INDIANAPOLIS - September brings pumpkin spice, a possible turn in the weather and, for Colts fans, the return of football.
For Daniel Breslin, the buildup to the opener is exactly what this stretch of the calendar is about.
“Getting to support the Colts is a passion of mine, so favorite time of the year,” Breslin said.
With the season opener now just two days away, fans are looking for a strong start and, above all, good health after injuries hit the roster last season. Breslin pointed to one setback in particular.
“Daniel Jones going down with the achilles injury really took the season in a downward spiral,” Breslin said.
That injury-riddled run followed a season that never settled into one rhythm. The Colts opened with energy under Jim Irsay’s daughters at the helm, then finished 8-9 with Philip Rivers as their stand-in quarterback.
“It was a roller coaster with lots of ups at the beginning of the season, lot of downs at the end of the season,” Colts fan Luke Burke said.
Even with that finish, some fans still see plenty to like heading into 2025. Noah Ahler said the early part of the season has already given supporters a reason to believe.
“There’s a lot of promise there,” Colts fan Noah Ahler said. “When you start off as strong as the Colts did, the expectations are high.”
Indianapolis opens against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday at 1 p.m. It will be the first in-season meeting between the teams in two years, and the mood among fans is upbeat, if measured.
“They may be underdogs in the sportsbooks, but I think fans that really watch and follow this team know that they’re not underdogs,” Colts fan Jacob Foster said.
For now, Lucas Oil Stadium is quiet. By Sunday, fans expect a very different scene as they turn out for the sport they’ve been waiting on all summer.
In Other News...
Colts Already Face One Ugly Question After Week 1 Collapse
The Colts season opener in Baltimore offered an early reminder that September can expose a lot more than just a final score. Indianapolis fell 41-23 to the Ravens, and the frustration came not only from the loss itself but from the way the defense handled the game, especially in the secondary. With veteran Kenny Moore gone after requesting his release, nickelback Justin Walley was thrust into a tougher role, and the problems around him quickly became part of the story.
Lou Anarumos defense now has an uncomfortable standard to answer after a rough debut, and Shane Steichens offense did not look like the group that had the cleaner game plan. Baltimores first-time head coach Jesse Minter appeared to have his team better prepared, even as the Colts showed enough fight to keep swinging late. The bigger question for Indianapolis is whether this was a one-game stumble or the first sign that the issues run deeper. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Have A Bigger Concern Than The Final Score Against Baltimore
The Colts left Baltimore with more than just a lopsided loss to sort through after the Ravens rolled to a 41-23 win in Jesse Minters debut on the sideline. Indianapolis got a big day from Derrick Henry, who ran for 144 yards and three touchdowns while moving past Marcus Allen into third place on the NFLs career rushing touchdowns list, but the result still put a spotlight on how much ground the Colts have to make up after a shaky outing.
Baltimore, meanwhile, found its own jolt from an aggressive game plan under offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, with Zay Flowers piling up a career-high 150 receiving yards before leaving with a hamstring injury. For Indianapolis, the final score was only part of the issue - the larger concern is how a defense that entered the day looking for answers now has even more to fix, and it comes with the uncertainty of how long Flowers will be sidelined hanging over the Ravens' offensive momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Bring Back A Veteran Corner As Pressure Builds In Crowded Secondary
The Colts made a roster move to bring back veteran corner Cam Taylor-Britt, waiving Johnathan Edwards to clear the spot as the secondary keeps getting tighter. Taylor-Britt is returning from a one-game suspension and gives Indianapolis another experienced option at a position group that already has several corners split between the active roster and practice squad.
For a team trying to sort out roles in the back end, adding a player with Taylor-Britts track record adds both depth and a little more intrigue. He arrived after his run with the Bengals, and his profile comes with on-field value as well as off-field baggage, so his return is the kind of move that can reshape a crowded room while still leaving questions about how the Colts plan to use all of their options. [Read more 🡒]