DE Will Anderson Jr. was all over the field Sunday in Indianapolis. When he was asked about his own performance after the loss, he turned the credit toward his teammates.
"Yeah, it's bigger than me," Anderson said. "That's a team effort right there. I would just say man, we came out, we had joyful intensity. Everybody was cheering each other on. When the offense was on the field, the defensive guys were standing up. When defense on the field, offense is standing up. We're headed in the right direction."
A Halftime Message That Lit the Fuse
According to QB C.J. Stroud, Anderson's impact went beyond the stat sheet. It started in the locker room at the break.
"Yeah, he's a baller bro. Like the dude is legit," Stroud said. "He came in the locker room during halftime and told us 'Whatever we got to do man, do it.' And he was the person to kick it off. And then from there, we started moving the ball."
Stroud said the offense should take its cue from the way Anderson plays.
"I think he set the tone. Offensively, we've got to follow that motto. Just like we can't just play conservative. We've got to be aggressive and attack, and not be the attacked."
Living in the Colts' Backfield
DT Tommy Togiai had a view from next to Anderson all afternoon, and he kept his assessment short.
"Man, he made hella plays all day. All day in the backfield. Made a living back there."
The Colts noticed too. Head Coach Shane Steichen said his staff built its plan around trying to contain Houston's front, and he said he had "a ton of respect" for the group.
"Obviously, we try to get four hands on those guys as much as possible, and still those guys we've got to limit the amount of plays they make. They're going to make plays," Steichen said. "I mean, 51 (Will Anderson Jr.) is as good as it gets. I mean, just watching him on the field on tape and then seeing him live in person, he's a phenomenal player."
"We're Built for It"
Anderson wasn't satisfied with where the Texans stand. He was clear, though, that one result won't change how the team works.
"I keep saying, what would the NFL be without adversity?" Anderson said. "We're built for it. We've got to keep chopping wood, keep responding the right way. And like I said, sometimes results betray you, but you keep going through your process. You keep getting better week in and week out. Keep being consistent. Keep showing up. Keep having fun. And that's what's going to get you over the hump."
