Colts

Colts K Spencer Shrader converted a 53-yard field goal to help lift Indianapolis over the Texans in their 19-17 win in Week 3. Shrader said he still gets nervous before each game despite being in the third year of his career. 

“I still get nervous before every single game,” Shrader said, via JJ Stankevitz of the team’s site. “That’s life, though. That’s the cool part is that we get all of these different experiences and these different emotions that we have to battle with. We have successes, we have failures and we feel all of that, and we should feel all of that. The biggest thing is just learning how to navigate that maturely and wisely.”

Shrader has solidified the starting kicker job with Indianapolis this season after bouncing around with the Colts, Jets and Chiefs in 2024, and suffering a torn ACL in 2025. Shrader said that “self-competition” has been a big part of his development since starting his NFL career. 

“One critical mindset shift very early on (was) self-competition,” Shrader said. “Because if you’re constantly comparing or evaluating yourself to someone else, well those are ever-changing circumstances. So if I was just comparing or competing with those other people, like you’re just constantly comparing yourself to something that’s ever-changing. There’s one consistent that I have in my life and that’s me, my mindset every single day when I go to work. So I stop trying to compare myself to external circumstances and focus more on competing with myself every single day.”

As for his recovery from his knee injury, Shrader said his mindset to compete against himself was important toward his rehab. 

“A week after getting your ACL worked on and you’re sitting there and you can’t even bend your knee and you’re like, how am I gonna get back on the field?” Shrader said. “I think that mindset of kind of narrowing in and focusing on what you can do to compete against yourself every single day to get better is the best thing that an athlete can do to get rid of some of that pressure and stress and anxiety that comes with a competition.”

Texans

• Aaron Wilson reports that there is concern about the status of Texans ILB Azeez Al-Shaair (groin) for Week 4 against the Cowboys.
• Wilson notes that Houston could turn to LBs Jake Hansen and Wade Woodaz if Al-Shaair is unavailable, while Hansen would likely wear the green dot as their signal caller. 

Titans

Titans HC Robert Saleh admitted that QB Cam Ward may have some happy feet after taking so many sacks and hits as a rookie.

“You’ve got to remember the young man was sacked however many times last year, so I’m sure there’s some PTSD there,” Saleh said, via PFT. “But he’s getting better. He’s trusting it. His footwork is lasting him longer into games if that makes sense. But from an accuracy standpoint, decision-making standpoint, everything starts with your feet at the quarterback position.”

Saleh added that you can see Ward’s progression being more comfortable in the pocket and trusting his protection up front.

“You see him comfortable in the pocket,” Saleh said. “You see him trusting the offensive line, and later in the game you kind of see him kind of revert back to some old habits. But I do think he’s getting better in that regard. I think he’s starting to really appreciate the offensive line because I think they are doing a really good job protecting him.”