What complicates the Texans’ defensive gameplan for the Indianapolis running game is the presence of second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson. The fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft is 6-4, 244 and runs in the 4.4s. He’s an exceptional runner, and he has a powerful arm.
In the second game of last season — the Colts’ 31-20 victory — Richardson ran three times for 35 yards and touchdowns of 18 and 15 yards before leaving the game because of an injury. He did more damage running than he did passing. Before he was replaced by Gardner Minshew, Richardson completed 6-of-10 for 56 yards and a 75.4 rating.
“It’ll be a great matchup for us to start off the year,” Ryans said. “Anthony Richardson, as he showed with the limited amount of snaps he had, that he could be a dynamic playmaker running the ball (and) also throwing the football. You have to account for him every single snap because of his dynamic ability to run the football. He poses a good challenge for us, and we definitely have our hands full.”
Ryans knows what he wants to see from his defense this season, beginning with the Colts.
“The key is consistency,” he said. “It’s always important. The first game is going to be about tackling. You have to tackle as a team, right? Talk about our defense last year (and) it’s too many missed tackles. For us to improve the run game and also the passing game, we have to be a better tackling team, and it takes just more hands to the ball, more guys securing and wrapping up.”
Last season, the Texans allowed only one 100-yard rusher in regular season, and that was against Taylor. Because they defeated the Colts to make the playoffs, they’d happily accept that outcome again Sunday.