Colts

• Colts WR Keenan Allen said that his familiarity with HC Shane Steichen was a big factor in his joining the team over offers from other franchises. (Boyd)

Texans

The Texans have crashed out of the AFC Divisional Round for the last three years. Houston DE Will Anderson Jr. said he told the team that their “level of seriousness” needs to rise and they’ve been trying to keep a high standard throughout training camp. 

“We’ve been doing this for three years now, we keep getting the same results,” Anderson said, via Albert Breer of SI. “And I told the guys, Man, the level of seriousness and the level of what we’re trying to do has to rise. What we’re trying to do here is something that’s never been done here. And you see the results that we keep getting. So coming into OTAs, coming into training camp, it’s like, We gotta raise the bar, we gotta raise the standard, guys. We just can’t keep going through the same thing every single time. When we get in position to win games, we gotta finish the right way; we’ve got to go out and execute. So for me, the level of seriousness, what we’re trying to get done here, that’s up big-time. And I think everybody’s buying into that.”

Anderson said their defense is focusing on being a “swarm” and replicating some of the qualities shown by their offense.  

“What we want to exemplify as a team, what we exemplify on defense is ‘swarm’,” Anderson said. “And I think those guys have been doing a good job of setting that foundation over there on offense. In previous years, it hasn’t been like that. And now they’re coming in, the offensive line is way nastier, way meaner, gritty. I mean, trying to finish blocks, and that’s what they need. Somebody hit C.J. [Stroud], get in on somebody’s face, and like, No, man, stay off our quarterback. And that’s what I appreciate about those guys. You can see the sense of urgency, being faster on that side of the ball, getting in and out of the huddle, C.J. taking command. Offensive line finishing blocks, staying on those double-teams and doing things the right way to make sure that we’re operating as a team and operating as ‘swarm’ and setting that foundation of who we wanna be as a team.”

Texans

Texans TE Dalton Schultz said that TE Fabian Moreau has been a great complement to the team’s tight end group.

“So annoying,” Schultz said, via Texans Wire. “No, I’ve known Foster Moreau for a few years. Having just another veteran voice in the room has helped a lot. Helps me feel younger. It’s weird when you kind of reach year eight, year nine and it’s like you look around and you’re kind of the old guy in the room. So having Foster to kind of ping pong off of has, I think, helped us a lot. He brings just a great veteran presence, but also a lot of shared experience. Whether it’s playing each other, playing in the same systems. Having a couple of voices that are reflecting the same ideas. I think that just kind of helps reinforce some of these teaching points in a new offense for some young guys.”