The Colts are back home after a month of heavy travel, and the numbers say this Week 9 visit from the 3-5 Dallas Cowboys comes with a clear contrast in strengths and weaknesses.
Indianapolis has not been a clean team statistically. The Colts are averaging 20.1 points per game, which ranks 26th, and they’re giving up 27.8 points per game, a mark that sits 30th. Their passing game has struggled to produce chunk gains, with 5.7 yards per pass attempt, and the defense has had trouble slowing opponents through the air at 7.4 yards allowed per attempt.
Dallas, meanwhile, brings a more explosive offense to the matchup. The Cowboys are scoring 27.4 points per game, good for seventh in the league, and they’re especially sharp in key situations. They rank third in third-down conversion rate at 47.5% and third in red zone success rate at 71.8%.
That said, the Cowboys have their own issues. They’re allowing 26.6 points per game, and their defense has been vulnerable on third down in a major way, sitting last in the league at 51.4% allowed. They also rank 31st in yards per rush allowed at 5.0.
The Colts have a few areas where they can at least point to an edge. Their defense has been strong on third down, allowing conversions at just 32.6%, which ranks seventh. Indianapolis also has a better turnover margin than Dallas in the sense that both teams have negative numbers, but the Colts’ -11 is far worse than the Cowboys’ -1.
On the ground, neither team has been dominant. The Colts are averaging 4.1 yards per rush, while Dallas sits at 3.8. Defensively, both teams have been soft against the run, with Indianapolis allowing 4.9 yards per carry and Dallas allowing 5.0.
Pressure numbers also paint a mixed picture. The Cowboys generate pressure on 25.2% of opponent dropbacks, ranking eighth, while the Colts sit at 18.5%, which ranks 30th. On the flip side, Dallas allows pressure on 21.2% of dropbacks, and Indianapolis allows it on 23.4%.
In the red zone, Dallas has the stronger offense by a wide margin, but the Colts’ defense has been about middle of the pack there, allowing touchdowns at a 61.9% rate. Indianapolis’ own red zone offense checks in at 59.1%.
So while the Colts return home with some statistical advantages in a few defensive categories, Dallas enters Week 9 with the more productive offense and the sharper situational numbers.
In Other News...
Colts Still Have A Sauce Gardner Debate Fans Cant Ignore
Sauce Gardner has given the Colts what they hoped for when they swung the deal, giving the secondary a proven cornerback who can still tilt a game on the outside. The move was bold from the start, the kind of front-office gamble that invites instant comparison to other recent defensive trades around the league, especially when a team is trying to accelerate its timeline instead of waiting for a homegrown solution.
The debate now is less about whether Gardner can play and more about what Indianapolis gave up to get him, especially with the trade being viewed through the lens of what has happened since. Even with Gardner performing well, the broader verdict has grown harsher because the Colts have had to live with the cost while also navigating the injuries and setbacks that followed, which is why this one still lingers as a front-office decision fans cannot quite let go. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Still Waiting On Two Crucial Calls Before Colts Game
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Their availability matters for a Cowboys team trying to line up as close to full strength as possible before facing Indianapolis. Porters ankle and Pickens hamstring have kept the picture cloudy for now, and the final injury report should give a clearer read on whether either can go or whether Dallas will have to adjust again before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Fans Are Losing Faith As Jonathan Taylor Debate Heats Up
The latest SB Nation Reacts survey paints a bleak picture of where things stand in Indianapolis, with confidence in the franchises direction sinking after four straight losses and a wave of roster turnover. The Colts have already moved on from veterans Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner, and the fan base appears to be absorbing those decisions as part of a larger reset rather than a quick fix.
Jonathan Taylor now sits at the center of that debate, with the conversation around the star running back becoming a referendum on how long this rebuild might take. For a team trying to chart a path forward, the question is no longer just what Taylor means to the offense, but whether keeping him fits the timeline the Colts are really working on. [Read more 🡒]