The AFC South title isn’t on the line Sunday at NRG Stadium, but should the Texans beat the Indianapolis Colts the only way they don’t successfully defend their division crown is by blowing it. Having edged Indy 29-27 in the season opener, the Texans can sweep the season series and tiebreaker that goes with that. A victory boosts the Texans to 6-2 and drops the Colts to 4-4. That would mean that if the Texans went a disappointing 4-5 over their remaining games, they’d still win the South unless the Colts went 7-2 or better. Consider that after leaving Houston three of Indy’s next four opponents are the Vikings, Bills, and Lions. The chances of the Colts winning seven of their final nine games seem closer to none than slim. On the flip side, should the Texans drop their second straight game, the division race is even as we all go to sleep Sunday night.

Stroud vs. Richardson

While C.J. Stroud is coming off the most feeble passing performance of his young career (a pitiful 86 yards at Green Bay), at least everyone knows he is very good. The Colts’ starting quarterback is not good. Not good yet at least. They are committed to scatter-armed second year man Anthony Richardson. Having spent the fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft on him (two selections after the Texans lucked into Stroud), the Colts understandably will give Richardson ample time to grow (they hope). But 39-year-old backup Joe Flacco throws the ball much better. Missing all but four games of his rookie season due to injury, and already having missed two full games and most of a third to injury this season, no doubt has retarded Richardson’s development. But an inaccurate thrower has a ceiling well below the clouds, and questions about Richardson’s accuracy were real when he was in college at Florida. So far this season Richardson is completing a wretched 49 percent of his passes with three touchdown passes and six interceptions. Flacco has thrown seven TDs vs. one pick. Richardson’s six INTs have come in just 101 pass attempts. As a rookie Stroud racked up 499 attempts with just five INTs. Richardson has also fumbled four times already this season. Nevertheless, he has big play potential because the arm is huge (remember the 60-yard bomb he landed against the Texans) and Richardson is a superior athlete. He ran the ball 14 times this past Sunday as the Colts uglied out a 16-10 win over offensively helpless Miami. To help their cause this Sunday the Colts may get back running back Jonathan Taylor after three games missed due to a high-ankle sprain. That would make the Texans’ defensive task much tougher, though in the opener the Texans limited Taylor to just 48 yards on 16 carries with a longest run of a mere seven yards.

The Texans meanwhile continue to endure offensive life without Nico Collins. Without Joe Mixon the Texans basically have no running game, without Collins the passing game is hamstrung (cruel irony). No other Texans’ receiver gives Stroud a target who wins 50/50 balls by out-sizing and/or out-talenting defensive backs. Neither Stefon Diggs nor Tank Dell is averaging 10 yards per reception. Diggs is at 9.9, Dell, last season before injury such a deep threat, is at 9.7. The “throw it up for Nico to make a play” option is missed that much more with the Texans' too often sorry pass-blocking. The Packers’ non-elite pass rush regularly baffled and beat the Texans' pass protection. Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and offensive line coach Chris Strausser need to be better. On the player side left guard Kenyon Green remains the clear weakest link. Green and company may have to deal with Colts’ d-line beast DeForest Buckner who is set to return from his own high-ankle sprain after being out five games. Buckner registered a sack and a half in the season’s first meeting with the Texans.

Texans sign notable free agent

Interesting signing this week with the Texans adding linebacker Devin White. There is no sign that Christian Harris is nearing return. After missing the Green Bay game Azeez Al-Shaair is iffy this week, ditto Henry To’o To’o. White’s pedigree is better than all of them, but it obviously says something that he was available off the street. A stud at LSU, White was the fifth pick in the 2019 Draft. In the 2020 season he helped Tampa Bay win a Super Bowl. His 2021 season earned a Pro Bowl selection. After losing his starting job with the Buccaneers late last season all White found as a free agent was a one-year deal with Philadelphia. He never made the Eagles’ gameday 53-man roster, inactive for four games before missing one for “personal reasons,” then getting cut. What gives? White best realize that if he shows little with the Texans his career could be toast at just 26 years old.

For Texans’ conversation, catch Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me on our Texans On Tap podcasts. Thursdays feature a preview of the upcoming game, and then we go live (then available on demand) after the final gun of the game: Texans on Tap - YouTube

The Astros are always in season for discussion. Our Stone Cold ‘Stros podcasts drop Mondays: Click here to watch!

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Fans of Houston sports and Houston food can now score tickets to The Tailgate, CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. The event, presented by Verizon, goes down from 6-9 pm November 11 at 8th Wonder. Find out more about it here.