NFL 2026: Promising Defenses Shape Colts and Texans' Futures
WHO:
PFF - Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Sauce Gardner, Daniel Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars
PFF - Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots
WHAT:
PFF - The Colts have committed to Daniel Jones at quarterback for the upcoming season.
PFF - The Texans are expected to have one of the NFL's best defenses returning for the 2026 season, fueling high expectations.
Heavy NFL - Josh Downs is expected to become one of quarterback Daniel Jones' primary receiving options for the 2026 season.
PFF - The Colts are looking to challenge the Texans and Jaguars after their recent performance, having made a blockbuster move by acquiring cornerback Sauce Gardner during the 2025 season.
PFF - The Texans are expected to have one of the NFL's best defenses returning for the 2026 season, fueling high expectations.
PFF - The Colts raced out to an 8-2 start in 2025 before finishing the season with an 8-9 record for the second consecutive year.
PFF - The Texans finished second to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South in 2025.
PFF - The Texans' postseason ended with a 28-16 loss to the New England Patriots, who became the eventual AFC champions.
Heavy NFL - The Indianapolis Colts are creating an opportunity for wide receiver Josh Downs to take on a larger role due to Michael Pittman's departure and Alec Pierce's ongoing recovery from ankle surgery.
PFF - The Colts finished the 2025 season with an 8-9 record after a seven-game losing streak.
PFF - The Texans had a 12-5 record in 2025 and lost 28-16 to the New England Patriots in the postseason.
PFF - The Colts acquired cornerback Sauce Gardner during the 2025 season.
PFF - The Texans achieved an impressive road victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the postseason.
WHERE:
PFF - The Colts and Texans are part of the AFC South division in the NFL.
WHEN:
PFF - The Texans' postseason loss to the New England Patriots occurred in 2025.
WHY:
PFF - The Colts are looking to challenge the Texans and Jaguars after their recent performance.
HOW:
colts.com - During a recent scrimmage, quarterback Daniel Jones showcased impressive passing and running skills, completing several passes to wide receivers Ashton Dulin and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and scrambling effectively after recovering from an Achilles' tear. Head coach Shane Steichen remarked, "He's on fire right now. It's awesome to see."
colts.com - During a recent scrimmage, quarterback Daniel Jones showcased impressive passing and running skills, completing several passes to wide receivers Ashton Dulin and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and scrambling effectively after recovering from an Achilles' tear. Head coach Shane Steichen remarked, "He's on fire right now. It's awesome to see."
colts.com - During a two-hour scrimmage, quarterback Daniel Jones showcased impressive passing and running skills, completing several passes to wide receivers Ashton Dulin and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and scrambling effectively after recovering from an Achilles' tear. Head coach Shane Steichen remarked, "He's on fire right now. It's awesome to see."
Heavy NFL - Josh Downs is expected to become one of quarterback Daniel Jones' primary receiving options for the 2026 season.
PFF - The Colts committed to Daniel Jones at quarterback for the upcoming season.
The Colts have officially committed to Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback for the upcoming season, following an impressive performance during a recent scrimmage where he demonstrated his passing and running abilities. With wide receivers Ashton Dulin and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine catching several of his passes, head coach Shane Steichen praised Jones, saying, "He's on fire right now. It's awesome to see." Meanwhile, the Texans are anticipated to have one of the NFL's top defenses returning for the 2026 season, which is raising expectations for their performance.