The Houston Texans Week 1 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts could be the first of many in a budding rivalry. With CJ Stroud and Anthony Richardson leading these teams, they have high expectations in the AFC South. Before the matchup, we’ll be making our Texans Week 1 bold predictions.
The Texans were the surprise team from last season, going from the second-worst record to the playoffs in just one year. Stroud, head coach Demeco Ryans, and defensive end Will Anderson Jr all had excellent rookie seasons. They won a game against the Colts in Week 17 to clinch the division and make the playoffs. They won the Wild Card game but lost to the Ravens in the Divisional Round.
The number one tiebreaker is head-to-head record so a win in this game could be the difference between making the playoffs and not in January. The Texans can get a serious head start on their second straight South title with a road win on Sunday. Let’s look at our Texans Week 1 predictions.
CJ Stroud throws for more yards than Anthony Richardson
CJ Stroud threw for 4,108 yards in his Rookie of the Year campaign last season. He made the passing game an integral part of his game and benefitted from it. With Stefon Diggs in the lineup, there’s no reason to believe that will stop. The Colts defense allowed 226 passing yards per game last season. Stroud lit them up for 384 in their first matchup and topped 250 in the Week 17 game.
Richardson showed more with his legs than his arm in his limited action. While he did get hurt, the Colts QB ran for 136 yards and four touchdowns in five games. The Texans have a strong secondary, led by Derek Stingley Jr, and the Colts have an unproven receiver core that might not be able to get open.
There are lofty expectations around the Texans and Stroud. With Super Bowl and MVP opportunities swirling for the first time in the post-Watson era, Houston should feel that pressure in Week 1. Expect their quarterback to lead them through this important opener by attacking through the air.
Nico Collins and Joe Mixon both score touchdowns
The Texans made two big additions to their skill position group this offseason: wide receiver Stefon Diggs and running back Joe Mixon. Their biggest deficit on offense last year was their run game, making Mixon the more important addition. Expect him to get a heavy workload and find the endzone in his Texans debut. The Colts allowed over 2,000 yards on the ground last season.
In the wide receiver room, Diggs joins a young duo of Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Both were fantastic last year but it was Collins who led the team with 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns. Expect him to continue to be the top target for Stroud in their Week 1 game and score a touchdown. Diggs struggled last year when he was the number-one option in Buffalo and should be seen as a secondary receiver.
The Texans have lofty expectations because they have surrounded their quarterback with star players. Expect Stroud to take advantage of his stellar supporting cast against the Colts on Sunday.
Texans win by at least seven points
The Texans will beat the Colts by at least seven points thanks to a dominant offense. With those two touchdowns and a great CJ Stroud game, they will get off to a 1-0 start this season. They won five games by seven points or more last season and only got better in the offseason. Even though the Colts pose a tough test, expect the Texans to pull away late.
That is not to say that the Colts and Jaguars will not compete for the division. Each of those three quarterbacks can take a game over and get their team on a winning streak. Stroud had the best season last year and will start 2024 by being that guy.
The Texans’ defense will be the key to making this prediction come true. Richardson could pick up where he left off and run his way to victory. Even if he shines, expect Stroud to outslug him on the turf in Indianapolis.
