COLTS HAMMER TEXANS
11 observations from the Texans' 31-3 loss to the Colts
Oct 18, 2021, 7:56 am
There were some positives from Davis Mills, despite the loss. Composite image by Jack Brame.
mills-coaches (1)
The Houston Texans lost their fifth straight game as the Colts were far too much for the Texans to handle. Here are 11 observations from yet another Texans loss.
1. There are a few things the Texans had to have liked from Davis Mills in what was his fourth NFL start. Mills whipped the ball into some difficult spots early. The offense moved along well before a play here or there stalled out drives. Another positive overall week for Mills.
2. Mills has much more ability to make a sound decision on the move than he did in training camp and the preseason. Previously this was a big negative, but he has been able to keep his eyes downfield and make sound decisions more than expected.
3. There were negatives for Mills though. He threw a bad interception to Colts linebacker Darius Leonard. There was no chance to complete this to anyone besides Leonard as the All-Pro linebacker perfectly baited Mills. He also tossed a late interception when he didn't nail the throw to Brandin Cooks and instead threw it right to the Colts.
4. David Culley's team burned another timeout trying to figure out what they wanted to do on fourth down. The game was already out of reach, but again simple operation sometimes looks hard for this coaching staff.
5. The success of the punting this week makes the fake punt look even worse from last week. Cam Johnston was blamed this week for mishitting it, but his normal punt setups almost always lead to success.
6. Nico Collins made his return and looked solid in the light action he faced when the game was close. Collins is a small beacon of light to follow in a dark season.
7. The defense did a good job in the first half and then the talent gap and fatigue took over. The Texans were smashed on the ground in the third quarter by stud running back Jonathan Taylor.
8. Jonathan Taylor was drafted one pick after Ross Blacklock. Taylor stands to be a thorn in the side of the Texans for years to come while Ross Blacklock has disappointed in his short time in the NFL. There are around eight different players all drafted after Blacklock in the 2020 second round who have much more significant impacts than the selection the Texans made.
9. Speaking of the running back position, David Johnson had an atrocious game. The Texans need to move on from the lackluster veteran. Johnson was horrid in pass protection and had two fumbles in the game (one was overturned). He is a constant reminder of the beginning of this franchise's dark days.
10. Lonnie Johnson didn't begin the game for the Texans at safety as he was a backup initially behind Terrance Brooks. Brooks left with an injury, and Johnson replaced him. Johnson looked to be picked on by the Colts and allowed some big plays.
11. This isn't a results-oriented season but the Texans are in a race to the bottom when it comes to results. The Lions are the only team regularly looking as ineffective as Houston. The Cardinals, with DeAndre Hopkins and J.J. Watt, welcome the Texans in Arizona next week.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
The Houston Texans have a chance to win a third straight AFC South title this season with quarterback C.J. Stroud and coach DeMeco Ryans.
The challenge?
Nobody has won three straight titles since Peyton Manning was in his prime with the Indianapolis Colts in this division’s early years. The Tennessee Titans most recently came the closest only to come up short in 2022.
“I’m not really sure like what the next step is,” Houston general manager Nick Caserio said. “I mean we have a good football team, so we’ve been one of the best eight teams in the league the last two years. So what’s going to happen beyond that nobody has any idea.”
The Texans have advanced to two straight divisional rounds each of the past two postseasons, losing both with the most recent to Kansas City 23-14 in January. Caserio made a variety of moves to help Stroud, and coach DeMeco Ryans switched offensive coordinators as well.
Houston tight end Dalton Schultz said they just have to do one thing to get past the divisional round.
“It’s never the same as the year before, and there’s always some little wrinkle that is going to hit the league or hit your team,” Schultz said.
Houston went 10-7 in 2024 with the Colts at 8-9 with everyone working furiously to catch up — or else.
Indianapolis switched starting quarterbacks. Jacksonville hired a new coach and general manager before trading up to draft Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. Tennessee has No. 1 draft pick overall in Cam Ward starting at quarterback after firing and hiring a new general manager.
“This league is a year-to-year league and what do I feel is best for the Colts in 2025,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said.
Texans’ challenge
Houston has to protect Stroud better. Only Chicago’s Caleb Williams was sacked more than the 2024 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. With the pounding, Stroud’s production dipped as he was sacked 52 times with his interceptions more than doubling to 12 from his rookie season.
Stroud still threw for 3,727 yards and 20 touchdowns. Ryans fired Bobby Slowik and hired Nick Caley as offensive coordinator.
“He comes from a different style than I’m used to, at least in the NFL,” Stroud said of Caley. “So, it’s cool just to learn something new and put another tool in my toolbox.”
Caserio traded five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil to Washington during the offseason to clear space to sign younger players. The Texans are expected to start a rookie at left tackle in second-round pick Aireontae Ersery with Tytus Howard at right tackle where he started 16 games last season.
Houston also acquired Christian Kirk, signed Justin Watson and drafted a pair of receivers out of Iowa State to provide depth behind Nico Collins after letting Stefon Diggs leave in free agency. Caserio also sent wide receiver John Metchie to Philadelphia for tight end Harrison Bryant on Aug. 17.
Hey Danny Dimes
Indianapolis has missed the playoffs the past four seasons, and a fifth straight could cost Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard their jobs with the late Jim Irsay’s daughters now running the franchise.
Going with Daniel Jones means the franchise who went two decades with Manning and Andrew Luck at quarterback will have yet another starter on opening day. Since 2017, only Anthony Richardson has started back-to-back season openers.
Yet the fourth overall pick in 2023 couldn’t stay healthy or help Jonathan Taylor nearly enough. Taylor ran for 1,431 yards and 11 TDs as Richardson completed just 47.7% of his throws, the lowest rate of any regular starter in the NFL.
Steichen said Richardson, 23, was thrown into the fire. The Colts coach isn’t ready to talk about Jones’ future.
“Let’s see how the season goes,” Steichen said.
Jacksonville’s youth movement
The biggest makeover came in Jacksonville, firing a Super Bowl-winning coach in Doug Pederson and GM Trent Baalke. The Jaguars hired Liam Coen as coach and James Gladstone, 34, as their new GM.
The Jaguars are trying to fix a team that went 3-10 in one-score games in 2024 with the franchise losers of 18 of its past 23.
In his first head coaching job, Coen, 39, has a pair of first-timers in offensive coordinator Grant Udinski and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. As coordinator in Tampa Bay, Coen became the first NFL coordinator in at least 25 years to help a team average more than 28 points a game.
He has Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft, who was limited by injuries to 10 games in 2024. Wide receiver Brian Thomas now can get help from Hunter, even if the rookie will also play some defense.
Tennessee time
Brian Callahan also was a first-time head coach a year ago with the Titans. He brought in a former NFL head coach in Mike McCoy this offseason among a handful of other changes to apply his lessons learned.
Mike Borgonzi was hired as GM when Ran Carthon’s big offseason spending spree didn’t pan out. The Titans have embraced their rebuild even if they added veteran receivers Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson along with left tackle Dan Moore Jr. and right guard Kevin Zeitler.
Predicted order of finish
Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Jacksonville.