TEXANS REACTION
11 observations from Houston Texans 20-20 tie with Colts
Sep 11, 2022, 6:04 pm
TEXANS REACTION
The Houston Texans let one slip away, but it wasn’t all the way as they settle for a tie with the Indianapolis Colts in the season opener. Here are 11 observations about the season opener.
1. The Texans really let this one get away. After scoring to go up 20-3 the team wouldn’t score again and would amass very little offense. A back-breaking turnover severely injured their chances of winning as well. Yes, it ended in a tie, but any semblance of life from the offense might have avoided that scenario altogether.
2. Lovie Smith said after the game the Texans decided on a tie. Smith said a tie was better than a loss and he didn’t like the way his defense had been playing. I didn’t either, but the setup to get to the questionable fourth-down decision was a tough one.
3. Rex Burkhead probably shouldn’t be featured this much. Yes, I understand he can pass block but there isn’t much left in the rushing tank. This was his second-highest touches in a game while with the Texans at 19. Burkhead touching the ball 19 times isn’t a recipe for success. Lovie Smith’s explanation of why Burkhead was used so much left a lot to be desired. He didn’t specifically address why the veteran running back, who he deemed the passing down back, was in the game on third down with one yard to gain in overtime.
4. Davis Mills missed a few too many passes. Mills sailed a few and notably made a poor throw on third down to Chris Conley early. He got a little shaky in the pocket in the fourth quarter and overtime led to some iffy output. As Mills looks at the film there is plenty he might want back.
5. The offensive line was below average overall. There was a bone-crushing sack that resulted in a turnover. Tytus Howard was put in a blender late and beat to give up a sack. Justin Britt regularly failed to make his assignment. Justin McCray and Kenyon Green rotated at left guard. It must be better up front.
6. Jerry Hughes looks like he has plenty left in the tank. The 13-year veteran had an interception, two sacks, and a pass deflection. He was a camp surprise, and keeping the veteran fresh for the whole year is a key to this defense.
7. The linebackers got eaten alive later in the game. Matt Ryan and the Colts offense hit them with plenty of zone-breaking passes and Jonathan Taylor got rolling late. Taylor averaged 5.5 yards per carry in the second half. Lovie Smith said his defense was gassed at the end, and it showed. That is also what contributed to the team’s decision to play for the punt.
8. Derek Stingley had a bit of a rough first quarter, but he showed up late in the game. The third overall pick got sticky on Colts wideout Alec Pierce and batted down a play that would have been a score. Stingley has plenty to grow on, but the team used him a lot in off and zone coverages. I would be interested in seeing more man coverage.
9. Rookie safety Jalen Pitre had an expected day. The second-round pick was all over the place and in early on with some big tackles for the defense. A late interception looked to go through his hands, and that will keep him up at night. Overall Pitre was solid as a rookie starter.
10. Lovie Smith passed up a 56-yard field goal for Ka'imi Fairbairn in favor of a punt. This was curious as Fairbairn made a 61-yard field goal at home last year. Smith said the expected field goal wasn’t totally in his kicker’s range.
11. This isn’t a loss but it sure feels like one. The Colts played a horrible football game but still clawed their way back into a tie. The Texans collapsed down the stretch allowing for a disappointing non-loss result.
Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.
The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.
For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.
“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”
As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.
Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.
He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.
Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.
It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.
You can watch the full interview in the video below.
And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.
I’ve seen some speculation indicating that Joe Mixon may not be happy the Texans signed Nick Chubb. If that is what you believe, watch this clip from an interview with @greenlight pod last year & get back to me. pic.twitter.com/3vaip85esj
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 11, 2025
*ChatGPT assisted.
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