The Houston Texans hate the Tennessee Titans and the latter feels the same. However, one shouldn’t sleep on the budding feud between Houston and Indianapolis.
It’s growing after the Texans secured the division title over the Colts during Week 18’s season finale at Lucas Oil Stadium. Behind C.J. Stroud’s heroics, Houston ended its four-year playoff drought and went on to win the following week against Cleveland.
The Texans secured the dub fair and square, but several Colts players weren’t too happy about the outcome. Most recently, linebacker Zaire Franklin went on the “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast and mentioned how bumped into Stroud at Radio Row during Super Bowl week and brought up the blowout in Week 2.
Indianapolis Colts LB Zaire Franklin anxious to play Houston Texans, C.J. Stroud: "I need to see that boy again" pic.twitter.com/JMj0OBv5jK
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“I saw him and I pulled him aside and I was like, ‘When you played Anthony [Richardson], it was like 28-7 in the second quarter. We were kind of blowing you out. I mean, we were playing Cover 2 shell, two-minute prevent for two quarters and a half. So, like, yeah you threw for 300 yards, but you were getting blown out that game,'” Franklin said.
The middle linebacker isn’t wrong. Richardson, who was selected two picks after Stroud, scored a pair of early touchdowns with his legs to make it 14-0 in the first quarter at NRG Stadium.
Richardson was removed early in the second quarter due to a concussion. Stroud, meanwhile, broke out with a 384-yard performance in an eventual 31-20 loss after trailing by 18 at halftime.
“He was like, ‘Bro, I ain’t cook you? I ain’t cook you?’ And I’m like, ‘Look, if that’s what you consider a cooking with the loss, I mean, congratulations.’ Then, I had to remind him as well that he’s never beaten Anthony, so …”
“I love C.J., man,” said Franklin. “but I need to see that boy again.”
