The Colts’ Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens was bad enough on its own. What makes it sting more is that Indianapolis didn’t just get blown out - it watched two AFC South rivals come out of Sunday looking far sharper.
That’s the part that should have Colts fans feeling uneasy. It’s only one game into a 17-game season, but this wasn’t the kind of opening performance that invites patience.
The Colts were thumped by 18, and while Daniel Jones was not great, he also wasn’t the reason the game got away. The bigger issue was a defense that got hammered and a team effort that never came close to matching what was expected.
The real headache for Indianapolis is that Jacksonville and Houston both looked like teams ready to make noise.
The Jaguars took care of the Cleveland Browns 34-10, and Trevor Lawrence was outstanding. He threw for 245 yards and four touchdowns while Jacksonville’s defense also turned in a strong showing. Coming off a division title last season, the Jaguars gave themselves a clean, convincing start.
Houston didn’t get the win, but the Texans still looked dangerous in a 36-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Their offense was the bright spot, and C.J.
Stroud put together a big day before things unraveled late. He went 26 of 38 for 254 yards and two touchdowns, but a costly sack and a strip-sack turnover on the final drive helped seal the loss.
Even so, the Texans were close enough to win it.
That’s what makes the Colts’ start so concerning. Jacksonville and Houston both looked competitive, and Indianapolis didn’t. The Colts never seemed to have a real shot in their game, while their division rivals at least gave themselves chances.
No one was pegging Indianapolis to win the AFC South before the season, and few were even expecting a second-place finish. Still, there’s always room for things to shift if the Jaguars stumble or the Texans regress.
But right now, the early read is pretty clear: Lawrence and Stroud look better than Jones, and the Jaguars and Texans coaching staffs looked the part too. That doesn’t set up well for Shane Steichen, whose job may be decided before the season’s end.
In Other News...
Colts Week 1 Loss Put Early Pressure On Three Key Names
The Colts 41-23 loss to Baltimore did more than open the season on a sour note. It also put an early spotlight on three players whose roles and expectations already carried plenty of weight, with rookie Justin Walley and Sauce Gardner drawing attention on the back end and Tyler Warren trying to live up to the buzz surrounding his arrival.
Walley had a difficult time dealing with Zay Flowers, while Gardner was not targeted often but still had to watch a defense give up points in bunches. Warren, meanwhile, made only a limited impact despite the preseason hype around him, leaving Indianapolis with some immediate questions about how quickly those key names can settle in after a rough Week 1 showing. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Have One Growing Concern After A Far More Encouraging Loss
The Colts came out of Week 1 with something they badly needed after a long offseason: signs that the roster can still be competitive if the pieces settle in quickly. Even in a loss, the tone around Indianapolis was far more encouraging than the flat, discouraging openers some teams around the AFC put on tape, and the early ranking of conference teams reflects that distinction. There were enough positive individual performances to suggest the Colts are not staring at a broken start, just a team that has some sorting out to do.
Still, the postgame read is not all comfort. The broader AFC evaluation points to one growing concern for Indianapolis, and it is the kind that can linger if it is not corrected fast enough, especially with adjustments coming on both sides of the ball. The encouraging part is that the Colts are not far from looking like a different team, but the opening week also made clear that their margin for error is already thin. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Fans Have A Real Reason To Worry About CJ Allen
CJ Allens Week 1 absence stood out before the Colts even got deep into the game, because the rookie linebacker was healthy enough to suit up but never took the field. Shane Steichen said Allen was still working back from camp injuries and that the team is easing him into football shape, which helps explain the decision but does little to calm a fan base already watching a thin linebacker room with some concern.
The timing is what makes it matter for Indianapolis. The Colts were already dealing with limited depth at the position, and the issues there showed up again on Sunday, making Allens unused status feel even more notable. For a rookie expected to be part of the solution, this is the kind of situation that can linger until he is fully ready to help, and the Colts do not have much margin to wait around at linebacker. [Read more 🡒]