Tag: Colts vs. Texans

Texans vs. Colts, Week 1 injury report: Friday

M.J. Stewart is the only player for the Houston Texans who won’t suit up on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Houston Texans released their final injury report ahead of the Week 1 opener against the Indianapolis Colts, where there’s only one notable player out for Sunday.

Defensive back M.J. Stewart (knee) has been ruled for Sunday’s contest at Lucas Oil Stadium. He’s best used on special teams, so Houston must find his replacement for kickoffs and punts.

This means that the team will be at full strength to begin the season. Defensive end Will Anderson Jr., defensive tackle Tim Settle and running back Joe Mixon have been at full speed all week.

Here’s the final injury report from the Texans’ side.

On the opposing side, receiver Josh Downs is out for Sunday’s season opener with a knee injury. Kicker Matt Gay, who did not practice all week, is questionable to play with a hernia injury.

Kickoff from Lucas Oil Stadium is scheduled for noon CT.

J.J. Watt believes Texans are equipped for contender expectations

The Houston Texans hype is as big as its ever been but former player J.J. Watt believes C.J. Stroud and DeMeco Ryans can handle expectations

Expectations are high in Houston as the NFL season begins on Sunday in Indianapolis for the reigning AFC South champions. The Texans finished a surprising 10-7 en route to the team’s first playoff appearance since 2019.

DeMeco Ryans’ head coaching debut was a smashing success. His team, led by rookies C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr., captured a wild-card round win over the Cleveland Browns before falling to the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens a week later.

Given the rapid ascension, Houston became one of the top teams discussed in the offseason, with moves such as signing Danielle Hunter and Azeez Al-Shaair and trading for Joe Mixon and Stefon Diggs feeding the media flames.

Every year, there is that one team that receives the extent of offseason hype. In 2022, the Jacksonville Jaguars won six of their final seven games to reach the playoffs, where they came back from down to 27 to beat the Los Angeles Chargers.

Jacksonville elevated from the 27th-best Super Bowl odds in 2022 (+13000) to 12th (+2800) entering 2023. However, the Jaguars sputtered down the stretch, losing five of their last six to miss the postseason.

While quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s ankle injury may have had more effect than the Jaguars increased expectations, the latter can be damaging to teams ill-equipped to handle them.

It’s not something Texans legend J.J. Watt is worried about regarding Houston’s current coach and quarterback combination.

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“I think C.J. and DeMeco, the demeanor that they have, the way they attack each day and the way that they lead that team, nobody’s better to handle this type of hype and expectation than those guys,” Watt said while appearing on the Pat McAfee Show.

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year played alongside Ryans as a rookie in 2011, witnessing how the two-time Pro Bowl linebacker led a Houston team with legitimate playoff aspirations for the first time in franchise history.

Houston’s 2024 team has even higher expectations after Stroud’s historic rookie season. He became the third quarterback to lead the league in passing yards per game and touchdown-to-interception ratio, joining Tom Brady and Joe Montana.

The Texans acquired Diggs from the Buffalo Bills in a trade centered around the former All-Pro and a second-round pick in 2025 that Houston sent in exchange to form one of the league’s top receiving trios.

Diggs joins Nico Collins, who had a breakout third season that he parlayed into a three-year, $72.75 million contract extension, and Tank Dell, who was on pace to shatter the Texans rookie receiving records before suffering a season-ending leg injury in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos.

“You got to spread it amongst these incredible playmakers on the offensive side of the ball, and it’s going to give defensive coordinators nightmares,” Watt added.

The added talent has everyone thinking more is in store for Stroud in year two, who currently has the second-highest MVP odds at +800 on DraftKings Sportsbook, only behind Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

As a team, the Texans’ Super Bowl odds similarly skyrocketed to +1600, tied for seventh with the Buffalo Bills, from +25000 a year ago. It’s the third-biggest odds move in one year in the Super Bowl era.

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Only time will tell if the Texans can reach the heights the outsiders have placed on them, yet in the mind of the franchise’s greatest player, expectations won’t be the reason they don’t find success.

Announcers set for Texans vs. Colts Week 1

Here’s who is on the call when the Houston Texans take on the Indianapolis Colts.

The Houston Texans will battle the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, where the reigning AFC South champions look to set a standard in the division for the 2024 campaign.

The Texans Week 1 game will air on CBS at Noon CT. The television commentators for the game are Andrew Catalon (play-by-play), Tiki Barber, Jason McCourty (color analysts) and AJ Ross (reporter).

These two potential AFC contenders have bad blood after Houston marched into Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 18 last season to secure a 23-19 victory and its first division title in four years.

