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Zaire Franklin is confident that the Indianapolis Colts will end their dry streak this season, in which they’ve been unable to clinch the AFC South title since 2014. However, the linebacker is counting out his divisional rivals, the Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans, including their star QB C.J. Stroud.
With a record of 9-8 last season, the Colts ended up in third place in the AFC South division. Last season’s bottom team, the Titans were completely dismissed by Zaire Franklin in an interview with Grant Gordon of NFL.com. Referring to the two games that the Colts won over the Titans last season, Franklin said:
"No, because I already smacked them a couple times."
However, the LB showed respect for the Texans QB C.J. Stroud and considered his team the only rival in the division. He said:
“It really be Houston. I'm not going to lie to you, I like C.J., man, I support all our young brothers at quarterback.”
Even then Franklin is determined to show Stroud that he and the Colts are a better unit. Franklin said:
“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."
Last season, the Colts and the Texans were 1-1 in the series and with his smack talk, Franklin has reignited the old rivalry without the season even beginning.
Zaire Franklin trusts his QB Anthony Richardson
C.J. Stroud took home the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2023. Yet Zaire Franklin believes it is the rookie QB on his team, Anthony Richardson, that is the supreme player. During his interview with NFL.com, Franklin said there’s one thing he’d like to remind C.J. Stroud. Franklin said:
“Then, I have to remind him as well that he’s never beaten Anthony.”
Franklin is correct in his data Since the game that Stroud and Texans won against the Colts, Richardson had to leave the pitch due to an injury, and before he left, the Colts were up 28-7.
