The Colts came out of Week 1 with a game they’d probably like to flush fast: a lopsided loss to Baltimore that never really felt competitive. For a team that’s usually at least organized under Shane Steichen, this one stood out for all the wrong reasons. They didn’t just lose control - they looked unprepared.
That said, this isn’t the kind of opener that automatically sends the whole season into a spiral. It was ugly, yes.
It got ugly quickly, yes. But there’s a difference between one bad afternoon and a full-blown collapse, and the film points more toward the former than the latter.
The offense actually opened with something promising. On the first drive, Jonathan Taylor’s motion was used to confirm coverage and identify who would travel with him outside.
Once the Colts recognized man, Daniel Jones had a clean answer: Josh Downs on a choice route. It was a sharp design, and it made Downs’ limited involvement after that drive even harder to understand.
Later, Jones was part of a costly interception that handed Baltimore great field position and helped the game tilt even further. It’s easy to pin that one entirely on the quarterback, but the play was also a strong read and reaction by the linebacker.
Downs was working a sit or possibly a return route, and when he realized the route was dead, he tried to salvage it by drifting back toward the sideline. That movement brought Smith right back into the throwing lane, and he made the play.
Jones also took a sack that falls on him. When a quarterback rolls to a side, the unblocked defender to that side is his responsibility. If that player doesn’t bite on the run fake and is still there when the QB turns back to the defense, there has to be a plan.
There’s a bigger issue here too: the Colts’ movement passing game may need to evolve. Teams have adjusted to it since mid-November.
It’s such a central part of the offense that when it doesn’t land, the Colts are forced into more straight dropbacks, more pocket exposure, and more full-field reads for Jones. That also takes some of the easy access away from Tyler Warren, who is often the primary read anyway.
On defense, the day started badly and never really improved. Baltimore opened with a Sugar Huddle look, crowding close to the line before breaking and snapping quickly so the Colts couldn’t sort themselves out.
It worked immediately. The Colts struggled to line up all day, and Zay Flowers ripped off a huge gain on the first snap.
Justin Walley was targeted often and was the main problem on a number of those plays. Too often, he was simply in the wrong place to make a play on the ball.
On one key snap, the Colts were in Cover 1 and “leveling the stack,” meaning each defender had the man in front of him. When the tight end motioned over, Sauce was apparently trying to get Walley to check to “Top Hat” coverage to avoid being picked by Charvarious Ward, who was crossing the field.
That kind of motion is built to create traffic and free someone up. Sauce understood that when an offense motions into a bunch, the point man is often going inside to collide with the defender traveling with the motion man.
In Top Hat, Sauce would take the off-the-ball man while Walley, aligned off the line, would handle the inside receiver. Walley never got the check from Sauce, gave up the free inside release, and was out of position from the start.
Baltimore’s ability to jump ahead early changed everything. Once the Ravens got a lead, the Colts were in trouble.
The Ravens can wear teams down, and then they make you tackle Derrick Henry when you most need a stop. Henry finished with 13 carries for 107 yards and 8.2 yards per attempt when Baltimore had at least a two-score lead.
The Colts were also buried in the field position battle and spent a lot of the second and third quarters in backed-up situations. That kind of game script makes it even harder to climb back into it.
So no, this wasn’t a good performance. It was embarrassing in the moment and tough to stomach on film.
But it also doesn’t have to define the season. The roster still has talent, even if some of it looked rusty.
Pierce was effective in his new role, even on limited snaps. JT looked great.
The DT duo up front was dominant. Sauce Gardner shut down his man the entire game.
There’s still reason to expect more from Warren, Jones and Steichen. It’s only one game, and there’s a long season ahead. This was a rough start, but not enough to hit the panic button.
In Other News...
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Rookie Riley Leonard is the next man up if Richardson cannot be available for the upcoming game, which suddenly puts the Colts in a far less comfortable spot behind the starter. It is a reminder that even a backup quarterback situation can turn into a real concern in a hurry, especially when the player expected to fill it has not been on the field and the calendar is getting tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Suddenly Face A Keenan Allen Problem They Didn't Expect
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Police said Allen was taken into custody after his vehicle was spotted in a no-parking zone and he showed signs of intoxication, and the Colts have said they support him while also confirming he was hit with internal discipline. For a team trying to settle in around a new pass-catching presence, the timing is hardly ideal, and it leaves Allens status as much a storyline about accountability as it is about football. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Richardson's Absence Just Gave Colts Fans A Real Concern
Anthony Richardsons absence from Wednesdays practice was enough to jolt the Colts week, especially with no detailed explanation from the team beyond the report that he was dealing with a groin injury. For a quarterback whose status already draws close attention after his time as the preseason backup, any missed work tends to carry extra weight in Indianapolis, where every update on his development is watched closely.
Richardson remains on the active roster, which keeps the focus on what comes next rather than on any immediate roster move. Still, the lack of clarity has opened the door to plenty of speculation, whether this is simply the team being cautious with an injury or something with a wider roster angle. Until the Colts say more, the uncertainty is the story. [Read more 🡒]