STAFF PICKS
The Houston Chronicle's football writers and columnists make their predictions for the Texans' season opener against the Colts on Sunday at NRG Stadium:
COLTS 27, TEXANS 20
The Texans are an improved team from last year but so are the Colts after adding veteran QB and former MVP Matt Ryan. Jonathan Taylor is an unstoppable force and the Texans don't have the answer.
COLTS 24, TEXANS 17
The Texans have unpredictability in their favor. No one has seen what an offense with Davis Mills, Brandin Cooks, Dameon Pierce and the entire starting offensive line looks like. Or how it functions. There will be Week 1 kinks to work out. But a superior Colts roster wins out and breaks the franchise's eight-year streak of season-opener losses.
COLTS 27, TEXANS 20
The improving Texans are a better team this year. But Indianapolis still has the talent and is fighting for the playoffs, not just a Week 1 win.
TEXANS 21, COLTS 20
Even at 37, Matt Ryan is an upgrade at QB, but the Colts have a young receiving corps. If the Texans can slow Jonathan Taylor just a bit, they will pull off the surprise in a rocking NRG Stadium.