Steve Spagnuolo isn’t letting one quiet week change how he views Daniel Jones.
The Chiefs defensive coordinator knows exactly what the Colts quarterback can do when he’s on the move, and he’s not ready to treat Jones like a pocket-only passer heading into Sunday. That matters because Jones’ legs were nowhere to be found in Indianapolis’ Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and that absence stood out after a first drive that didn’t lead to much else for the Colts offense.
Jones has seen Kansas City only twice in his career, once with the Giants and once last season with the Colts, and both of those games ended in losses. Now he gets a third crack at the Chiefs, and Spagnuolo is making sure his defense remembers the version of Jones that can hurt you outside the pocket.
“We can’t be deceived by this quarterback, thinking he’s a statue,” Spagnuolo said of Jones, per KMBC News. “He’s a really good athlete, too. And they have option football in their game; their coaches do a really good job of it.
“When Daniel Jones and [Jonathan] Taylor are playing together, Taylor plays really well because you have the threat of the quarterback throwing it, so they’re dual threat in that regard,” Spagnuolo said. “I’m not deceived by the fact that they didn’t have a great game last week.”
That’s the part of Jones’ game Kansas City can’t ignore. His career has always shown he’s at his best when he’s able to escape and create with his legs, and that element has helped turn him into more than just a stationary thrower. Against Baltimore, though, he didn’t look comfortable running, which likely tied back to the Achilles tear he suffered last season.
For the Colts, that’s the key. If Jones starts trusting his mobility again, the offense can become a different problem. If he doesn’t, Kansas City has a much cleaner path to controlling the game.
Still, Spagnuolo’s warning doesn’t stop with Jones. Jonathan Taylor was the lone bright spot in Week 1, finishing with over 120 yards of offense, and the Chiefs know he can wreck a game on his own. But the quarterback threat changes everything around him, and that’s why Spagnuolo is focused on Jones first.
In Other News...
DeForest Buckner's Status Suddenly Looms Large For Colts Defense
DeForest Buckner is expected to be available for the Colts in Week 2 against the Chiefs after a neck injury kept him out of a recent practice, a reminder of how much Indianapolis leans on him when the defense is under pressure. He was on the field in Week 1 and helped on that side of the ball, but the situation around him has carried a familiar edge for the Colts because of how long this issue has lingered.
The bigger concern is less about one practice and more about what Buckner can keep giving over the stretch of the season. He has dealt with this neck injury since 2025 and has already missed multiple games in recent years, so every update on his status carries more weight than a typical veteran maintenance day. For a defense built around his presence, the Colts have plenty riding on whether he can stay available. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Get The Offensive Setup They Needed For Chiefs Test
The Colts head into their matchup with the Chiefs in far better shape than they might have expected when the week began. Ashton Dulin has already been ruled out with an ankle injury, and DJ Giddens is listed as questionable because of a knee issue, but the rest of the offense is available, giving Indianapolis a much cleaner setup for one of its biggest tests of the season.
Alec Pierce, Keenan Allen and Jonathan Taylor are all cleared to play, and all offensive starters are set to go. For a team trying to hold up against Kansas City, having that kind of continuity matters, especially when the margin for error is so small in a game that can swing on one drive, one protection call or one explosive play. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Fans Need To Watch One Week 2 Wrinkle In Kansas City
The Colts Week 2 trip to Kansas City already comes with the usual challenge of facing the Chiefs on the road, but there is one added wrinkle worth keeping an eye on: the weather. Forecasts are calling for a chance of rain and thunderstorms in Kansas City late in the night, with AccuWeather projecting the heavier stuff around 1 a.m. CT, which is after the expected end of the game but still close enough to make conditions a talking point.
For Indianapolis, the concern is simple enough. If this game stays tight into the fourth quarter, any late-drive decision could be shaped by the possibility of changing weather, especially if it comes down to a field goal try for kicker Spencer Shrader. The timing remains uncertain, which is why the forecast matters more as a game-week storyline than a certainty, but it is the kind of detail Colts fans will want to monitor right up until kickoff. [Read more 🡒]