The Indianapolis Colts came up short in a Week 2 finish that stung, but the larger picture around the league offers at least a sliver of comfort. After nearly knocking off the Kansas City Chiefs on the road, the Colts are sitting at 0-2 and feeling the pressure that comes with it. Daniel Jones and company had a chance, but handing Patrick Mahomes the ball back in overtime is a gamble that usually ends the same way.
That’s the frustration in Indianapolis right now. The clock is moving, and a slow start has a way of turning the heat up on everyone involved. Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard are under the microscope, and if this keeps going, neither the head coach nor the general manager may still be around by season’s end.
Still, there’s a difference between bad and truly bleak, and the Colts are not alone in the winless crowd. A look around the league shows several teams in even rougher shape, with Indianapolis landing third in a ranking of 0-2 clubs.
At the bottom of that list are the Miami Dolphins, who haven’t been competitive through two weeks. The Malik Willis experiment hasn’t worked without Matt LaFleur and the Packers’ weapons, and this was always expected to be one of the league’s weaker teams anyway.
Just ahead of them are the Tennessee Titans, whose fresh look hasn’t changed the familiar issues. Quarterback remains the biggest problem, and even a more competitive showing at home in Week 2 still ended with a 13-point loss to the New York Jets.
The Atlanta Falcons sit next, and their 0-2 start is hardly shocking with Cooper Rush at quarterback. Kevin Stefanski, billed as an offensive guru, hasn’t done much to quiet criticism, and the Falcons are the only team in the league that hasn’t run a single play in the opposition’s red zone so far.
The Washington Commanders are another team with major problems on both sides of the ball. Even with Jayden Daniels available, they looked disjointed, lacked enough help on offense, and couldn’t get stops defensively. Daniels’ unfortunate elbow injury only deepens the concern, and the outlook now points toward a top-10 pick in 2027.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers come in next after wasting chances in Week 1 and then following it up with another rough outing. Baker Mayfield again failed to make a statement against his former team, and Deshaun Watson, of all people, outplayed him.
The Colts land at No. 3, and the case for some patience starts with how much better they looked in their second game. The schedule didn’t exactly do them any favors, but the offense should still have enough to work with. Jonathan Taylor remains a superstar, and Daniel Jones was sharper against the Chiefs.
The real concern is on defense, where things have been close to disastrous. Lou Anarumo has questions to answer, and that side of the ball is dragging down a team that, on paper, should be better than this.
Even so, there’s still a belief that Indianapolis may be closer to the team that started 8-2 than the one it has looked like since. Whether the front office is willing to wait long enough for that version to show up again is the real question.
Above the Colts are the Los Angeles Chargers, who have fallen into the kind of hole that raises bigger questions by the week. They’ve dropped back-to-back games against weaker opponents and haven’t been competitive in either one, with injuries or not, the offense looking especially shaky.
At No. 1 are the Houston Texans, and the situation there is more uneasy than alarming. DeMeco Ryans’ defense remains elite, but late-game collapses in back-to-back weeks have forced a hard look at the offense, and the spotlight keeps landing on C.J. Stroud.
In Other News...
Jonathan Owens And Simone Biles Just Gave Colts Fans A Glimpse Off The Field
Simone Biles gave Colts fans a small off-field window into the life she and Jonathan Owens are building together when she opened up on TikTok about a frightening incident at her Chicago home. Biles said three masked men stole her Porsche, but the vehicle was later recovered, and she also explained that the episode was part of why the couple decided to get a Doberman for protection.
For Indianapolis, the bigger takeaway is the one tied to Owens next chapter. Biles confirmed plans to officially move to the Indianapolis area so she can support the Colts safety, adding another layer of visibility around a pairing that already draws plenty of attention well beyond football. It is the kind of personal update that does not affect the depth chart, but it does give fans a better sense of the life surrounding one of the teams more recognizable players. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Could Face An Anthony Richardson Decision Much Sooner Than Expected
An already unsettled quarterback landscape around the league has the Indianapolis Colts back in an uncomfortable spot, this time because another team may be forced to look for help sooner than expected. With Jaxson Dart expected to miss the rest of the season because of injuries, the New York Giants have a glaring hole under center, and that has naturally pushed attention toward possible veterans or young passers who might be available if they decide to swing for a solution.
For the Colts, that kind of outside interest matters because Anthony Richardson remains one of the leagues more intriguing unknowns, and any discussion about his future tends to come with a price tag attached. If the Giants really do explore him as a replacement option, Indianapolis would have to weigh Richardsons long-term upside against whatever trade value could be extracted now, a choice that could arrive much earlier than the Colts expected when the season began. [Read more 🡒]
Marvin Harrison Jr. To Indy Suddenly Feels Less Far-Fetched
Marvin Harrison Jr. has only been in the league a short time, but the trade chatter around him has already started to pick up. According to ESPNs Dan Graziano, some NFL executives are at least considering whether the Arizona Cardinals would listen before the Nov. 10 trade deadline, a notable turn for a player whose early production has not matched the anticipation that followed him into the league.
For Indianapolis, the idea lands in a place where the fit is easy to see. The Colts had interest in Harrison Jr. before the 2024 draft, and they have been piecing together help at receiver after injuries thinned the group, recently adding veteran Darius Slayton. Whether Arizona would actually move on from Harrison Jr. is the bigger question, but the fact that the conversation is happening at all makes the possibility feel a little less imaginary than it did a week ago. [Read more 🡒]