The Indianapolis Colts have seen a carousel of starting quarterbacks in recent years on a team that otherwise seems ready to contend. The franchise made a major trade last offseason to land Carson Wentz but after one season with the team, it was clear this was not a long-term solution. Indianapolis elected to trade him away and landed Matt Ryan with the hopes he can be the effective game-managing quarterback the team has been looking for. With the season now arriving here are four of the Colts Week 1 predictions as they face off with the Houston Texans.

4. Matt Ryan does not throw an interception

While he may not have a ton left in the tank, Matt Ryan is the exact type of quarterback the Colts were in search of. The 37-year-old is a high IQ passer who does not attempt to do too much with the ball. This will be a welcomed change following the season with Carson Wentz in which he had seven interceptions and eight fumbles.

With it clear the Colts' desires are simply for Ryan to be smart with the ball, expect him to be calculated in his approach. The former Falcons standout has not shown signs of slowing down and still is effective in his style of play. Ryan is at his best when he plays simple and look for this to be the case in 2022. Expect the veteran to stay in his lane and allow the rest of the Colts' skill players to do the majority of the work. Count on Matt Ryan to come out of week one without an interception in the books.

3. Jonathan Taylor Runs for 120+ yards

While Matt Ryan will likely stay in his lane, expect Jonathan Taylor to pick up the slack on offense. The workhorse running back led the NFL last season with 332 carries for 1811 yards and 18 touchdowns. His average of 106.5 yards on the ground per game also was first in the league. Taylor has become the focal point of the Colts' offense and earned it with his production. Expect this to stay the same in 2022 and for Indianapolis to continue its run-dominant nature.

This is an especially vulnerable matchup for Jonathan Taylor to take advantage of. In 2021, the Texans ranked 31st in the NFL by allowing 142.2 rushing yards per game. This type of room to run will have the Colts licking their chops heading into the opening matchup. Expect Jonathan Taylor to take advantage of the porous defensive line and carve out over 12o yards on the ground in the Week 1 matchup.

2. Yannick Ngakoue records a sack

Yannick Ngakoue has struggled to find a long-term home in the league following his first four seasons with the Jaguars. After a lengthy Twitter argument with the Jaguars GM where he made it clear his desire to play elsewhere, he was finally traded to the Minnesota Vikings prior to the 2020 season. Ngakoue was traded once again in the middle of the 2021 season and finished off the year with the Ravens. Following the turbulent year, the former third-round pick signed a two-year contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. After recording his first double-digit sack season since 2017 and leading the Raiders in sacks, Yannick Ngakoue was once again traded and found himself a member of the Colts.

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While the number of times he has moved around does raise some red flags, there aren't many in his game. Ngakoue is a dangerous pass rusher and has made an impact in each spot he has landed. Look for him to stay focused on his play and produce as he has in the past. Expect him to make his presence felt and record a sack in his debut with the Colts.

1. Colts hold Texans under 15 points

There are not high expectations for the Texans this year. Davis Mills has impressed more than many expected but is not the caliber of quarterback the organization should expect to build around. The Texans averaged just 16.5 points per game in 2021 which was the third-fewest in the NFL. There is some buzz surrounding rookie Dameon Pierce and the addition of Brandin Cooks is noteworthy, but the Texans are still several pieces away from putting forth a threatening offense.

Look for the Indianapolis defense to make a statement in Week 1 and hold the Texans under 15 points. In the two matchups these two teams faced off in last season, the Texans combined to score just three total points. The Colts' 31-3 victory in Week 6 and 31-0 victory in Week 13 was a major indication of the different states the franchises are in. Expect similar results this year and for the Texans to struggle to score the ball. Count on the Colts to hold Houston under 15 points and cruise toward an opening week victory.