3 bold predictions for the Houston Texans in Week 1 against Indianapolis Colts

Sunday starts the season officially for the Houston Texans. The first big opportunity of the season to establish themselves as the team to beat not just the AFC South, but maybe the entire NFL. Quarterback C.J. Stroud is looking to not only replicate his success from the 2023 campaign but expand on it.

The team as a whole wants to do the same, venturing further than the second round of the NFL Playoffs and maybe ending up in the AFC Championship game or the Super Bowl. Lofty expectations, but expectations that the team is hoping to live up to. The Texans added some major assets to the team this season, and they're hoping to prove that those moves were the right ones starting with Week 1 against Indy.

The Colts stayed relatively quiet, opting to re-sign a bulk of their players and focus more on the draft for incremental improvements. They were a tough task in 2023 and should prove to be again in 2024. So with that, what can one expect or even predict for this matchup? Well, we have three bold predictions we think will come true.

1. The Houston Texans offense will stutter in Week 1

The Texans offense should be very good this season. I'm just of the mindset that this is a unit that hasn't played together much as a whole this offseason. With the issues on the offensive line, figuring out how Stefon Diggs figures into things, and getting Joe Mixon up to speed, it's fair to worry that this unit won't be blowing the doors of anything in week one. I think they'll still top 24 points, but this offense should look much better in a few weeks as everyone gels together.

2. The Texans defense will shut down the passing game of the Colts

I'm not the biggest fan of Anthony Richardson. I think the Colts would've been better off with Gardner Minschew in 2024. He's a more accurate passer than Richardson, and that's something that I think will hinder the Colts in 2024. The Texans' defense may be a bit soft up the gut and over the middle, but the edges and secondary should be an issue. It would be truly surprising if the Texans' tandem of defensive ends didn't feast all day on quarterback hits and sacks.

3. The Texans will win decisively

The offense will be a bit messy, but it'll show potential. The defense will over-achieve but instill the idea in our heads that they can step up when needed. The Colts will hang around, but ultimately the Texans will win by at least two scores. It'll never be a blowout but Houston will have control for most of the game.

Or not, who knows.