Indianapolis, IN
Crucial Matchups That Will Decide Colts vs. Texans
As the Indianapolis Colts prepare to host the Houston Texans this Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium, a handful of critical matchups could decide the outcome of an imperative AFC South rivalry game.
The Colts sit one game ahead of the Jacksonville Jaguars and two games ahead of the Texans, but that lead could evaporate into thin air with a home loss on Sunday afternoon.
With that being said, let’s jump into the first matchup to watch for.
DE Will Anderson Jr. vs. Colts’ Tackles
Will Anderson Jr. popped up on Houston’s injury report on Thursday with a chest issue, but he’ll be good to go against Indy, which means the Colts will face one of the top edge rushers in all of football.
In 11 games played, Anderson has racked up 36 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, 3 passes defended, 3 forced fumbles, and 17 QB hits. He’s riding a six-game sack streak highlighted by 2.5 sacks against the Buffalo Bills last Thursday, and he’ll be hungry for more against a Colts offensive line that’s been porous over the past few weeks.
The Colts allowed zero sacks against the Kansas City Chiefs last week, but the offensive line wasn’t convincing enough to make me believe that they can stop Anderson and the rest of the Texans’ pass rush.
Sign Up For the Colts Daily Digest – OnSI’s Indianapolis Colts Newsletter
WR Nico Collins vs. CB Sauce Gardner
Houston’s offense has relied on the duo of C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins for big plays through the air. Collins has accumulated nearly 700 receiving yards this season and remains a dangerous target, especially now that Stroud is back under center after recovering from a concussion.
Meanwhile, the Colts have upgraded their cornerback room — and that matchup between Collins and Sauce Gardner could go a long way toward determining whether Houston’s passing game thrives.
In his last three games against the Colts, Collins has torn apart the secondary. He’s brought in 22 receptions for 458 yards and 2 touchdowns, and some may remember his near 200-yard game that eliminated the Colts from playoff contention in Week 18 of the 2023 season.
Now that Gardner’s in the mix, Collins could have more trouble getting started. The Colts need to shut down Stroud and force the ball into a league-average rushing offense.
Turnover Battle
Heading into this week, the Colts remain the only team to force a turnover in every game played this season. Lou Anarumo’s squad emphasizes aggressiveness, and it’s proven to pay off all year long.
On the flip side, the Texans have forced the fourth-most turnovers in the league (19). The Colts’ offense committed zero turnovers against the Chiefs last week, but the two games before that told a different story.
Daniel Jones turned the ball over seven times against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons, proving that he can still succumb to pressure after a hot start.
The Colts must win the turnover battle to win the game. If Jones gives Stroud too many opportunities, it could end up being a loss similar to last week.
Recommended Articles
Indianapolis, IN
State police arrest man in connection with two Monument Circle attacks
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana State Police have arrested a man in connection with two attacks, including one deadly, near Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis earlier this month.
29-year-old Michael Willis is facing two counts of attempted murder. Police say that the attacks happened on June 19 and June 26, both happening on N Senate Ave. near Monument Circle.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by News 8, on June 19, Willis was walking in the area near Monument Circle around 2 a.m. when he approached a person laying down and repeatedly stomped on them. Police say that this first victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
The first victim died on Sunday due to their injuries sustained from Willis’s attack, documents say.
Police also say that on June 26, Willis attacked a different person at the same location near Monument Circle. Police believe that the second victim was repeatedly kicked and stomped on while they were lying down as well. This second attack also took place around 2 a.m.
Indiana State Police detectives shared surveillance photos of Willis from the attacks with other police agencies in an attempt to identify him. Police say Willis was identified by a Greensborough Police Sergeant after Willis had asked the sergeant to use his cell phone.
Police then approached Willis and detained him. Police say that when Willis was detained, he was wearing the same clothes that were seen in the surveillance footage of both attacks. Officers also noticed blood on Willis’s socks.
In an interview with detectives about the July 26 attack, Willis at first said that he was only “nudging” the victim. Police say that according to Willis, he was trying to wake the victim up because he was concerned about them.
Later in the interview, Willis admitted to attacking both victims. Willis said that he was frustrated that he had been homeless and unemployed for around the past 6 months. According to police, Willis also said that the people in the area were “mean and rude” to him.
Police say that Willis told detectives that he was the only person involved in these attacks.
Willis is currently in custody of the Marion County Jail.
Indianapolis, IN
Where to find cooling stations in central Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana is under a heat advisory with temperatures in the 90s throughout the week.
Many cooling centers will open throughout the state for those that need to find relief from the heat. Hoosiers looking to find cooling centers in their area can contact Indiana 211. To learn more, call 211 or (866) 211-9966.
Avaliable cooling centers can also be found by clicking here.
Marion County
For those living in Indianapolis, Indy Parks has several cooling centers across the city.
Those Cooling Centers are:
- Broad Ripple Park Family Center
- Brookside Park Family Center
- Christian Park Family Center
- Frederick Douglass Park Family Center
- Garfield Park Burrello Family Center
- Krannert Park Family Center
- Grassy Creek Environmental Education Center
- Pride Park Family Center
- Rhodius Park Family Center
- Riverside Park Family Center
- Stanley Strader Park Family Center
- Washington Park Family Center
- Windsor Park Family Center
- Watkins Park Family Center
- Thatcher Park Family Center
For addresses and hours of operations of these cooling centers, click here.
Beech Grove will also have two cooling Centers for residents starting Monday, June 29. Those hours and locations are:
- Beech Grove Senior Center, 602 Main St
- 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
- Hornet Park Community Center, 5245 Hornet Ave
- 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday through Friday
Other Central Indiana Cooling Centers
For addresses and hour of operations of cooling centers below, click here.
Marion
- St. Martin Community Center
- Grant County Family YMCA
- Grant County Rescue Mission
Kokomo
- The Kokomo Rescue Mission
- The Excel Center in Kokomo
Peru
- Community Resource Center
- Miami County Courthouse
- Miami County Health Department
- Miami County YMCA
- Peru City Hall
- Peru Public Library
- Peru Schools Administration Building
Indianapolis, IN
Heat Advisory and Warning for central Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — The National Weather Service out of Indianapolis has issued a Heat Advisory for all of Central Indiana and a High Heat Warning for parts of northern Indiana. The Advisory and Warning will go into effect at 12 PM on Monday and will run through 8 PM Thursday.
WRTV
A Heat Advisory means that temperatures in the 90s with dew points in the 70s, will lead to Heat Index values reaching 106. Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses.
Stay cool:
Drink plenty of fluids, check up on relatives and neighbors, and stay in an air-conditioned room when possible. If outside for extended periods of time, make sure to take frequent breaks in the shade as much as you can.
-
New York22 minutes agoRead the Indictment of Malik Beasley
-
Los Angeles, Ca28 minutes agoStolen Sea Scouts boat found in Marina del Rey, suspect arrested
-
Detroit, MI49 minutes ago
Michigan House passes bill to restrict big investors from amassing single-family homes
-
San Francisco, CA58 minutes agoSan Francisco rolls out heightened security measures ahead of World Cup knockout match, 4th of July
-
Dallas, TX1 hour agoKlyde Warren Park reveals expansion plans, construction timeline
-
Miami, FL1 hour agoPerson hospitalized after fire breaks out at North Miami Beach apartment building
-
Boston, MA1 hour agoScottish soccer fan who died in Boston was ‘Tartan Army to his core,’ fundraising page says – The Boston Globe
-
Denver, CO1 hour agoNuggets decline Jalen Pickett’s team option for 2026-27 season, sources say