The Houston Texans’ recent confidence booster? A dominant win over the Buffalo Bills. Moving forward, they will face the Indianapolis Colts for a Week 13 showdown. And ahead of this divisional test, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans delivered a firm and detailed assessment of the Colts, making it clear that they fully understand the magnitude of the challenge coming their way.

”I think Daniel has done a really nice job, and Shane, along with Daniel, they’ve done a nice job of scheming it up to where the first guy is open a lot for him. And he’s able to deliver the ball very quickly,” he said while addressing Daniel Jones’ performance on November 26.

”He’s really taking advantage of that, of guys being open, and I feel like he’s doing a just really good job of just managing the offense. If it’s not there, you don’t see him make a ton of bad decisions with the football. He’s not turning the ball over a ton, and I think that’s a huge improvement for him,” he added.

Under Steichen, he’s resetting his platform faster and eliminating uncertainty, a major reason Indianapolis’ passing attack ranks seventh in yards per game by averaging 245.2 passing yards.

Paired with a really great supporting cast, the Colts have maximized Jones’ efficiency. Through 11 games, he has averaged 2,840 yards, which is the 4th highest, 17 TDs, and 7 interceptions. With receivers Alec Pierce, Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, rookie standout TE Tyler Warren, and a complete offensive line, Indianapolis has become the league’s No. 1 scoring offense, a dramatic shift from the last two seasons.

On the other hand, Ryans believe Jonathan Taylor is still vital for this offense. He is firmly in the Offensive Player of the Year hunt. In fact, he was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for October.

”So you have explosive receivers on the outside, the rookie tight end is doing a good job as well. 
And then, of course, running the football, Jonathan Taylor, and can’t say enough good things about him as a running back. Just his balance, his power, explosiveness,” he said.

He added that the Texans must “set the edge” and prevent Taylor from heating up early, an important point because that early-down success for Taylor is what has allowed Steichen to keep the offense on schedule and avoid third-and-long situations. In short, forcing Steichen to call the game left-handed means stopping Taylor.

Ryans concluded his review by emphasizing discipline: ”Shane has always done a good job, you know, offensively of creating, you know, eye candy, as I call it, to mess with guys’ eyes, to put their guys in position to make plays.”

Steichen’s motions, play-action shifts, and layered route concepts are designed to trick linebackers into overpursuing. Ryans wants his defense, the No. 1 scoring defense in the league, locked in mentally, not just physically, for their biggest offensive test of the season. And if history is anything to go by, then the Texans must be very careful.

Ryans’ Texans vs. the Colts

The Texans and Colts have met 47 times, with Indianapolis leading 33–13–1. But this season’s meeting carries unusually high stakes. The Colts (8–3) have lost two of their last three. A Texans victory would pull Houston within a single game and tighten the division even further.

Houston enters riding a three-game winning streak. Momentum continues to build with star quarterback C.J. Stroud and corner Jalen Pitre both trending toward clearing concussion protocol. Facing the league’s top scoring offense, Houston’s defensive horsepower will be fully needed.

Daniel Jones was limited in Wednesday’s practice with a fibula issue, but Colts head coach Shane Steichen labeled him “good to go.”

With Taylor leading the NFL in rushing yards and touchdowns and the Colts averaging 31.0 points per game, the stage is set: the league’s best offense versus the league’s finest defense.