston Texans can't afford to leave unaddressed in Week 3, and head coach DeMeco Ryans knows it.
"This guy here, man, wherever he touches the ball, like everybody has to be prepared. He can cut back and make you pay. So, if you're not disciplined backside with JT, he has such great vision to where he's going to find the open hole," Ryans said on the Houston Stressens podcast.
Taylor is off to a solid start to the season—his team is not. The Colts played well against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, but a loss is a loss, and a 0-2 record isn't how Shane Steichen wanted things to start.
DeMeco Ryans calls Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor virtually unstoppable ahead of Week 3 game
The Indy running back, meanwhile, is tied with Derrick Henry for four rushing touchdowns, leading the league through two weeks. While Taylor hasn't surpassed 100 yards on the ground yet, he's showing exactly why the Colts re-upped with their star rusher this summer for two more seasons. Taylor is great, and he's playing great, which makes the Colts' 0-2 start discouraging.
Speaking of 0-2 starts, the Colts' AFC South rivals, the Houston Texans, haven't fared any better and are also winless. Remarkably, their defense isn't playing well, and it's a major reason they've dropped their first two games. With their first of two tests against the Colts happening this weekend, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans knows exactly who his defense must stop.
Week 3 marks the first meeting of the season between the Colts and Texans. Both teams are looking to record their first win, and Ryans, who has coached the Texans since 2023, knows what his defense must do to slow down the Colts' offense: slow down Taylor.
The Texans' defense has struggled mightily so far this season, allowing 36 points to Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in Week one, and 20 points to Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2. The 20 points against looks a lot better for Houston's defense, but the offense managed just six points, resulting in a 14-point loss.
If there's one bright spot for the Texans' defense, it's that they haven't allowed an opposing running back to hit 100 yards. Taylor could change that on Sunday, and he's come within two and six yards of 100 in each game so far, so he's due.
While Ryan works on finding a way to stop Taylor, the Colts are working to find a way to win. A home win against the Texans would put them a leg up on their division rivals while simultaneously dropping Houston into a massive hole.
Should the Texans' defense struggle again, Taylor could wrap up his first 100-yard game of the season. Even if he doesn't, Colts fans should expect another big game from their star rusher, while Ryans hopes the opposite happens.
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