Although Sunday's win over the Colts may not have been the most exciting win of the season at NRG Stadium, it was darn close.
Suffice to say, this win had a LOT of drama, that's for sure. When it was all said and done, the Texans left NRG Stadium with their third straight win over the Colts. It's also just the second time in 22 years that the Texans have won three straight over Indianapolis (2nd game of 2015 and both games in 2016). It was also the fifth win/tie in six outings against Indianapolis and the first win at NRG over the Colts in five years. There is so much to discuss, so let's get my Harris Hits cranked up…RIGHT…HERE.
1) I'm going to start with our quarterback, Mr. C.J. Stroud. Stud. Gamer. Leader. After the passing game struggles of last week, Stroud stepped up to the podium during the week and took the responsibility of a passing game that produced a career low 86 yards against the Green Bay Packers. In the first half, the struggles continued as Stroud took hit after hit, throwing the ball. But he never wavered. He kept dropping back to pass, making one key throw after another in the second half. The Throw to Hutch. The Throw to Metchie. He never lost confidence, got better protection and HE delivered. He took care of the football, while the quarterback on the other side didn't. He is the leader this team has not only wanted, but NEEDED. It wasn't perfect, but I wanted to start with Stroud because there were so many reasons to give up: too many hits, too much pressure, but he never did and led this team to a much-needed win.
2) He also had help in the form of RB Joe Mixon. I don't know the last time a Texans RB dominated games like Mixon has in his first four complete contests of the season. In every game he's started and finished, he has run for 100+ yards, including the 102 yards he ran for on Sunday. But, beyond the yards and the receptions, it's the mindset. It's the ATTITUDE that he runs with every time he touches the ball. It's the leadership he shows on the sideline, pumping up both the offense and the defense before battle. The 14-yard TD run in the second quarter…wow. Here's how it went…
2nd quarter
10:11 remaining
Colts leading 10-3
1st and 10
+14 yard line
Man, Joe Mixon was ridiculously good again on Sunday and this run for a touchdown was the best of the day. What I love about this run was that this was the exact same concept that the Texans ran against the Packers that was one block away from being a touchdown in the fourth quarter. This time, though, it was a touchdown. It was a split zone play with zone blocking to the right with TE Cade Stover "splitting the backside" to the left side. WR Stefon Diggs went in motion to the left side just as the ball was snapped and Stover followed him. Mixon took the handoff to the right side and as the line walled off the interior guys, LG Jarrett Patterson started up to the linebacker level. He stumbled on his way to E.J. Speed but in so doing, he laid the perfect cut block on Speed and that one block opened the way for Mixon to cut that zone run back. (Unfortunately, because Patterson lost his balance, he couldn't brace himself and his head hit Speed's knee - that resulted in an unfortunate concussion for Patterson, who missed the rest of the game) Then, Mixon put on a show, fighting off any and all defenders in white jerseys, POUNDING the ball into the end zone for a much needed TD. I mean, MAN'S RUN…Kyle Brandt get the Scepter ready.
The fact that he went into the end zone standing up was unreal. He just seems to get better as the game goes on. He is quickly establishing the identity of the offense with his run success.
3) When WR Stefon Diggs went out of the game with a knee injury, it meant the Texans two top pass catchers - Diggs and Nico Collins - would not be available over the second half. I was a bit worried, but the Young Guns - Xavier Hutchinson, John Metchie III (and Tank Dell, of course, but focused on X and John here)- came up with a pair of HUGE catches.
4) The Texans had a 17-10 lead to start the third quarter and eventually got the ball back at their own 8-yard line. After Mixon was tackled for a 6-yard loss, the ball sat at the Texans 2-yard line, 98 yards from paydirt. Mixon ran for ten yards to create a third and six from the Texans 12-yard line. An incompletion and P Tommy Townsend would punt from his own end zone. But Stroud threw a laser across the middle to Hutchinson who LAID out to make the BRILLIANT catch for a first down. Five plays later, K Kai'mi Fairbairn nailed a 35-yard field goal to give the Texans a 20-10 lead.
5) Then, on the first official play of the 4th quarter, the Texans faced a 2nd-and-19. I described how Metchie (and Stroud) made a huge play to keep a field goal play alive.
4th quarter - 1st play of the quarter
15:00 remaining
Texans leading 20-13
2nd and 19
+49 yard line
After a rough start to the drive, the Texans put 11 personnel on the field, with two receivers to the left side - John Metchie III and Tank Dell - on second down. The lone TE Dalton Schultz lined up in the backfield to help in protection and WR Xavier Hutchinson lined up in a condensed split to the right side. RB Dare Ogunbowale and Schultz both shot to the flat immediately. Stroud got a little late pressure so he rolled to his right as Metchie III ran the deep over route toward the Colts sideline. As C.J. neared the Colts sideline, he eyed Metchie III working his way into the void in the Colts zone. Stroud let loose just before he took a shot and BRILLIANTLY layered a throw to Metchie III, who made a great catch for a huge first down. GREAT THROW. GREAT CATCH. FIRST DOWN. The Texans kicked a field goal a few plays later to take a ten point lead 23-13.
6) Hutchinson and Metchie combined for just four catches for 48 yards, but the catches were KEY at KEY points throughout this KEY matchup.
