The Indianapolis Colts are 0-2, and that alone has turned Sunday’s trip to Houston into a pressure game. There have been some encouraging signs along the way, but none of it changes the reality on the scoreboard. Another loss - especially one in the division - would push the Colts to 0-3 and leave them in a brutal spot.
That’s why Shane Steichen’s team has to treat this one like a must-win. The Texans are also winless, which raises the stakes even more, and the Colts can’t afford to let this one slip away. Before kickoff, there are four big questions hanging over Indianapolis.
First, can the defense slow down C.J. Stroud?
Stroud has not been the Texans’ usual weak link this season. Even with limited weapons around him, he has put up numbers through two games, averaging 313.5 passing yards per game.
The downside has been the ball security: just two touchdowns, two lost fumbles, and seven sacks taken. If the Colts want to throw him off rhythm, that’s the opening they need to attack.
Second, what happens at linebacker?
That group has been a problem from the start. Through two games, the Colts have had a hard time dealing with tight ends and running backs no matter who’s lined up in the second level. The Texans may not be loaded at those spots, but the Colts’ issues are still glaring - missed tackles, poor pursuit angles, and a defensive coordinator who hasn’t solved the problem yet.
Then there’s the question of who picks up the slack for Alec Pierce.
Pierce is set to miss time, and the Colts are now without even the decoy version of him. Keenan Allen has been a liability, so the pressure is on him to turn it around.
Darius Slayton is another name to watch, with the chance to surprise right away. The Texans’ secondary has already shown cracks this season, so someone has to step into the void.
Finally, which Daniel Jones shows up?
The Colts need the steadier version, the one they saw in Week 2, not the shaky one from the opener. Jones has always been inconsistent, and this may not all be about health.
He was efficient against Houston last season, throwing for 201 yards, two touchdowns, and a 101.0 passer rating, even though Indianapolis lost. With the Texans’ defense struggling, the Colts don’t need a masterpiece.
They just need Jones to protect the ball and keep the offense on track.
In Other News...
Spencer Shrader Fought Through More Than Colts Fans Realized
Spencer Shrader gave Colts fans a performance worth remembering, drilling four field goals from 39, 58, 37, and 53 yards in a single game while carrying an injury he picked up during warmups. It was the kind of quiet, steady day that can change the shape of a game, and it also offered a reminder that kickers often spend just as much time managing pain and pressure as they do putting points on the board.
Shrader spoke about the mental side of kicking and the path that brought him here, including growing up near the Colts and working his way to the NFL. For Indianapolis, that background adds another layer to what looked like a clean outing on the scoreboard, because it turns out the success came with more behind-the-scenes grit than many in the stadium realized. [Read more 🡒]
Colts May Be Running Out Of Anthony Richardson Options
The quarterback market got a little more complicated with Minnesota sending J.J. McCarthy to the Giants for a 2027 fifth-round pick, a move that ripples beyond those two teams and into Indianapolis. For the Colts, it is another reminder that the value of young passers can shift quickly, even when the player in question is no longer in line to start. Anthony Richardson remains in a backup role, but his name still sits in the trade conversation because of his age, draft pedigree and the uncertainty around his long-term fit.
For Indianapolis, though, the bigger issue may be whether there is enough real interest to make a deal worthwhile. Richardson has been discussed as a potential trade candidate, but the pool of teams willing to make a meaningful offer could be thinning rather than growing. If that is the case, the Colts may end up doing what once seemed unlikely and simply holding onto him, even as the league keeps searching for the next quarterback bargain. [Read more 🡒]
Colts May Have Found A Defensive Answer At The Perfect Time
Adetomiwa Adebawore gave the Colts a timely jolt in Week 3, flashing the kind of interior pass-rush burst that can change a game in a hurry. In just 15 snaps against the Texans, he piled up four pressures and 1.5 sacks, a strong reminder that his growth as a disruptive force up front is no longer just a projection. For a defense looking for answers early in the season, that kind of production stands out.
The Colts are 1-2, and the schedule ahead figures to keep testing them in different ways, from offenses built on the pass to groups that lean on a more varied attack. Adebawores development, and the likelihood that his role keeps growing, gives Indianapolis a useful piece at exactly the right moment. If he keeps affecting quarterbacks the way he did last week, the Colts may have found a defensive spark they can lean on. [Read more 🡒]