Although it may not seem like it, Colts vs. Texans is one of the biggest games of Week 18
The Indianapolis Colts finish the season against the Houston Texans in Week 18 and it’s shaping up to be a big game for the NFL.
The final week of the NFL’s regular season is here and it’s shaping up to be a big one. With so much about the postseason still undecided, there will be several games with major implications. In a weekend with division titles and playoff berths up for grabs, one of the week’s biggest games will be between the 4-11-1 Indianapolis Colts and the 2-13-1 Houston Texans. The outcome of this game could have major implications for the future of the league.
Neither of these teams is going to the playoffs, and a lot of both squads’ best players will be on the sideline. Even still, the finale of these two terrible seasons will have a lot of eyes on it. Why is that? Because the outcome of this game, along with a few others, can drastically affect the order of the top half of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Colts vs. Texans will receive a lot of attention for its draft implications
At this time of the year, the NFL is about two races: the race to the playoffs and the race to the top of the draft. Teams openly discuss their playoff aspirations but talking about wanting a high draft pick is a taboo— and illegal if a team is intentionally tanking. However, franchises are aware of how close they are to the top of the draft, and even if they never admit it, there are likely a lot of decisions being made to assist a team’s draft positioning.
Currently, the Texans have the No. 1 pick in the 2023 Draft and the Colts are at No. 5. That can all change or stay the same depending on how Week 18 unfolds. One team and fan base that will be paying especially close attention to the game between Indy and Houston is the Chicago Bears.
The Bears are currently 3-13 and have the No. 2 pick in the 2023 Draft. If Chicago loses and the Texans beat the Colts, the Bears will have the No. 1 pick and Houston would move to No. 2. That’s why many believe Chicago decided to start Nathan Peterman over Justin Fields in Week 18 because Chicago wouldn’t mind losing and having a chance at the No. 1 pick, not because of Fields’ hip injury.
The NFL world will be watching to see what actually takes place this weekend. Will the Texans or the Bears have the No. 1 pick? Will the Colts be in the top five so that they can draft a franchise quarterback or will they fall down to No. 6? Everything will be decided this weekend.
