Texans: 3 Lessons learned in Week 1 tie with Colts

The Houston Texans didn’t earn the win, but it wasn’t a loss either, as many things were learned about the team in Week 1 when they tied with the Indianapolis Colts.

Of course nobody wants to tie with their opponent, especially in the NFL, but as the final seconds ticked away in Week 1 at NRG Stadium the Houston Texans had no choice, and when facing the Colts, it is better than a loss.

The 20-20 score could come into play later down the line whether it be for playoff positioning for either team, or when a team lands in the 2023 draft order, the best we can say is a tie is better than a loss.

Houston had 13 losses in 2021, and in 2022 after one game the improvement was shown, but there were things that were also a bit worrisome too, including losing a 20-3 lead in the final quarter.

There is so much to take away from the season opener as the Texans coaches and players work to become a solid unit in all aspects of the game, and here are three lessons learned from the Week 1 tie with the the Colts.

3. Team needs to play strong for a complete game

Maybe the Texans’ defense was worn down by all the yardage and hits given by the rushing game of the Colts with Jonathan Taylor finishing the season opener with 31 carries for 161 yards and one touchdown. Taylor averaged 5.2 yards per rush against Houston, and to have the 227-pound Taylor and his offensive line bash into the defense 31 times will wear on any team.

Even with Houston having 11 passes defensed, it is still tough to see a team lose a 17-point lead in the final 15 minutes. The offense of the Texans didn’t help the defense in the fourth quarter either, as turnovers proved to be costly too.

There was a defensive stop in the first quarter in the Red Zone where Jonathan Greenard made the huge stop for the turnover on downs that needs praised. Those types of plays early in games will be the difference in wins and losses, and that was the case in the season opener.

Also, don’t forget about the big second-quarter interception by Jerry Hughes off a Matt Ryan pass. That was one of the most exciting plays of the game and showed the defense can be much better than last year.

This was a lesson learned because now this young Texans team knows what it feels like to lose what should have been a win and watch it slip away. Hopefully they don’t want that feeling again, and the offense, defense and special teams will all remember that feeling the next time they have a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter.