Wild Opener

A wild opener came down to the wire, as the Texans unveiled new weaponry and stormed their way to a 29-27 victory at Indy.

This was nip-and-tuck the whole way. Every time you thought the Texans might take control, the Colts came back with another haymaker play to cut the deficit and turn the pressure back up.

There are so many places to focus the attention.

Let's start here – Ka'imi Fairbairn. He hit three field goals from 50 or beyond to keep his team above water. Had he gotten an opportunity in the late-first-half-confusion, you have little doubt he would have drilled that one.

And C.J. Stroud had a QB rating of over 115, throwing two touchdown passes, and somehow was very much another part of an ensemble cast that got the job done. The Texans are blessed to have one of the best signal callers in the NFL and it should never be taken for granted.

New Names Shine

Now let's get to the new guys.

Joe Mixon tied a career high with 30 carries on his way to a 159-yard afternoon, including a TD. Stefon Diggs caught two touchdown passes in his welcome-to-the-Texans party. Rookie Calen Bullock had a pick, as part of a defense that held Jonathan Taylor below 50 yards, his lowest output against Houston.

Anthony Richardson is raw, explosive and extremely dangerous. The deep ball damage was disturbing. He ended up outrushing Taylor, and his late TD made the final moments an unwelcome pressure-cooker.

Nico's Stellar Catches

Perhaps the biggest play of the game was C.J. hitting Nico Collins on the sideline to get a first down, before Mixon could kill the clock. Nico was fantastic, with 117 yards on six receptions, including a 55 yarder, through a double team, to set up the first H-Town touchdown.

This one had so many twists and turns. It was basically what you'd expect from two teams who know each other well and were hungry to get a jump start in the division.

The afternoon could have turned the wrong way many times. The Texans had to shake off a blocked punt, the first since 2014, and four sacks on Stroud, who had only won once before when the squad gives up four or more.

Now, the Bears come calling. They rallied to beat Tennessee. The Jaguars led Miami but fell. Houston is 1-0 in the division – nothing to throw a parade about but it extends an AFC South road win streak that goes back to 2021 – nine straight.

There's plenty to clean up - The late first half clock evaporation, the special teams error, the big plays by Richardson. But the fact that the team kept fighting and executed at the moment of truth, speaks volumes about their hard work and resilience.