The Texans return C.J. Stroud, Will Anderson Jr., Nico Collins and countless talents from last year’s matchup as the headliners in Sunday’s contest. They’ll also have a healthy Tank Dell, who did not play in Week 18’s showdown after dealing with a broken leg.

Houston also loaded up in the offseason, acquiring proven veteran offensive talents like All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs and Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon via trades. During free agency, the Texans upgraded positions with the signings of edge rusher Danielle Hunter and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair.

Diggs joins a receiver corps that includes Dell, Collins, John Metchie III and tight end Dalton Schultz. Hunter and Anderson could be the best pass-rushing duo to touch down in Houston since J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus in the mid-2010s.

Stroud, who last season became the fifth passer in league history to throw for over 4,000 yards as a rookie, will look to compete for MVP honors this fall. Should he win the award, he’d become the first sophomore gunslinger to win MVP since Lamar Jackson in 2019.

Who wins Week 1 game between Texans and Colts?

Who walks away a winner between the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts? Click here to vote!

The Houston Texans will battle the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, where the reigning AFC South champions look to set a standard in the division for the 2024 campaign. 

These two potential AFC contenders have bad blood after Houston marched into Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 18 last season to secure a 23-19 victory and its first division title in four years. The Colts have gone back and forth on social media and podcasts, making it clear a rivalry has been renewed. 

The Texans return C.J. Stroud, Will Anderson Jr., Nico Collins and countless talents from last year’s matchup as the headliners in Sunday’s contest. They’ll also have a healthy Tank Dell, who did not play in Week 18’s showdown after dealing with a broken leg. 

Houston also upgraded multiple positions in the offseason via free agency. Four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter joins the crew after leading the NFL in tackles for losses. Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair should replace leading tackle Blake Cashman. 

On offense, Houston will now have two new pieces for Stroud’s ‘five-headed monster’ with Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon and All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs. Diggs, who’s led the NFL over the past four seasons in catches (445), seems to be in lockstep with Stroud as the future No. 1 target. 

The Texans are a 3-point road favorite against the Falcons, per BetMGM. It’s not surprising considering that Anthony Richardson will be making his first start in over eight months after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in October. 

Will Houston set a standard on the road? Will the Colts become the team people must talk about heading into Week 2? 

Who wins on Sunday?

VOTE!

Colts send message to Texans, ready to reignite ‘bad blood’ between two franchises

Get ready for a rumble in Lucas Oil Stadium come Week 1 between two times who last played for a shot at the postseason.

Who are the Houston Texans’ arch-rivals in the AFC South?

The Jacksonville Jaguars spent most of the 2000s battling with Houston for third place in the division. Last season, their downfall led the the Texans’ triumph en route to a division title.

The Tennessee Titans hightailed it out of H-Town when Bud Adams elected to move the team from the Astrodome to build a new stadium following the 1996 season.

What’s worse is the Houston Oilers logo, branding and color scheme belong to the Adams family, thus adding more fuel to the fire whenever the Titans don that Love-Ya Blue whenever the Texans travel to Nissan Stadium.

But the Indianapolis Colts take first place for bitter foe entering 2024. One play separated the two squads from reaching the postseason last year under first-year coaches Shane Steichen and DeMeco Ryans.

Houston converted. Indianapolis didn’t.

That hatred has lingered at Lucas Oil Stadium for months since the Texans clinched the AFC South for the first time since 2019 and Colts players are ready to light the torch while hopefully giving fans what they pay for.

“I definitely think there’s some bad blood between the two teams,” Colts defensive lineman DeForest Buckner told Fan Duel’s Kay Adams. “C.J. [Stroud]’s been talking a little bit on the offseason. [Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin’s] been talking a little bit in the offseason. … It’s one of those rivalries you gotta look out for.”

The Texans, who finished 11-8 last season following a loss in the AFC Divisional Round to Baltimore, upgraded their roster in the offseason to push them into Super Bowl contention. They added Pro Bowlers Danielle Hunter, Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon, plus brought in roleplayers like Azeez Al-Shaair and Denico Autry.

The Colts elected to run it back with basically the same 9-8 squad, though former first-round pick Anthony Richardson will enter the mix. He put on a showcase the first four weeks of the season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.

Texans fans might think they have the better quarterback, but Richardson kickstarted a victory in Week 2 over Houston with a pair of rushing touchdowns in the first quarter before leaving with a concussion.

The AFC South belongs to Houston for the moment, though three teams have claimed the title since 2018. Indianapolis, which last won the division in 2014, looks to end its 10-year drought with a win over the Texans in Week 1.

Por Bowl running back Jonathan Taylor mentioned that Colts players felt disrespected when Houston clinched the division in Week 18. He plans on returning the favor come Sept. 8.

