Without Nico Collins, Houston's Passing Game Keeps Stalling Short of the End Zone

C.J. Stroud threw for 353 yards against Cincinnati last week, and Houston lost 20-6 without scoring a touchdown. That's what the Texans look like without Nico Collins, and they'll look that way again Sunday in Indianapolis.

Collins didn't practice all week and was ruled out Friday with a hamstring injury. It isn't as serious as the one that cost him five games in 2024, and the next target is Week 4 at home against Dallas.

The problem is what happens without him. Houston has averaged 16 points in the last three games he's missed. No receiver has gone over 70 yards in any of them, and only three have passed 55. Against the Bengals, tight end Dalton Schultz caught 12 passes for 140 yards and nobody else topped 37.

Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel, Jared Wayne and Kayshon Boutte will get the chances outside. The running game could help, but it was nowhere last week: Woody Marks and David Montgomery combined for 18 yards on 14 carries.