Jake's Takes | Colts vs. Texans: Complete Game Domination
The Indianapolis Colts needed that one.
On Sunday back at home inside Lucas Oil Stadium, the Colts (2-4) throttled the Houston Texans (1-5) by a score of 31-3.
The Colts were coming off of a low point in the season that could've buried them after relinquishing a three-score lead in the second half last week to ultimately lose in overtime. This win was the pick-me-up that the Colts needed to get back on track.
Here are some of the main things I noticed during this matchup.
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Not News: Jonathan Taylor is Special
Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has been wowing Colts fans since getting drafted by the team last year, eventually finishing third in the NFL in rushing yards as a rookie. When he's being fed the ball, the Colts' offense can absolutely dominate, so when he had all of three touches (for 19 yards) in the first half against Houston, it was quite a head-scratcher.
While the Colts were in control of the game going into the locker room, they had just 10 points to show for it. They then made Taylor the featured piece of the offense in the second half and he exploded accordingly. From there, Taylor proceeded to rack up 158 total yards on the day on 15 touches (10.5 avg.), many of them coming from a franchise-record 83-yard run in the third quarter.
The way Taylor sees creases and weaves through traffic while breaking through would-be tacklers, he's truly become a special offensive playmaker and a guy who ought to be in consideration for NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Finishing the Job
As mentioned, the Colts were up big last week against the Baltimore Ravens, and taking their foot off the gas pedal helped lead to their collapse. Going into this game, the Colts were heavy favorites, so garnering a big lead at some point was the expectation. With that in mind, it became critical that the Colts keep pounding and not give up any ground, and they did just that in the second half.
Finishing the game and "stomping the neck" doesn't always mean airing it out and trying to aggressively push the ball downfield. It means sticking with what's working, and once the Colts realized Taylor was going to be able to do whatever he wanted to Houston, that became their aggressor.
The Colts' defense also stepped up to play their role. They weren't perfect but they held the Texans to three points, 0-of-1 inside the red zone, and forced three turnovers.
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The Vertical Passing Game is Back
Colts quarterback Carson Wentz had season lows in completions (11) and attempts (20) on Sunday but finished with 223 yards and a yards-per-pass-attempt of 11.2, which was his second-best mark of the season.
Most notably, Wentz had a huge, 51-yard touchdown connection to wide receiver Parris Campbell in the first half followed by a 52-yard completion to receiver T.Y. Hilton on the next drive. With how well the Colts can run the ball, stacked defensive boxes and play-action should help ensure the passing chunk play remains a part of the offense.
Six games in, Wentz is still a polarizing topic among Colts fans. However, it appears the team has a guy they can win with at quarterback, and not just against the cellar dwellers. Wentz makes his fair share of mistakes and he's not always as consistent as some would like, but as a cog in the machine and not the engine, he's perfectly suitable.
For those who like fireworks in the passing game, consider what the Colts' offense looked like the last two years with Jacoby Brissett and Philip Rivers under center.
What were your biggest takeaways from Sunday? Drop them below in the comment section!
