Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon feel right at home in Houston.
Mixon rushed for 159 yards and scored a 3-yard touchdown as the Houston Texans secured a 29-27 victory over the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Diggs finished with a team-leading six catches for 33 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning 3-yard score in the fourth quarter.
FIRST TEXANS GAME. FIRST TOUCHDOWN.
📺: @NFLonCBS / @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/xYVixaVjoz
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 8, 2024
The Texans wanted to build around reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud while still on his cost-friendly contract. Mixon, who spent the past seven years with the Cincinnati Bengals, inked a three-year deal worth $27 million this offseason.
Diggs, a four-time Pro Bowl receiver with the Buffalo Bills, was looking for a change of scenery after tensions rose following four playoff exits.
Stroud completed 24 of 32 pass attempts for 234 yards.
Six of those passes went to Nico Collins, who finished with a team-leading 117 receiving yards on six receptions.
MAKE THAT 2️⃣ TOUCHDOWNS FOR 1️⃣ 🔥
📺: @NFLonCBS / @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/Slyf9VhwAE
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 8, 2024
Collins, who last season totaled 195 yards in the Week 18 division-clinching win, helped set the tone in the second quarter with a 56-yard reception, pushing Houston into Indianapolis territory. Diggs, who became the eighth active receiver to surpass 10,000 career receiving yards in the first quarter, secured his first touchdown with a 9-yard reception.
Second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson nearly wielded the Colts to victory in his first game back since suffering a season-ending shoulder injury last October. Combined with a blend of mobility and deep ball accuracy, the former No. 4 overall pick finished with 212 passing yards, 56 rushing yards, and three total touchdowns.
Both teams were aggressive in the fourth quarter to secure a division-defining win. On fourth-and-goal, Stroud found Diggs for a score to extend Houston’s lead to nine.
Richardson, who connected with Alec Pierce for a 57-yard completion on the ensuing drive, kept it himself on fourth-and-goal for a 3-yard touchdown run.
7️⃣ to 1️⃣2️⃣ connection 🎯
📺: @NFLonCBS / @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/m6FNH45TMA
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 8, 2024
Mixon, who became the first Texans’ running back since Dameon Pierce in 2022 to rush for 100 yards in a single game, secured the win on a 9-yard run on third-and-short. Stroud might have done most of the heavy lifting for a 12-yard competition to Collins on a 3rd-and-11 near the sidelines.
The Texans return to NRG Stadium for their home opener against the Chicago Bears next Sunday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:20 p.m.
