Eyes in the Backfield

18 things to watch for in the Texans/Colts game

No wonder the Texans are struggling. Who would trade for this guy to play QB?

So things haven't exactly gone according to plan, but with the bulk of the season still in front of them, the Colts look to rebound from the gut check loss to the Jags, by taking on the winless Texans. Houston was a preseason darling of a lot of people, but were blown out by the Steelers in week 1, and it only got worse from there. Indy needs a win badly, and if things go well, here's what you'll see:

1. Watch for points. The Colts have had a healthy bye week just in time to gain rhythm and players back healthy. The Texans showed an ability to move the ball last week. This should be a high scoring affair. Indy has scored 39 points in its last 30 minutes of Time of Possession. The Colts defense has only allowed 3 touchdowns through three games, but the offense has 'helped' out by allowing 16 defensive points of their own. One way or another, the Colts O is scoring points.

2. Watch for Mike Pollack. The second round pick was slated to be a starter at guard this season, but a knee injury has kept Howard Mudd scrambling to fill his spot. Together with the return of Tony Ugoh, the Colts line is as healthy as it has been in some time (though it is still missing Ryan Lilja).

3. Watch Ugoh vs. Mario Williams. Williams was a hot commodity last season after a breakout year, but Tony Ugoh fared well against him. Williams picked up a couple of sacks in a blowout loss week one, but has been largely invisible this year. If Ugoh can hold Williams without a sack, it bodes well for the Colts quest to continue dominating the Texans for a long time to come.

4. Watch the linebackers, especially Clint Sessions. Sessions has conjured up memories of Gilbert Gardner early this season by overruning plays and allowing big cut back lanes. After a long stretch of pure practice time, now is his chance to show that he can grasp his defensive responsibilities. Word is that Hagler is ready (though ineligible) to return, so unless Sessions stays home and fills the hole, his playing time will disappear in a few weeks.

5. Watch for desperation and frustration. Let's face it, both teams have failed to live up to their preseason standards for various reasons. The loser is all but finished in 2008. This should be an intense game, and the team that keeps its head will come out on top.

6. Watch for Addai early and often. The Colts brought back the stretch play and ran wild on the Jaguars two weeks ago. By getting away from the run, the Colts left their defense on the field. The Jags struggled to run against the Texans last week, so Addai's YPC number could decide the game.

7. Watch for emotional fans. Houston is playing their home opener thanks to the damage caused by Hurricane Ike. Emotion doesn't always translate to an edge on the field, but Dungy will have his team prepared accordingly. The Texans fans always get up for games with Indy anyway, and if this one stays close the crowd could be a factor.

8. Watch for a fast start. Indy has missed many opportunities during the first halves this season. The Colts are at their best when they get out in front and force the other team to throw. They have been successful at overwhelming Houston in the past, forcing the Texans to play catch up.

9. Watch Peyton Manning. His play has been the story of the season. He's taken risks and at times has looked brilliant. His comments during the bye week suggest he knows the season is on the brink. He's thrown 4 picks in two games and will likely be much more careful with the ball.

10. Watch Marvin Harrison. He is in the middle of arguably the worst four game stretch of his career, dating back to last season's playoff game against San Diego. We think he is due for a classic performance. He looked great at times against Jacksonville, but didn't catch the deep ball in first half. Manning likely won't force anymore passes to him thanks to three picks on Harrison routes, so Marvin will have to get open long.

11. Watch the coverage. We always said if Indy's special teams were as good as the offense and defense, they would be unstoppable. This season the coverage has been more than adequate. Gone are the mental lapses and the frequent returns to midfield that resulted. Houston has burned the Colts in the past on returns. This week should tell us if we are seeing a trend developing.

12. Watch for heroics. It may take a Jack Bauer-esque performance from Peyton and company to prevent Demond's reactor from going nuclear. We don't want to contemplate the dark places a 1-3 start may lead.

13. Watch the nickel coverage. It was embarrassing to watch Matt Jones school Tim Jennings on third down. It was the difference in the game and things better change this week. Jennings can't continue to give up huge cushions that lead to easy pitch and catch conversions.

14. Watch Steve Slaton. The standout from West Virginia has played very well at a position that was a huge question mark for the Texans. Conventional wisdom says he is in for a huge week against the Colts. Instead, look for the Colts to buckle down and improve drastically against the run.

15. Watch for the stud. Despite being injury prone, Andre Johnson has shown remarkable potential in his young career. His season has started slowly, and in 8 career games Johnson has not gotten to 100 receiving yards against the Colts. Look for that to change this week.

16. Watch Gonzalez all day. The second-year receiver is on pace for an 80+ catch season. You could argue that Peyton has looked more comfortable throwing to him than Wayne and Harrison thus far. If the offense gets in gear as we are predicting he should have 8 or 9 catches.

17. Watch for the return of the road warriors. Including the playoffs, the Colts have lost just 5 of 25 road games in the past three seasons. They may not be able to win at the LOSer Dome, but these guys get it done in hostile territory.

18. Hey, it's Indy. Watch for the .500. Games at Houston are always tough, but this team desperately needs a win and is fresh out of excuses. Indy is more talented and is finally healthy on offense. Colts 31 Texans 24.