Three things the Colts must do to beat the Texans on Sunday
The Indianapolis Colts have a huge opportunity in Week 8: they can not only pull themselves to a three-game winning streak, but they can upset the current leader of their division, the AFC South. Last week, the Colts defeated the Miami Dolphins, but it was a tough game for the struggling Colts.
The Texans will be a much more formidable opponent, and the Colts will need all of their stars to be at the top of their game. The Colts already lost to the Texans earlier in the season, in a heartbreaking two-point loss that had a lot of promising moments from the Colts... and some not-so-great moments, too.
This game will have huge playoff implications; the Texans are widely assumed to be the team who will win the AFC South this season, but with the Colts trailing them by just one game, it's no overstatement to say that this is a must-win game for Indianapolis. And if they're going to win, there are certain things that simply have to happen.
Contain Joe Mixon
The Colts' defense has come a long way since Week 1, which is a good thing, because their run defense, specifically, was abysmal earlier in the season - so much so, fans were calling for Gus Bradley's job. The Texans had over twice the rushing yards the Colts did, the majority of which came from Mixon.
Mixon had 30 carries at 5.3 yards per attempt in Week 1, and one touchdown. He also hasn't slowed down since then; despite losing to the Green Bay Packers, Mixon still had an incredible game, with 25 carries for 115 rushing yards and two touchdowns. If the Colts want to win, they must keep Mixon from running roughshod all over the defense. Despite having improved from earlier in the season, the Colts still have the second-worst-ranked run defense, and on Sunday, they cannot play like it.
Better play-calling for Anthony Richardson
It may seem hard to remember now, but Richardson had a very promising game against the Texans in Week 1. It wasn't perfect, but there were many glimmers of brilliance there, with Richardson leading the team in rushing yards, and throwing multiple monster passes.
Since then, Richardson has struggled with both inaccuracy and injury. Some of that is on Richardson, and some of it is on head coach Shane Steichen, who needs to set his young QB up for success, and not failure. The Texans will surely be placing a lot of pressure on Richardson, and they currently have the fourth-best pass defense in the league. Quick routes will help Richardson here, and Steichen also needs to rely on Richardson's ability to both run and break tackles. They also need to heavily lean on the chemistry he's begun building with wide receivers Alec Pierce and Josh Downs.
Richardson is still young and having a lot of issues, but he also has a lot of innate talent and ability. With the right guidance and coaching, he could have a huge game against Houston - and he'll need to, if the Colts want to win.
Control the clock
In Week 1, Houston had twice the time of possession as Indianapolis did. The Texans had 76 plays, compared to just 43 from the Colts... and yet, they still only won by two points. Imagine if the Colts had held onto the ball for a little longer.
Classic complementary football is what the Colts need on Sunday. The defense will need to contain C.J. Stroud, wide receiver Stefon Diggs, and of course, Mixon. And in return, the offense needs to have long, sustained drives that keep the Texans' offense off the field and from having the ability to score.
If the Colts can do these three things, they stand a good shot of pulling off a massive upset in the AFC South.