The Texans’ slide is turning into the Colts’ cleanest path in the AFC South.
Houston entered the season with plenty of hype around it - a team many had pegged to fight for the division, a playoff berth, maybe even more. Instead, the Texans are 0-4, and the division picture has flipped in a way that should matter a lot in Indianapolis.
The Colts aren’t in a perfect spot themselves. They’re 2-2, sitting second in the AFC South behind the Jaguars at 3-1. But with Houston sinking, Indianapolis suddenly has more room to operate than anyone expected before the season.
That became even clearer this weekend when the Texans dropped a 34-30 decision to the Dallas Cowboys. It was close enough that Houston had a real shot, and C.J.
Stroud did his part with 347 passing yards and two touchdowns. But Dallas kept answering, and Dak Prescott’s 335 passing yards and one touchdown, along with Javonte Williams’ three rushing touchdowns, were too much for Houston’s defense to handle.
The Texans tried to recreate the kind of early-season rescue act they pulled off last year after starting 0-3, and they had done something similar in 2018 as well. This time, though, the comeback never materialized. At 0-4, they’re tied with the Tennessee Titans at the bottom of the division and staring up at both Indianapolis and Jacksonville.
That’s where the Colts benefit. The farther Houston falls, the less pressure Indianapolis faces from behind in the division race. It doesn’t lock anything in for the Colts, but it does widen the lane for them to stay in the playoff conversation.
There’s still a catch: the Colts have not exactly been convincing. Even with a two-game winning streak, they haven’t played like a team that has everything under control. Daniel Jones looks lost, and the defense has only been hanging on.
So the message is pretty simple. Houston’s losses are helping Indianapolis for now, but the Colts can’t count on that alone.
As long as the Texans and Titans keep losing, the door stays open. The Colts still have to walk through it by playing better.
In Other News...
Colts Sideline Debate Just Got Bigger At A Delicate Time
Carlie Irsay-Gordons habit of planting herself on the Colts sideline has become one of the more unusual talking points around the team, especially as she continues to work in plain view with a playbook in hand and notes at the ready. The principal owner and CEO has framed her approach as part of being an attentive leader, saying in an interview that listening and understanding matter, which fits the image she has presented during games.
But the conversation around her presence has widened, and not everyone views it as harmless curiosity. Bill Simmons questioned the sideline involvement on his podcast, adding another layer to a discussion that is already unfolding at a delicate point in the season, with Indianapolis sitting at 2-2 and trying to keep its focus on football rather than the attention orbiting above it. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Suddenly Have A Khalil Mack Decision Fans Can't Ignore
The Colts pass rush remains a talking point as the season approaches, and the latest name to surface is a familiar one: Khalil Mack. Indianapolis has been searching for more help off the edge after injuries thinned that group, and Macks track record would instantly change the tone of that conversation if the Colts decide to get aggressive. He is on a one-year contract, which makes him the kind of short-term fix teams often explore when a roster hole becomes too obvious to ignore.
Still, any potential move is not entirely in the Colts hands. Mack also carries a no-trade clause, so he would have to sign off on any deal, and the Chargers would likely want draft compensation in return if they are willing to listen at all. That leaves Indianapolis weighing a familiar NFL dilemma: whether to pay for immediate help now or hold its picks and trust the current rotation to survive the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Add A Familiar Pass Rusher With Anarumo Ties
The Colts added a familiar edge presence to the practice squad on Wednesday, bringing in veteran defensive end Carl Lawson as they continue sorting through their pass-rush depth. Lawson arrives with a clear connection to defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo from their time together in Cincinnati, which gives Indianapolis a built-in level of familiarity as the team looks to fortify the front seven.
Lawson has been around plenty of NFL locker rooms over his eight-year career, with stops in Baltimore, New York, and Dallas in addition to his years with the Bengals. He has 32 sacks to his name, and the question now is whether that experience and Anarumo familiarity can quickly translate into a larger opportunity in Indianapolis. [Read more 🡒]