3 keys to victory for the Colts against the Texans in Week 2
In the first rookie quarterback showdown of 2023, Anthony Richardson's Indianapolis Colts will go head-to-head with C.J. Stroud's Houston Texans this Sunday. Stroud will be making his home debut for Houston, but Richardson & Co. want to spoil the moment and secure a victory away from home.
Last year's Colts-Texans matchup in Houston ended in a 20-20 tie after a game-winning field goal attempt by former Colts kicker Rodrigo Blankenship missed the uprights in overtime. After that miss, the Colts promptly cut Blankenship and now have invested over $20 million dollars in current kicker Matt Gay.
With both teams rebuilding for a stronger future, this game should be an even battle that can be used as a measuring point for how far each team has developed. Indy and Houston both play physical, hard-nosed football with freak athletes on every side of the ball. Developing a chemistry within the organization is the next step for these teams to make a move in the right direction, and Sunday's game is the perfect starting point to boost team morale.
Indianapolis will look to jumpstart Anthony Richardson's career with a victory in Houston this weekend. The Colts will need to focus on improving certain aspects of the team from their defeat against Jacksonville, and it all starts with the secondary.
3. Limit C.J. Stroud's playmaking ability.
After demonstrating his ability with an explosive offense at Ohio State, the last thing the Colts want to do is let C.J. Stroud catch his rhythm. While the Texans' offense didn't look great last week, the Colts' secondary looked no better. Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley tallied nearly 100 first-half yards in his first game in two years against a young Indianapolis defense.
In the last five years, the Colts have allowed the most random Texans receivers to reach 100 receiving yards including the likes of Keke Coutee, Will Fuller V, and Chad Hensen. Texans pass catchers love to burn the Colts for some reason, so stopping this trend would be a great help for Indy’s chances to win.
Indianapolis safeties Julian Blackmon and Rodney Thomas II will be put to the test this weekend as Stroud wasn't afraid to try the deep ball against Baltimore. The Texans love using wide receiver Nico Collins' 4.4 speed as they try to spread the field against opposing defenses. Indianapolis linebackers will also face a challenge in guarding former Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz as they look to limit Stroud's aerial impact throughout the game.