“Someone is coming into Lucas Oil Stadium and they’re tryna wipe their paws, wipe their feet right on top of us,” Taylor said. “We can’t let that happen.”

Colts’ Zaire Franklin revs up rivalry with Texans’ C.J. Stroud entering 2024

Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin is eager to see Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud in 2024 after how last season ended at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Houston Texans hate the Tennessee Titans and the latter feels the same. However, one shouldn’t sleep on the budding feud between Houston and Indianapolis.

It’s growing after the Texans secured the division title over the Colts during Week 18’s season finale at Lucas Oil Stadium. Behind C.J. Stroud’s heroics, Houston ended its four-year playoff drought and went on to win the following week against Cleveland.

The Texans secured the dub fair and square, but several Colts players weren’t too happy about the outcome. Most recently, linebacker Zaire Franklin went on the “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast and mentioned how bumped into Stroud at Radio Row during Super Bowl week and brought up the blowout in Week 2.

“I saw him and I pulled him aside and I was like, ‘When you played Anthony [Richardson], it was like 28-7 in the second quarter. We were kind of blowing you out. I mean, we were playing Cover 2 shell, two-minute prevent for two quarters and a half. So, like, yeah you threw for 300 yards, but you were getting blown out that game,'” Franklin said.

The middle linebacker isn’t wrong. Richardson, who was selected two picks after Stroud, scored a pair of early touchdowns with his legs to make it 14-0 in the first quarter at NRG Stadium.

Richardson was removed early in the second quarter due to a concussion. Stroud, meanwhile, broke out with a 384-yard performance in an eventual 31-20 loss after trailing by 18 at halftime.

“He was like, ‘Bro, I ain’t cook you? I ain’t cook you?’ And I’m like, ‘Look, if that’s what you consider a cooking with the loss, I mean, congratulations.’ Then, I had to remind him as well that he’s never beaten Anthony, so …”

Again, another point in favor of Franklin. Richardson was on pace for a breakout rookie campaign before a shoulder injury in Week 5 that sidelined him for the rest of the regular season.

Stroud, who won Offensive Rookie of the Year, also threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns in the 23-19 win in Week 18 to secure the division title.
Franklin, of course, said the feud was in good fun. Of course it was since Stroud’s become one of the more likable personalities off the field.
On the field, however, Franklin is ready to reignite the rivalry in 2024.
“I love C.J., man,” said Franklin. “but I need to see that boy again.”

Colts’ Zaire Franklin revs up rivalry with Texans’ C.J. Stroud entering 2024

Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin is eager to see Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud in 2024 after how last season ended at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Houston Texans hate the Tennessee Titans and the latter feels the same. However, one shouldn’t sleep on the budding feud between Houston and Indianapolis.

It’s growing after the Texans secured the division title over the Colts during Week 18’s season finale at Lucas Oil Stadium. Behind C.J. Stroud’s heroics, Houston ended its four-year playoff drought and went on to win the following week against Cleveland.

The Texans secured the dub fair and square, but several Colts players weren’t too happy about the outcome. Most recently, linebacker Zaire Franklin went on the “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast and mentioned how bumped into Stroud at Radio Row during Super Bowl week and brought up the blowout in Week 2.

“I saw him and I pulled him aside and I was like, ‘When you played Anthony [Richardson], it was like 28-7 in the second quarter. We were kind of blowing you out. I mean, we were playing Cover 2 shell, two-minute prevent for two quarters and a half. So, like, yeah you threw for 300 yards, but you were getting blown out that game,'” Franklin said.

The middle linebacker isn’t wrong. Richardson, who was selected two picks after Stroud, scored a pair of early touchdowns with his legs to make it 14-0 in the first quarter at NRG Stadium.

Richardson was removed early in the second quarter due to a concussion. Stroud, meanwhile, broke out with a 384-yard performance in an eventual 31-20 loss after trailing by 18 at halftime.

“He was like, ‘Bro, I ain’t cook you? I ain’t cook you?’ And I’m like, ‘Look, if that’s what you consider a cooking with the loss, I mean, congratulations.’ Then, I had to remind him as well that he’s never beaten Anthony, so …”

Again, another point in favor of Franklin. Richardson was on pace for a breakout rookie campaign before a shoulder injury in Week 5 that sidelined him for the rest of the regular season.
Stroud, who won Offensive Rookie of the Year, also threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns in the 23-19 win in Week 18 to secure the division title.
Franklin, of course, said the feud was in good fun. Of course it was since Stroud’s become one of the more likable personalities off the field.
On the field, however, Franklin is ready to reignite the rivalry in 2024.

 “I love C.J., man,” said Franklin. “but I need to see that boy again.”