Nico Collins was clutch on Sunday in the Texans' 29-27 victory at Indianapolis.
The fourth-year wide receiver caught six passes for 117 yards in the Week 1 win. In last season's regular season finale, he shredded the Colts' secondary for nine receptions that amounted to 195 yards and a touchdown. The Texans were victorious in both, and Collins was a big reason why.
"Big time playmaker," Head Coach DeMeco Ryans said. "He's done it a couple times here versus the Colts. That's what Nico does: he makes bigtime plays."
Two in particular, stood above the rest.
The first was the Texans' longest play of the day, a C.J. Stroud-to-Collins 55-yarder over the middle near the start of the second quarter. It moved the Texans from their own 32-yard line to the 13 of Indianapolis, and it set up a Stefon Diggs touchdown reception that happened three plays later.
The second happened on 3rd-and-11, coming out of the 2-minute warning in the final quarter. Stroud zipped a fastball to the right side, Collins corralled it and got a knee down as he tumbled out of bounds. The Colts had to burn their final two timeouts, and the Texans were able to end the game with Stroud kneeling on the final two snaps.
"In the moment when we needed it most, what a big time play," Ryans said. "What an awesome catch. To be able to get down in bounds, it was a really big time play."
Stroud described how he and Collins, and the rest of this Texans bunch, relish the tense situations late.
"We love those type of moments," Stroud said. "Gotta have it. Need it right here.He did a great job of just securing the catch. I tried to put it in a spot where he can get it."
Collins got it, and it helped seal the first Texans opening-day victory since 2021, and the third straight win in Indianapolis.
Houston will host the Chicago Bears next week on Sunday Night Football at NRG Stadium.
