Takeaways From Colts' Devastating Loss to Texans

– Daniel Jones put forth a gutsy performance against the league's top defense, fractured fibula and all. Jones finished 14-of-27 (52%) for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Jones was not perfect on the day, but he made some great throws in the face of pressure and kept the Colts' offense in it until the end. However, the Colts' quarterback continued to struggle against the blitz, going 2-of-11 (18%) for 14 yards when Houston brought pressure, according to Next Gen Stats. Those numbers are inflated by a few drops, but teams will continue to blitz Jones until he can consistently find a way to make them pay.

– The Colts kept Jonathan Taylor involved throughout the game this week, including deep into the fourth quarter. Taylor ran for 85 yards on 21 carries (4.0 avg.) and added 36 yards on three catches. But outside of a 33-yard catch and run on a screen, the Texans did a great job limiting Taylor's explosive day. He had a long run of 12 yards and failed to reach the end zone for the second game in a row. Teams are focusing their defensive attention on stopping Taylor and forcing Jones to beat the blitz, and the Colts' offense has struggled to respond.

– Outside of Alec Pierce and Tyler Warren, the Colts' pass catchers left much to be desired. Pierce consistently got open, finding soft spots in zones and coming down with a leaping touchdown. However, drops were a theme for the group. Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs had multiple drops in this one, halting drives and failing to convert on crucial downs. The group has to execute better moving forward, especially with Jones facing pressure so quickly.

– The Colts' offensive line was out-physicalled by the Texans' front from the jump. The Texans were able to get pressure on Jones by running through the Indy's offensive line rather than around it. As the game went on, the unit settled in and performed better down the stretch. They gave up only one sack of Jones on the afternoon and helped the Colts average nearly four yards per carry. However, their failure to control the line of scrimmage for much of the contest is one of the top reasons for the loss. The Colts' offensive line has seen a major regression over the last four games.

DEFENSE

– The Colts' defense suffered a major blow on their second play of the game when Sauce Gardner went down with a non-contact injury. It was later reported by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero that Gardner suffered a calf strain in his left leg. Gardner watched the rest of the game on crutches and in a walking boot. The amount of time Gardner will miss is unknown, but it is a massive loss for the Colts, only two games after Indy dealt two first-round picks to the New York Jets for the All-Pro cornerback.

– With Gardner out, the Colts' secondary struggled to contain the Texans' receivers in man coverage. Charvarius Ward gave up multiple chunk plays in coverage, a rare occurrence for the former All-Pro. Ward popped up on the injury report last week with a groin injury, and it is hard to say whether or not it affected his play. While Cam Bynum came up with a huge interception of C.J. Stroud in the second quarter, the secondary was devoid of highlights for much of the day as the Texans' pass catchers continued to make plays.

– The Colts' pass rush had mixed results against Stroud throughout the game. While Adetomiwa Adebawore and Chris Wormley each had a sack, the pressure on Stroud was hit-or-miss. Many times, Stroud was able to sit in the pocket with plenty of time to find a receiver down the field. The lack of consistent pressure is becoming a problem for the defense, and Lou Anarumo has had to get creative with pressures just to make opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable. The Colts need DeForest Buckner back ASAP.

– While Indy's pass rush was underwhelming, the Colts did a great job against the run for much of the game. Texans averaged only 3.2 yards per carry on the afternoon, with many of their rushing attempts being stuffed at the line of scrimmage. Two of those attempts were via the "tush push" by Cade Stover, where the Colts stonewalled Stover for a turnover on downs. Credit Grover Stewart (three tackles) and Neville Gallimore (four tackles) for clogging up the middle, and Zaire Franklin (13 tackles) and Germaine Pratt for flying downhill to make plays.

COACHING

– Shane Steichen once again had some questionable calls that ultimately hurt the Colts' chances in this one. Per usual, Steichen elected to receive the ball after winning the coin toss instead of deferring to the second half, a decision he has defended because he wants the offense to get out to a quick lead. However, when the offense does not score on the opening drive – which the Colts did not – you waste a chance of doubling up possessions at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half.

Deferring at home also allows the crowd to get into the game from the jump, helping the defense and keeping the Texans on their heels. While receiving the ball may work out when the offense is humming, it ultimately takes away possessions for the Colts. Steichen may want to rethink his strategy on the opening coin toss moving forward.

– The word of the day for the Colts is execution. Indy simply did not execute at a high enough level to beat a very good Texans' squad. While execution certainly falls on the players, it also falls on the coaches. The coaching staff must do a better job preparing their players, especially in big games where the Colts seem to have the most problems executing.

It starts with Steichen as the head coach, who takes responsibility for the entire team. Coordinators Anarumo, Jim Bob Cooter, and Brian Mason (Michael Badgley missed another extra point that would have made it a three-point game) also have to do a better job of identifying and correcting the areas the Colts must improve on. The Colts' position coaches need to be held accountable as well, as every position group could have been better on Sunday.

The entire team needs to be much better moving forward, as the Colts have five critical games remaining. Clean things up, and everything remains there for the taking. Continue down this path, and the Colts may end up with their most disappointing season in decades.