Insider: Colts lose QB Anthony Richardson but get Shane Steichen his first win

HOUSTON — First-year head coach Shane Steichen has the first win of his coaching career.

Indianapolis pounded a depleted Texans team early and rode the pass rush late in a 31-20 win over the Texans on Sunday, but the win came at a price: The loss of starting quarterback Anthony Richardson.

The rookie left the game in the second quarter with a concussion and did not return, putting a damper on the first win of his career as a starter and Steichen’s career as the Colts head coach.

Indianapolis (1-1) picked up the win in the same building it opened the season in a frustrating tie in 2022, a game that ended up being a harbinger of the frustrating collapse that came later.

Colts lose Anthony Richardson

The risk and reward of the rookie Indianapolis quarterback’s mobility were on display Sunday.

Early on, Richardson was electric. Facing off against Texans rookie C.J. Stroud in a battle of top-five picks, Richardson marched the Colts downfield on the first series of the game, then darted through a hole, cut to the outside and ran away from the Houston defense for an 18-yard touchdown on a quarterback draw.

Handed the ball at the Houston 15-yard line for the next series, Shane Steichen dialed up an exotic-looking version of a bootleg. Richardson faked a handoff to the back, faked another handoff on a jet sweep to a circling Josh Downs, then turned and ran behind a lone blocker for a 15-yard touchdown, taking a hit at the end of the play.

Richardson stayed in the game for two more series, ultimately completing 6 of 10 passes for 56 yards, although both drives went three-and-out.

Then something happened.

While Indianapolis was playing defense, Richardson was taken into the injury tent to be examined by trainers, and backup quarterback Gardner Minshew began warming up on the sideline. Richardson emerged from the tent minutes later and was taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion.

Colts thoughts: Despite victory, they lose Anthony Richardson to brain injury

More: Colts QB Anthony Richardson out of game due to concussion

Richardson suffered a concussion, and was placed in the NFL’s concussion protocol, knocking him out for the rest of the game and leaving his status for next week’s game against the Ravens in doubt. Under NFL rules, a player must pass five steps of the concussion protocol — symptom-limited activity, aerobic exercise, football-specific exercise, non-contact practice and full-contact practice—before returning to play.

More: What are the steps for Anthony Richardson (concussion) to return to play?

Colts pass rush dominates depleted Texans offensive line

Injuries gave the Indianapolis front four an obvious advantage Sunday.

Already forced to play the early part of the season without starting right tackle Tytus Howard, Houston had to play without injured Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil at left tackle against the Colts, and it essentially declared open season on Stroud.

Colts defensive end Samson Ebukam blew by Tunsil’s replacement, Josh Jones, on the first snap and tackled Stroud into the arms of Dayo Odeyingo, who punched out the ball for a fumble that Kwity Paye recovered.

Linebacker E.J. Speed ended another Houston drive with a sack, defensive tackle Taven Bryan added another later in the half, and then Paye sacked Stroud out of field goal range in the third quarter to preserve the lead.

Former Texan Jake Martin added a fifth sack of Stroud with the Texans driving late in the fourth quarter, a play that ended up limiting Houston to a field goal, and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner ended the game with the sixth sack of Stroud.

Indianapolis was far from perfect defensively — there were plenty of issues in coverage — but the defensive line did its job.

Gardner Minshew fills in capably for rookie

The Colts offense lost the element of a running quarterback when Minshew entered the game in place of Richardson, but the short, high-percentage passing game Indianapolis rode on its first series fits Minshew’s skill set well.

Minshew directed scoring drives on his first three series of the game, producing a touchdown, another touchdown and a field goal to open the second half before Indianapolis went into clock-killing mode, riding the running game down the stretch.

If Richardson has to miss games due to the concussion he suffered, the offense Minshew ran is likely what the Colts would use: short, high-percentage throws that move the chains without hitting the big play, a strategy that worked well against a Houston defense that entered Sunday’s game without either of its starting safeties and lost third safety Eric Murray to a concussion on the first Colts drive of the game.

Minshew completed 19 of 23 passes for 171 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

Zack Moss stabilizes Colts ground game

Indianapolis was desperate for production from a running back position that produced just 25 yards on 16 carries in the season-opening loss to Jacksonville without the availability of Jonathan Taylor or Zack Moss.

Moss returned to the lineup for the game against the Texans, and although he doesn’t have Taylor’s ability to turn any carry into an explosive run, Moss is capable of hitting the right holes and picking up yards other backs wouldn’t.

The veteran back rushed 18 times for 88 yards and an 11-yard touchdown, his longest carry of the game and the longest carry by a Colts running back this season so far.

And it was clear the Colts wanted to lean on Moss. Indianapolis did not give another carry to a running back after backup Deon Jackson had just 14 yards on 13 carries against Jacksonville.

Colts cornerbacks struggle

Stroud’s statistical line should have looked worse, considering the pressure he was under for most of the game.

But the Texans rookie turned in an impressive performance, completing 30 of 47 passes for 384 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, because a young Indianapolis secondary struggled at time, especially left cornerback Darrell Baker Jr., the player Stroud kept targeting in the second half.

Third-year Houston receiver Nico Collins had six catches for 137 yards and a touchdown, and rookie Tank Dell added seven grabs for 72 yards and a touchdown, and although the pass rush was able to keep Houston from ever threatening to get back into the game in a real way, the Texans racked up yards through the air.