Colts LB Ready to Get Another Shot at Texans QB C.J. Stroud: 'I Need to See That Boy Again'

Colts LB Ready to Get Another Shot at Texans QB C.J. Stroud: "I Need to See That Boy Again"

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin (44) celebrates a stop Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, during a / Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY

The AFC South will run through H-Town this year after the Houston Texans blew away their divisional rivals in 2023, making it all the way to the divisional round of the playoffs last season.

Prior to the Texans winning the division in 2023, they had yet to do so since the 2019 season. Since the division was created in 2002, the Texans have won the AFC South a total of seven times, behind the Indianapolis Colts, who have won the division nine times.

The going won't get any easier for the Texans, however, as all the teams seemingly improved from last season. The Texans do boast one of the best rosters in the NFL on paper, but they will have to translate that onto the field.

As is tradition in the NFL, divisional opponents play each other twice a year, and that means that the Texans will face off against the Colts, who are looking to inch closer to their overall wins in the AFC South. With those games meaning so much, Colts' linebacker Zaire Franklin sounded off on Chris Long's podcast about who he has beef with and is ready to see come the 2024 season.

"No, because I already smacked them a couple of times," Franklin said on the Green Light with Chris Long Podcast when asked if he had "beef" with the Titans. "It really is Houston. I'm not going to lie to you, I like C.J., man, I support all our young brothers at quarterback, but C.J., he done said a lot of wild stuff to me in our run-ins. … He is feeling himself. … I need to see that boy again."

Franklin didn't hold back. Last season, the two teams split the season series, each winning on the other's home turf, and Franklin had big games in both. However, he was unable to get to Stroud in the backfield. Stroud, on the other hand, didn't light things up, but he did play well enough to give his team a chance while not turning the ball over.

Things are clearly starting to heat up as we enter rookie mini-camps and OTAs, and quotes such as these will likely remain in the back of our minds during the regular season. The Texans and Colts matchup will be one to watch in 2024, primarily with quarterback Anthony Richardson back in the fold after dealing with a should injury for the majority of his rookie season.

Stick with TexansGameday for more coverage of the Houston Texans throughout the 2024 season.

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