Houston, TX –
When the Colts and Texans meet, it’s almost always a battle. The two have ruled the AFC South, and last time they met, it didn’t go well for Houston. The Colts came to NRG Stadium for the Wild Card game this past January, and got the 21-7 win over the Texans.
But both are coming off strong wins vs the Chiefs. The Colts played Kansas City before their bye week last week, and the Texans got the impressive win this past Sunday.
Here are some keys to a Texans win:
Containing Marlon Mack
That Wildcard game? Colts Running Back Marlon Mack owned it, boasting 148 yards on 24 carries. Defensive Coordinator Romeo Crennel will have his hands full, especially with Mack. “I saw too much of him in the playoff game,” said Crennel. “I hope not to see as much this game.”
The Texans Offensive Line needs another solid week, despite Tytus Howard’s absence
For two weeks in a row, Deshaun Watson hasn’t been sacked a single time. When you look at last season, when he was sacked more than any other NFL QB, that’s a massive improvement. Tytus Howard, the first-round draft pick who has been playing right tackle lately, is still out with a partially torn MCL suffered in last week’s game. The good news? Roderick Johnson did an excellent job of filling in, which will be crucial against the Colts. Johnson called it the classic “next man up” mentality, and it served the Texans well.
Limiting TY Hilton
Hilton has had immense success against the Texans throughout the years. In the last 5 matchups against the Texans, Hilton has caught 26 passes for for 588 yards. Johnathan Joseph and Bradley Roby, the Texans top 2 corners, were listed as “limited” in the latest injury report. Somehow, someway, the Texans need to shut down Hilton if they want the win.
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