The Indianapolis Colts (0-1) came up short in a 29-27 loss against the Houston Texans (1-0) on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
It was a thrilling roller coaster of a ride throughout the entire game with the largest lead being only nine points. An erratic but explosive day from Anthony Richardson kept the Colts in the game while the defense struggled to generate much push against the Texans offense.
The Colts have now lost 11 straight games in the opening week of the season with their last Week 1 victory coming in 2013.
It was encouraging to see the Colts show some life, but there are still some glaring issues that need to be addressed on both sides of the ball.
Here's everything we know from the Colts' Week 1 loss to the Texans:
Colts vs. Texans game recap NFL Week 1
Final Score: Texans 29, Colts 27
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final | |
| HOU | 6 | 6 | 3 | 14 | 29 |
| IND | 7 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 27 |
Keys to the game
- QB Anthony Richardson was erratic yet electric at times. It was a true roller coaster. He missed wildly on some easy throws and then would make a play that very few quarterbacks can make. Overall, Richardson's explosiveness couldn't outweigh his poor throws, but it's all there for the young quarterback.
- The defensive line was bullied in the run game. They allowed 40 carries for 213 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. Meanwhile, Joe Mixon led the way with 30 carries for 159 yards and a score. It was very discouraging to see them get dominated so easily.
- The secondary remains a major concern. Thought he run defense is probably the biggest issue right now, they still have no answer for Nico Collins, who went for six receptions and 117 yards. Meanwhile, Stefon Diggs scored twice.
- Jonathan Taylor's stat line was a paltry 16 carries for 48 yards, but there were virtually no lanes open. For a team that is supposed to tout a superior offensive line, it was a brutal showing.
3 stars of the game
- WR Alec Pierce: The third-year wideout was tremendous, catching all three of his targets for 125 yards and a touchdown. He got it started with a 60-yard bomb in the first quarter.
- DT DeForest Buckner: The star defender was all over the place throughout the game. He had six tackles (five solo), 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hits and a tackle for loss.
- DE Kwity Paye: The fourth-year edge rusher recorded a sack, two quarterback hits and a tackle for loss.
Biggest takeaway
Even though it was an erratic day for Richardson, it was encouraging to see the Colts can still go toe to toe with the Texans with so many missed opportunities. While the Colts want to win, Richardson's biggest objective is to simply get reps. A large part of his issues stem from a lack of experience, and many of them can be fixed as he sees more throughout his career.
Quick Hits
- Richardson had at least two opportunities to hit a wide-open Adonai Mitchell down the field for potential touchdowns but the connection wasn't there.
- According to Next Gen Stats, Richardson completed 4-of-10 passes for 184 yards and 2 touchdowns on passes over 10 air yards, while finishing 5 of 9 for 28 yards and an interception under 10 air yards.
- Nick Cross and Julian Blackmon both led the way with 14 and 13 tackles, respectively.
- Richardson's three completions of over 50 yards (60, 57, 54) were the most by the team in a single game since at least 2000.
- Jonathan Taylor now has a touchdown in each of his last seven games dating back to last season.
- Segun Olubi had a crucial blocked punt in Texans territory that led to a touchdown on the ensuing drive.
Injuries
- WR Josh Downs (ankle) was inactive.
- DT DeForest Buckner (back) suffered an injury late in the game.
What's next?
The Colts will look to get their first win of the season on the road against the Green Bay Packers (0-1) in Week 2 on Sunday, Sept. 15, at Lambeau Field.
