Houston Texans football is back, and this Sunday the Texans are going up against division rival Indianapolis Colts, who last season had the Texans’ number with two dominant performances.
The Texans are looking to put the division on notice with a win over the Colts, but that will be a very challenging task. Players will need to step up big in order to have a chance against the division favorite.
Here are three players who will play a significant role. These players can have the opportunity to be the difference in this Week 1 game, but what will they have to do to win?
3 Texans who will have a massive impact against the Colts
3. Dameon Pierce
Dameon Pierce has become the name to watch in the entire NFL. Pierce set the world on fire with his running ability. Pierce has a furious style and will run anyone over, but he has the finesse to go with it.
Former Texans great Arian Foster had a one cut that would have defenders tripping over themselves over and over again, and it looks like Pierce may have something similar. Pierce also has an underrated pass-catching ability we have yet to see, but he has proven throughout his collegiate career at Florida that he can catch the ball well.
With the unofficial depth chart released and Pierce being named the starter, fans can get excited. Coach Lovie Smith has repeatedly stated that the Texans are a running team.
The Texans were dead last in rushing last season, so this area is a must for improvement. Can the team return to the running game the Texans once had years ago with Pierce as the lead back?
Jalen Pitre
The Texas native, Jalen Pitre, looks just as good as advertised. We saw him in training camp with immediate success, and then once he hit the field in preseason, that success continued.
Pitre has shown elite run defense in college, and from what we saw in the preseason, it looks to be just as good at the next level. Pitre has incredible instincts and watches the run break down perfectly to where he can either get a tackle for loss or wait until the running back hits the ground running and attacks once the back breaks the line of scrimmage.
Pitre may be the Texans’ key to slowing down All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor. The Texans must do all they can to slow down Taylor to have a chance to win, and Pitre may be the piece of the puzzle that helps the Texans accomplish this goal.
Can Pitre be the run-stopper we are hoping for, or will Taylor continue his insane success against the Texans?
Jonathan Greenard
It seems that only Texans fans know of Jonathan Greenard, but that may change this season. Greenard had eight sacks last season and still missed games, and as one of the leaders of the defense, Greenard will have to play a huge role this Sunday against the Colts.
The Colts have a great offensive line, one of the best in the league. If Greenard can make a mark and get a sack in the 2022 season opener, people may open their eyes to how good he can be.
This Sunday the defense needs to be alert, and Greenard has to get the defense ready to roll. Stopping the run is the main priority when playing the Colts, and if Greenard can slow down Jonathan Taylor, the rest of the team will feed off that energy and do the same.
Week 1 at NRG Stadium is a massive challenge for Greenard and the new-look defense, but if they can do damage against the Colts’ offense, Greeenard could establish himself as a name to watch in the league.