Colts can take away 'positives' from loss to Texans | Chris Simms Unbuttoned | NFL on NBC

so let's start with uh who was your man crush last year right the best rookie quarterback season that you ever saw yep CJ stad the Houston Texans they have done it again they've started out 1 and0 they beat the Colts 29-27 CJ strad get this statline now 12 touchdowns no interceptions in six career division games and so a little bit back and forth some highlight plays by Anthony Richardson but the Texans they got some new weapons they got some new toys Stefan Diggs Joe Mixon they used them game was really good 2927 no doubt about it you said it we'll break down the Colts and all that here's my my first just initial thought of the game is oh my gosh with the Texans right we knew the passing game and CJ strad were going to be good but my big thing with the game is oh my gosh if they have a running game like we saw today right that was the only thing that missed from the Bobby slowick Shanahan offense last year was the ability to just run at will against certain football teams Joe Mixon was definitely one of the stars of the day right no big runs on the day really it was just one great sixy run eight yard run 10 yard run 12 yard run 5 yard run that was phenomenal but I say that and where I go and go this is scary where the Houston Texans can go from here because when they if they can run the ball like this and then this guy who never misses a throw ever in CJ strout I mean if it's there he's going to hit it and he still made some of the damnest throws I saw today as far as accuracy and put in a spot where guys can't get Defenders can't get it but my point being if this the Run game goes like this you know slowick has 9 million play action passes just like Shanahan too and they're going to put people in such a bind with yeah the addition of Diggs who's going to be their meat and potatoes over the middle lots of reception guy and then you got Nico Collins who's going to be the big play guy for their football team and we know tank Dell is going to have Splash moments as well that is what excites me the most about this football game is what they looked like on the offensive side of the ball and not necessarily what they looked like today but I think the potential of what it could look like growing going forward so here's my question with Joe Mixon 30 carries 159 yards a touchdown de o Ryan said when we needed him to run the ball he did they knew it was a run he still made plays was that real because we've seen this in the past when a team gives up on a running back right usually that guy's done I know but this this is like you know last year when I was talking to you like and we would watch Dalvin cook or whatever I'd be like oh man that doesn't look the same right I said it right away I saw Joe Mixon today and I went man I mean he looks fresh he looks really good like doesn't look like he lost a step at all you know looks like he's motivated by everything let alone hey he was in a place in Cincinnati that I don't think was dedicated to the run like this team is about to be so I'm sure that excites him too and the Texans with a healthy offensive line are dangerous up front so that was awesome Colts there's positives to take away too you said it right I still have my worries but you got to be excited about Anthony Richardson and some of the big throws and the big plays he made I mean that's what the Colts did today it was just big plays there was nothing where you went oh they're going to put Drives together and oh he's surgical as I always say and stuff like that that's the part of the game I I worry about with Anthony Richardson too he's going to make some of the wow throws but is he just going to make some of the you know everyday throws that we got to make in the NFL in a consistent basis and I think that's still something to question but Alec Pierce you know I'm a big fan of him and I a lot of when I made him a top five receiver coming out in the draft that year I'm telling you you saw today Alec Pierce is the fastest white boy receiver in football right now he can go deep he's going to be their deep Target there so definitely positives but I would be I wouldn't be lying to I mean Colts defensively right that that's got to be a little concerning about how the day started off the year the season started off excuse me uh just you know consistently the ball being moved the ability for the Texans to control the clock for the most part right 417 yards had the ball for 40 minutes those aren't good things for the Gus Bradley Colts defense but again it wasn't all bad there's a lot of positives out there too that Anthony Richardson 60-yard touchdown pass two Alec Pierce traveled 65.3 yards in the air it's the third longest completion in the nextg stats era I don't know which one was more impressive right the bomb was great but the missile he threw to dlan on the in cut and then he ran for the touchdown the fact that he just threw it was such pace and it was a pretty tight window where he had to get it in and he he fitt it into the guy before the defender I think thought like oh I'm going to be able to make a break on this I'm either going to get a pick or I'm going to get a hand on it he threw it so hard he didn't get to it receiver catches it boom touchdown but you know all in all good things for Anthony Richardson Colts I like them I think they're going to be a pain in the ass all year I'm not ready to say they're a playoff team or anything like that I you know my thoughts there but I still think they're good I just I was was impressed with the Texans it wasn't perfect big plays they're going to be pissed about all that I know that but uh but overall uh that offense and what they did and the defense they'll they'll continue to get better they got a lot of Talent on that side of the ball the only negative for the Houston Texans they've created a problem now with Stefan digs two touchdowns in his first game and he drop off now like come on man what what happened to us you know that that's where hey that's where I think that's where his value will be a lot of the times though because he's goingon to be their number one route Runner right you always hear me talk about that Nico is going to be the guy come back I'm one-on-one back shoulder go route post route right really perfect spot for him Dell and Nico can be the speed guys exactly right and now he can be wait I'll run the little fake slant and come back out or the jerk route over the middle on the linebacker and yeah it might not be five receptions 125 yards stat lines for Stefon Diggs like it used to be in the old days I think this year we're going to see more eight catches 74 yards and the touchdowns down in the Red Zone they'll lean on him down there uh because he's very good at understanding holes and how to set up Defenders when it gets close down into to touchdown area Colts now since 2013 they are 010 and one in their last 11 season openers so they're used to this they this is they've gone down this road before thank God for that one tie stat would look really bad uh Colts hung tough though lose by two to the Houston Texans yo yo homies thanks for watching yeah it's time the NFL season is here on Chris Sims on button you can hit subscribe to get all the weekly picks plus our Sunday Recaps as the games are happening you know it nobody does that better than us thanks again for watching Remember to subscribe peace out we'll see you next time on unbutton