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The Houston Texans Week 1 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts should be interesting. Both teams look fairly different after a busy 2022 offseason, and Week 1 will be their first opportunity to see whether the moves they made this offseason will lead to an improved record this season. As kickoff for the game nears, we will be making our Texans Week 6 predictions for their contest against the Colts.
The Texans decided to move forward with Davis Mills as their new starting quarterback after he showed some potential last season. Houston's rebuild got a boost when they finally traded Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns this offseason, and they finally can begin to focus on what the future will look like rather than get bogged down with all the drama surrounding Watson.
Even if Mills develops the way the Texans hope he will, there are still a lot of holes on their roster that need fixing. Houston could improve this season, but chances are it will be awhile before we see them make a playoff run again. With that in mind, let's dive into four bold predictions for the Texans with Week 1 right around the corner.
4. Houston Texans RB Dameon Pierce scores a touchdown, but struggles otherwise in his debut
One of the more compelling stories throughout Texans training camp involved Dameon Pierce. Pierce was a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he ended up winning Houston's starting running back job during camp. Pierce was so good that Houston ended up releasing Marlon Mack, who they signed over the offseason to presumably take over the starting running back job.
The problem for Pierce is that his first ever NFL game will be against a very stingy Colts front seven. Houston's offensive line isn't exactly great, and Pierce will struggle to find much room to operate in this one. The Texans will be forced to play from behind as well, phasing Pierce out of the game plan to an extent, and while he finds the end zone for the first time in his career, Pierce will finish the game with an underwhelming 31 yards on 13 carries.
3. Houston Texans CB Derek Stingley Jr. locks up Michael Pittman Jr.
Derek Stingley Jr. was a surprising choice for the Houston Texans with the third overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, but it's clear that his upsie could allow him to become one of the best cornerbacks in the game. Stingley is immediately the best cornerback on the Texans roster, and his first assignment will be Indy's top wideout Michael Pittman Jr.
Pittman put together a breakout campaign for the Colts last season, but he will have to adapt to playing alongside Matt Ryan rather than Carson Wentz now. Ryan and Pittman won't be able to get on the same page for much of the afternoon against the Texans, partly because of how good Stingley plays. Stingley spends his afternoon keeping Pittman quiet, who finishes the game with just four catches for 34 yards. It's quite a start to Stingley's NFL career.
2. Houston Texans QB Davis Mills and WR Brandin Cooks connect for a pair of late touchdowns
Davis Mills and Brandin Cooks formed a pretty good relationship in their time playing together last season, and that should be the case again this season. Cooks will clearly be Mills top target, and that could result in a big day for the tandem to open the season against the Colts.
For the most part, Indy will keep Cooks quiet until the fourth quarter. With the game mostly out of hand, Mills will find Cooks for a pair of late touchdowns to make the score look a bit more respectable. It won't have an impact on the game, but fantasy owners will surely be happy, and it should bode well for both Mills and Cooks to find the end zone twice to start the season.
1. The Houston Texans will lose to the Indianapolis Colts by a final score of 34-21
As previously mentioned, this game will be fairly uncompetitive for the most part, with the two late touchdowns making the score look better for Houston than it was. Jonathan Taylor will pick up right where he left off last season with two touchdowns on the ground, and Ryan will find Nyheim Hines and Mo Alie-Cox for a pair of touchdowns in the air, helping the Colts build a 34-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
This isn't the best start to the season for the Texans, but it's encouraging to see Mills and Cooks get in sync late here. The Colts are going to be tough no matter who they face this season, and Taylor ultimately proves to be too much to handle in this one. Houston will have an opportunity to bounce back against some easier opponents later in the season, and their second matchup against Indy could end up being much more competitive.