7) The Texans offense wasn't perfect, but from the 0:23 mark of the second quarter to the 2-minute warning, strung together some quality drives. Touchdown, field goal, field goal and had there not been a fumble, another field goal or touchdown over those four drives. That fumble was a killer, but it could've been a fourth straight scoring drive.
8) In the second quarter, Texans S Eric Murray had his third pass breakup and our pal Andre Ware said "This might be the best game I've seen Eric Murray play!" As one of the longest-tenured Texans on the roster, Murray has seen it all. He's never wavered and continues to find ways to make plays. He led the team with those three pass breakups, all of which shut down early Colts drives. He was great.
9) The Danielle Hunter-Will Anderson Jr. combination pass rush is living up to every single ounce of hype that was generated after Hunter signed to play in his hometown of Houston. They combined for ten tackles, three sacks, three TFL, four QB hurries and one fumble recovery. It was another big-time game for the two rushers. Ferocious. That's the way that I'd describe the way that they rush, the panic they create and the attitude with which they hunt the QB.
10) DL Denico Autry is starting to get his feet under him too and that's going to be an issue for teams going forward. He had a pass batted down and a QB hurry on the day.
11) DL Tim Settle continues to rack up sacks. He was credited with a sack as he threw Anthony Richardson to the ground before the Colts QB could get the ball out of his hand. As I was walking upstairs to the Texans office, I passed Settle in the hallway and he was describing what pass rush move he used to get to Richardson. I love Settle, he's so refreshingly honest and forthcoming…and he's been playing at a high level the past week.
12) It was GREAT to see Devin White running around the field in a Texans uniform. I thought for his first action as a Texan it couldn't have gone much better. He had three tackles, was a huge factor in the blitz and spied on Richardson at various points in the game too.
13) The play of the day, though, was actually a 2-play sequence before the end of the half. Here's how I described it in my Big Play Breakdown article.
2nd quarter
0:34 remaining
Game tied at 10
3rd and three
-11-yard line
On the first play of the last Colts series of the half, Anthony Richardson threw out to the left flat, seemingly never seeing rookie Kamari Lassiter jump in front of his receiver. But, Lassiter just couldn't come up with the pick. MAN, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN HUGE! The Colts ran Jonathan Taylor for seven yards, setting up a third and three. During the broadcast, Andre Ware and I thought exactly the same - they're not to take a chance, backed up. Here comes QB Draw. I was absolutely CONVINCED that it was coming when the Colts came out in empty. But, on the snap, Richardson dropped to throw. I nearly choked on my gum…well, if I had some, I would've. The Colts had five eligible receivers on the play and they ran hitches to the first down marker. The Texans played zone with the five underneath defenders, jumping all the hitch routes. The coverage was pretty sticky but Richardson still cocked to throw to slot WR Josh Downs. However, Texans nickel Jalen Pitre read it perfectly and darted in front of Downs. He snatched the pass for his first interception since his rookie year and then started running for the end zone. He eventually got tackled at the seven yard line which led to…
2nd quarter
0:23 remaining
Game tied at 10
1st and goal
+Seven-yard line
On the first play after Pitre's interception, the Texans went for the throat immediately. They put 11 personnel on the field with RB Joe Mixon to QB C.J. Stroud's left side. TE Dalton Schultz lined up with Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell in a clustered bunch to the right side. Diggs ran up the middle of the field to clear out, while Dalton Schultz ran a whip route back to the inside. Tank, though, ran up the field to the back of the end zone and took a right to the back pylon. He had a step on the Colts DB. Stroud moved up in the pocket and then eyed Tank working the back line. Just as he took a hit from Colts DT DeForest Buckner, Stroud threw for Tank at the back of the end zone. Tank went up over Colts DB Samuel Womack, made the grab and two tapped the feet for a massive touchdown to take a 17-10 lead. The Stadium went NUTS when he made that catch!
14) I was so happy to see Dell make that catch in the end zone. In fact, both Pitre and Dell had an interception and a touchdown reception, respectively, in their hands in Green Bay, but neither could hang on to those throws last week. This week? Much different story. What a huge 2-play sequence to turn the momentum of the game.
15) After I wrote the Big Play Breakdown, I read the quotes from the podiums and Colts QB Anthony Richardson admitted that he actually checked into that pass play, the all-hitch route. Pitre made him regret that decision immediately.
16) In two games against the Texans defense in 2024, Richardson completed 19 of 51 passes (37.2%) and sacked seven times.
17) That got me thinking…this Texans defense held Buffalo QB Josh Allen to 9-of-30, a 30% completion rate at NRG Stadium. So the past two games at NRG Stadium, QBs have completed 19 passes on 62 attempts (30.6%). WHAT? That's ridiculous.
18) So, let's take this note a little further. Bears QB Caleb Williams completed 62.2% but was sacked seven times in the SNF win. Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence completed just 54.5% of his passes at NRG. So, the Texans have faced four quarterbacks at NRG Stadium to date in the 2024 season.
Lawrence - 18-of-33 169 yards, one sack
Richardson - 10-of-32, 175, one INT, five sacks
Williams - 23-of-37, 174 yards, two INT, seven sacks
Allen - 9-of-30, 131 yards, one sack
60-of-132
That's an impressive average of…
45% completion for 162 ypg and 3.5 sacks per game…in four games at NRG Stadium this year, thusfar. The challenge increases tenfold when the Lions come to town, but we'll worry about that next week.
The Jets are next…very quickly. See ya on Thursday night, everyone!
