4 Bold Texans Predictions for How Week 3 vs. Colts Will Go

The Houston Texans are counting down the days before they hit the road for their first away game, and first divisional game, of the 2026 season against their AFC South rival, Indianapolis Colts.

With both teams rolling into the weekend at 0-2, desperate to turn their season around, the stakes couldn't be much higher for a game this early in the year. Whoever comes up short will be stuck in an even deeper hole than they're in now because of it, and for Houston, would make for a second-straight season starting at 0-3.

So it's a pivotal game that Houston needs to take advantage of. And as with any divisional outing in the NFL, there's bound to be a few unexpected outcomes that wind up unraveling throughout.

With that in mind, let’s break down four bold predictions for how the Texans' Week 3 game against the Colts could go:

C.J. Stroud Has Another 350+ Yard Game

Jan 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) stands in the pocket against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the Texans' defense certainly didn't look up to par last week against the Bengals, it wasn't without an impressive day for C.J. Stroud in the box score when he recorded over 350 passing yards for the first time since Week 10 of 2023.

This week, Houston will hope for a better result on that side of the ball–– particularly by scoring touchdowns. But with the way that the Colts' secondary has looked through the first two weeks of the regular season, Stroud could also be in for another high mark in passing yards.

The Colts rank dead last in the NFL when it comes to passing yards allowed through two weeks, which sets the stage for Stroud to really take advantage of his matchup. If Stroud were to record 350 yards in back-to-back games, it'd mark just the second time in his four-year career of doing so.

Woody Marks Has More Total Yards Than David Montgomery

Jan 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans running back Woody Marks (27) carries the ball as Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin (44) defends during the first half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texans showed in last game that they weren't afraid to deploy their second-year runner, Woody Marks, in a relatively similar snap share to their offseason newcomer, David Montgomery. Marks had just four fewer snaps than Montgomery in Week 2; a stark contrast to the clear lead the veteran took in the backfield to kick off Houston's season opener.

And now in Week 3, a game where the Texans are bound to be hungry for more explosive plays than they saw over the course of last week's blunder, leaves a ton of opportunity open for Marks to get more touches in his favor.

Montgomery still remains the favorite to handle the early down touches and red zone duties, but Marks will almost certainly have a window or two open for a big third-down play or a breakaway run as a change of pace back; both of which would be huge for this Texans' offensive attack that really struggled last week.

Sep 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans tight end Marlin Klein (83) warms up before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texans had a ton of snaps on the offensive side of the ball against Cincinnati, where they were in 11 personnel––standing at a rate of over 85%, and left tight ends like Foster Moreau and Marlin Klein really limited in the impact they could make. And for a roster that has five tight ends on the 53-man cut, using those heavier personnel sets feels like they should be more of a priority.

But Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans recognized the Texans' lack of tight end usage (outside of Dalton Schultz) heading into this game against the Colts, and might now be hoping offensive coordinator Nick Caley is a little more committed to operating out of those 12 and 13 personnel sets offensively.

DeMeco Ryans on the #Texans using 11 personnel on 87% of the offensive snaps last week:

🗣️ "Everybody wants more tight ends on the field? I love it! 12, 13 personnel, we'll see what happens!"

Says Houston ran a lot of 11 personnel vs. the #Bengals because of game flow. pic.twitter.com/jVXOvrIUYy
— Houston Texans On SI (@TexansOnSI) September 23, 2026

If that's the case, this week's biggest stock riser could be Moreau, or it could be the Texans' second-round pick in Klein, who's proven early on in preseason to have the pop Houston could use as a receiver and as a blocker.

Klein only saw 12 snaps on the offensive side of the ball over the course of Week 2. Seeing that number closer to the mid-20s would be an awesome step forward for this offense.

Texans' First INT of the Season Goes to Reed Blankenship

Jul 30, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans safety Reed Blankenship (6) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texans have been in desperate need of a turnover to go their way to start the 2026 season. Their defense, while elite, has gone without a takeaway in back-to-back games, which didn't happen once over the course of their 2025 campaign. This game against a mistake-prone Daniel Jones could be the perfect opportunity to turn that trend around, though.

And who better to log the Texans' first interception on the season than Reed Blankenship? He's been subject to no shortage of criticism after back-to-back poor performances in his first two games suiting up with Houston, and could really use a game to go his way to once again cement his spot as a weekly starter.

If Jones makes a mistake in the pass game this weekend, and Blankenship is in the area, no one on this defense would benefit more from a big showing like that. But in a secondary like Houston hosts with multiple Pro Bowlers on the field, anyone that'll be out there is a threat to explode for a momentum-shifting play.

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