The Colts went for it on fourth down of their first drive, and Anthony Richardson made a bad pass to Adonai Mitchell, giving Houston the ball at their own 46. The Texans converted the good field position into an opening-drive field goal.

But Richardson came right back to show why the Colts spent the fourth overall pick on him in 2023.

Richardson threw a 60-yard dime to Alec Pierce, who was well covered by Derek Stingley Jr. and Jimmie Ward. It completed a three-play, 73-yard drive that gave the Colts a 7-3 lead with 5:12 left in the first quarter.

The Texans added another 50-yard field goal from Ka’imi Fairbairn, cutting the lead to 7-6 with 1:37 left in the quarter.

The new grass in Indianapolis has been a factor so far, with both teams struggling to maintain their balance. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud completed a fourth-down pass from his knees after slipping.