The Colts and Texans are walking into Week 3 with matching 0-2 records, and both teams opened the week with some troubling injury news ahead of Sunday’s matchup.
Indianapolis starting cornerback Charvarius Ward Sr. did not practice Wednesday after leaving Week 2 with a groin injury. The Colts also listed wide receivers Ashton Dulin and Alec Pierce as non-participants, with Dulin dealing with an ankle issue and Pierce sidelined by a heel injury.
Pierce’s situation is the more serious one: Shane Steichen said Wednesday that he will be placed on Injured Reserve, which will keep him out for at least the next four games. Pierce reaggravated the left heel he had surgery on in March during last Sunday’s game, and the Colts are planning to let him rehab the injury as recommended rather than move toward season-ending surgery.
The team is still hoping he can return later this season.
Dulin’s status is less clear, but it is still a concern. He is considered week-to-week and missed last Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, so sitting out practice Wednesday does not help his chances for Sunday.
Last week, Laquon Treadwell handled much of the offensive fill-in work in his place. On special teams, Deion Burks and Cam Taylor-Britt worked at gunner, while Seth McGowan and Anthony Gould took over kickoff return duties.
The Colts did get a few names onto the practice field, with Keenan Allen and Jonathan Taylor both limited as rest days. Sauce Gardner was a full participant despite a rib issue, and so were guard Matt Goncalves, who is dealing with a foot injury, and wide receiver Laquon Treadwell.
There was also another offensive line note tied to Indianapolis’ depth. Brown’s absence stands out for a line that has already allowed seven sacks in two games, while the running backs are averaging just 2.8 yards per carry. If Brown is unable to play Sunday, Blake Fisher is listed as the backup right tackle.
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Carlie Irsay-Gordon has made her game day routine part of the conversation in Indianapolis, often standing on the sideline and taking notes as she works to better understand how the Colts operate. She has spoken publicly about wanting to learn more about football operations since taking over the team, and her hands-on approach has become one of the more visible signs of her ownership.
Not everyone sees it the same way. Some fans and commentators have questioned whether her presence on the sideline is a distraction, while others say the reaction says as much about gender bias as it does about football. The divide has turned a routine part of game day into a larger debate over how owners are expected to act, and who gets the benefit of the doubt when they show up in plain view. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Suddenly Have A Growing Problem In The Secondary
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Indianapolis is now in the uncomfortable spot of having to sort through alternatives on the fly, with a rotation at the position suddenly looking like a real possibility. For a defense already trying to find its footing, the question is no longer just whether Walley can settle in, but how quickly the Colts can identify a better answer in the middle of the secondary. [Read more 🡒]
Colts 0-2 Start Is Putting The Wrong Unit Under Pressure
The Colts may have found a little rhythm on offense in their second game, but the early-season alarm bells are still ringing in Indianapolis. A 0-2 start always invites scrutiny, and this one has the attention shifting away from the side of the ball that looked better and toward a defense that has not done enough to steady the team.
Shane Steichens group is already hearing the kind of questions that come with an uneven opening stretch, and the pressure is creeping beyond the scoreboard. With the coaching staff and front office both part of the conversation this early, the next stretch feels important not just for the record but for the broader direction of the franchise. [Read more 🡒]