Insider: 10 quick observations on the Colts' shutout win over the Texans

HOUSTON -- Ten quick observations on the Colts' 31-0 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday:

1. It turns out Ryan Kelly means quite a bit to this Colts offense. Not only has the two-time Pro Bowl center, who was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday, been key on double teams with Quenton Nelson, but his solid play helps mask other problems that can form on the offensive line, namely Eric Fisher's. That became a problem in the run game for long stretches in the first half Sunday, and Kelly's absence was also felt on a third-quarter, third-down sack in which the Texans brought an overload blitz to the right and Danny Pinter dropped back and didn't block anyone. The Colts are lucky they have a bye week next week to eliminate the chance that Kelly would have to miss beyond this one.

2. It was hard to watch this Colts offense at times after a November in which it led then NFL with 33 points per game. But, that happens sometimes when the center misses unexpectedly and you play a road game against such an unexciting opponent. The Texans looked like the worst team in the NFL Sunday, when they turned the ball over on their first two possessions and did not cross midfield a single time in the first half. Tyrod Taylor was suddenly inaccurate, none of his skill players had any wiggle to them, and Kenny Moore was a step ahead again, this time on overmatched athletes. Teams often aren't their best the week before the bye, as it can be a slog just to get to that break. So the schedule played out nicely that the Colts played the Texans in that scenario.

• More: Insider: Colts head into bye with 31-0 victory over woeful Houston Texans

• More:Insider: Colts turn back to Jonathan Taylor, pummel Texans with 'run the damn ball type of day'

• More: The Colts showed up to play the Texans in Houston, but not many fans did

Jonathan Taylor has an NFL-best 18 touchdowns

3. Even on a tough day for the run game, Jonathan Taylor scored two more rushing touchdowns. That gives him an NFL-best 18 total touchdowns. He also had 143 yards on a season-high 32 carries. It's going to take a heroic effort to have a chance at the MVP, including something narrative-driven like when Adrian Peterson ran for 199 yards to beat the rival Packers in order to get the Vikings into the playoffs the last time a running back won this award. But Taylor's consistency regardless of what else his offense has that day is putting him in the conversation. Sometimes, Colts games follow a simple script: One team has Jonathan Taylor and the other does not.

4. The box score makes it look like Frank Reich reacted to all the complaining about not running the ball last week, but rest assured, this was more about game flow and the opponent than anything else. With Tyrod Taylor and Davis Mills at quarterback, and no skill players who threatened any big plays, the key was simply bleeding clock and not risking a turnover once the Colts' lead got to double digits in the second quarter.

Kenny Moore with takeaways on first two drives

5. Moore started this game out with his hair on fire, making a smooth interception along the sidelines in which he snuck two feet in bounds and then a forced fumble on the second possession, where he punched the ball out during a screen. Moore has now tied his career high with four interceptions, and he's served as the glue for a beat-up secondary that doesn't have much of a consistent pass rush to work with. After a slower start to the season, he's made a nice case to make his first Pro Bowl as a slot cornerback. The numbers and the eye test are backing it up.

6. Speaking of career highs, Al-Quadin Muhammad is now up to five sacks after recording two more against the Texans. Houston's offense is dreadful, but, as Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus said this week, this team needs any pass-rush contributions outside of DeForest Buckner that it can get.

Colts post first road shutout since 1992

7. It was a big statistical day for the defense, which completed its first shutout since 2018 and its first road shutout since 1992. It featured a few impressive performances from Moore and Muhammad, and it's hard to point to any Colts player who struggled on that side of the ball on the initial watch. But this was more about something other than the players on that unit.

8. The Texans are the worst team in the NFL. The standings might say the Lions are, but keep in mind that they lost one game on a 66-yard field goal. Houston had Mark Ingram until it traded him to the Saints, and between attrition and regression to the mean, this roster has become like a preseason collection. The numbers are just staggering from Sunday: The Texans did not cross midfield until the 1-minute mark of the third quarter. In the second quarter, they ran 15 plays for 18 yards. It's an offense of check-downs to backup running backs and tight ends who scare nobody.

9. I say all this to say, take a breather on the Colts sometimes. They're a top-10 offense in every metric this season. They have competent quarterback play, a jump-ball wide receiver and the most electric runner in the NFL. They have their dull moments, but even those usually feature 100-yard games from Taylor. It's fun to watch players who have a chance to go the distance with the ball in their hands. The opposite of that is hopelessness.

10. Marlon Mack was inactive for the fifth straight game, and it was a shame in this one because he could have gotten some long run to help preserve Taylor. Taylor finished the game with a season-high 32 carries. He and the first-string offense exited before the final drive, and that's when Deon Jackson ran six times for 19 yards and a touchdown. The Colts have special teams reasons for keeping him inactive, but it has to be beyond frustrating at this point to have no chance to play until Taylor or Nyheim Hines miss a game.

Contact Nate Atkins at natkins@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @NateAtkins_.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts: 10 quick observations on the win over the Texans