# Ralph Vacchiano: Vacchiano picks the Colts over the Texans as the 0-2 team most likely to rebound, trusting their offense with Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor to keep them in the playoff race.

**Claimed:** Sep 25, 2026
**Pundit:** Ralph Vacchiano — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/ralph-vacchiano
**Outlet:** Fox Sports — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/fox-sports
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/which-0-2-team-will-turn-around-why-we-think-texans-most-likely-do-so

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

Nothing to score yet: this grades once the result is in.

> But I’m going to go with the Colts for this reason: I have way more faith in their offense.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Indianapolis Colts to beat expectations**
  - Kind: Surprise Team Calls · About: Indianapolis Colts
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Indianapolis Colts — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/colts

## What others said about the same people

- Tyler Sullivan on Indianapolis Colts: Sullivan projects final scores for every Week 3 game, including a Bills blowout of the reeling Chargers, a Chiefs rout in Miami, a Seahawks win over a Mariota-led Washington, and the Saints beating the Raiders in their home opener. He also expects Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Jaxson Dart all to be sidelined in Week 3, with Marcus Mariota starting for Washington. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e4b11b44-d359-4027-a72c-87833f5ff6e3 (scored 97.62)
- Noah Compton on Caden Curry: After the Colts' preseason finale loss to Detroit, Compton projected several roster and depth-chart outcomes: Daniel Jones as the starting quarterback, rookie A.J. Haulcy as the starting strong safety, Seth McGowan as the backup running back, and rookie defensive ends George Gumbs Jr. and Caden Curry making the initial 53-man roster, while receiver Deion Burks appears likely to be cut. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/fa7eba23-4322-47d7-b21e-7adb82e6b325 (scored 100)
- Nathan Jahnke on Laquon Treadwell: PFF's preseason fantasy recap makes a large number of depth-chart, role and fantasy-value calls across the league, including Chig Okonkwo as a top sleeper tight end, Tre Tucker as the Raiders' top receiver, and various backfield hierarchies. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/760054fd-7815-4b86-a9e3-bc9bdb0a730b (scored 100)
- Nathan Jahnke on Laquon Treadwell: PFF's fantasy football preseason recap projects depth-chart outcomes, roster spots and fantasy value for numerous players across several preseason games, including Chig Okonkwo's expanded role in Washington, Ja'Kobi Lane as Baltimore's WR3, Malachi Fields winning the Giants' starting X job, and Zachariah Branch being a fantasy bust relative to his late-round cost. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/22a4578b-eb92-41d2-820b-1a7eaa2e4e2f (scored 100)
- Andrew Moore on Anthony Richardson: Moore expects Anthony Richardson Sr. to make the Colts' 53-man roster and win the QB2 job over Riley Leonard, and believes Spencer Shrader should beat out Blake Grupe for the kicking job; he also sees UDFA cornerback Kenneth Harris as having an outside shot at the roster. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ba74ddf3-bdd9-4479-9fc9-0413c5523700 (scored 100)
- Carter Bahns on Jerry Tillery: A CBS Sports piece names 20 notable veterans it considers at risk of being cut before the 53-man roster deadline, with several pegged for the practice squad or outright release, and also sketches a few depth-chart pecking orders (Titans QBs, Panthers tight ends, Texans receivers, Eagles backfield). — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/94f49c83-2307-4f25-b10c-b1cba9df5dbc (scored 0)

## More surprise team calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Ben Arthur on Houston Texans: Arthur also lands on the Texans, arguing their defense will return to elite form and a soft upcoming stretch will get Houston's season back on track. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8131936c-517d-4816-b2be-3e5d5963c6e5 (not settled)
- Steven Ruiz on Houston Texans: Ruiz expects the Texans to repeat last year's turnaround, saying their defense and schedule will let them pile up wins and stay in the playoff race all season. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/84c05549-aa98-4b8f-bd94-27488a1c96c5 (not settled)
- Greg Auman on Houston Texans: Auman names the Texans as the 0-2 team best positioned to turn their season around and get back into the playoff race, citing their history of slow starts and an elite defense. He also references his preseason pick of the Chargers to win the Super Bowl. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2750172c-b4c1-453e-be5a-b9fae156aa5b (not settled)
- Henry McKenna on Houston Texans: McKenna picks the Texans as the 0-2 team most likely to recover, favoring them over the Buccaneers because he believes the AFC South is weaker than the NFC South. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7c64a8d3-6136-424d-96b2-bab3dc7d0345 (not settled)
- Eric Williams on Los Angeles Chargers: Williams picks the Chargers as the 0-2 team to rebound, comparing it to the 2017 team that started 0-4 and finished 9-7, and suggests they will rise up on the road against Buffalo rather than collapse. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/57fe59dc-bfbb-44cb-8e4c-191db478fce2 (not settled)
- John Breech on New Orleans Saints: Breech expects Caleb Williams to return quickly from his hamstring injury, at the latest by Week 4 against the Jets or Week 5 against the Packers, and he picked the Rams to beat the Giants on Monday night. He also floated the Saints as a potential surprise team this season. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/66fd2840-c785-4c7f-9284-eb570c4dd0c4 (not settled)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology

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