5 storylines to follow in Texans’ Week 1 game vs. Colts

On Sunday, the Houston Texans will play in their first game of the 2024 regular season, traveling to Indianapolis to take on their AFC South rivals, the Colts.

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This game has the potential to have postseason implications deep into the season, as the two teams were both vying for a playoff spot up until the final game of the 2023 season. With such a big matchup, there are also other storylines to keep an eye on as the Texans kick off a fresh year of football.

2023 draftmates duel for second time

For better or worse, the career paths of quarterbacks in the same draft class are always compared, and C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson are no exception. The No. 2 and No. 4 overall picks in the 2023 NFL Draft had very different rookie campaigns. Stroud’s record-setting rookie season helped steer the Texans to an AFC South title and playoff berth. Richardson’s first crack at NFL action was less eventful, as he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in just his fourth start.

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This will be Stroud and Richardson’s second matchup against each other. In Week 2 of the 2023 season, Richardson’s Colts took down the Texans, even though he was knocked out of the game with a concussion just after the first quarter concluded. When the teams squared off again for the division crown in Week 18, Houston exacted revenge against Indianapolis, who was being led by backup quarterback Gardner Minshew by that point.

Houston’s new weapons take the field for the first time

Texans’ GM Nick Caserio orchestrated an aggressive, win-now offseason that supplied Stroud with some new gadgets, both in the backfield and on the outside. Houston traded for running back Joe Mixon and wide receiver Stefon Diggs, both of whom have Pro Bowl nods on their resumes.

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These moves are expected to give the team an offensive jolt, but will we see it on the field right away? It’s not unheard of for a reshaped unit to have some growing pains.

Can revamped defensive line generate pressure on Richardson?

As memorable as Stroud’s rookie season was, the Texans also surprised many with a strong defensive showing in 2023. Their 4-3 setup included Will Anderson Jr. and Jonathan Greenard coming off the edge and a fierce interior of Maliek Collins and Sheldon Rankins. However, Anderson is the only member of that group who’s still with the team in 2024.

• Back from ankle injury, healthy Texans pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. heads into Colts game with ‘a lot more confidence’

It’s safe to assume that Greenard’s role has been adequately replaced, as the Texans signed star edge rusher and Katy-native Danielle Hunter to a blockbuster contract. The defensive tackle roles will be filled by veterans Mario Edwards Jr. and Folorunso Fatukasi. This new group will be tested right out of the gate, as Richardson is one of the most dynamic scramblers in the NFL. If they aren’t able to corral and contain him, it could be a long Sunday for Houston.

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Rookie CB Kamari Lassiter earns starting role in first regular season game

The Texans’ aggressive defensive moves extend beyond the front four. Rookie cornerback and Georgia standout Kamari Lassiter will start on the right side for Houston in the first regular season game of his career. Lassiter was the No. 42 overall selection in the 2024 draft, and he was the first selection made by the Texans.

This move comes as no surprise to those who have followed the Texans’ training camp, as Ryans has raved about Lassiter’s consistency.

• ‘Done a really nice job,’ Texans’ execs bullish on starting corner Kamari Lassiter, rookie draft class

Still, the Colts have an impressive array of weapons, including star wideout Michael Pittman and rookie Adonai Mitchell. We’ll have to see if Lassiter and fellow starting corner Derek Stingley are able to shut down these threats on the outside.

The Colts have a viral superfan... can the Texans match that level of crazy?!

Back in August, a Colts fan named Seth “Da Flow” Irskens went viral on social media for his custom Colts songs, which he makes before every game Indy plays.

His preseason anthems generated traction across platforms like TikTok and X, and the official Colts’ X account even referenced the song ahead of the team’s second preseason game against the Cardinals.

This begs the question: do the Texans have any fans that can get on this guy’s level? He promises to have a new song for each of the Colts’ opponents this year, so he’ll definitely have a fresh one ready to go ahead of their game this weekend, and the Texans can’t just sit back and not respond! Your move, Houston.