The Colts got the kind of win that always feels better than it looks in the box score: a divisional victory in Rivalry Week. In football, that’s the currency that matters. You stack wins, and Sunday gave them one more to count.
There was plenty to sort through after the game, starting with the uniforms. The new blue helmets drew a mixed reaction in theory, and maybe even on the runway, but they were harder to evaluate once the roof was open.
It became tough to tell who was doing what, and the view left the observer leaning on the announcers more than usual. The verdict for now: thumbs down after one game.
That could change if the Colts somehow get to 5-0 in them, or if they win a big playoff game. In that case, one might even be bought.
On the field, the defense looked better than it has in the recent wave of criticism, but the questions didn’t disappear. There was improved tackling, yet the pass rush vanished when it mattered most. The unit has one turnover in three games, and while holding opponents to 17 points each week would win a lot of games, there isn’t enough of a sample size yet to relax about Lou.
The offense brought its own concerns. DJ’s ball security is still a problem, and the edge pressure around him is an issue that needs solving.
Jones looks more comfortable when he can get outside, so the answer seems to be forcing rushers inside or creating a lane when they overcommit wide. Right now, the pressure from his blind side just doesn’t seem consistent enough.
There’s also a call for the Colts to be more aggressive. Deep shots need to be part of the plan.
Trust the wideouts to make a play. The shorter routes can open up if teams are forced to respect the threat downfield, especially with so much attention going to JT.
More one-on-one chances should be there if the offense is willing to take them.
Tempo is another area that could change the feel of the attack. Some no-huddle possessions could help identify what the defense wants to do on first down and allow the offense to stay with the same personnel while building a script that attacks it.
It doesn’t have to be the opening series, but it needs to be something they can lean on. There’s also a question about why Jones needs a wrist band at all, since he was accepted into Princeton.
That extra step costs time on the play clock and cuts into the quarterback’s ability to adjust.
Warren got more involved, which was a positive, but Cox and Ogletree should not be forgotten as receiving options. They can catch the ball too, even if they don’t draw the same attention as 84.
One final gripe centered on Steichen and the way he handled the late clock situation. There’s still a belief that he doesn’t fully grasp the difference between FG “range” and a chip shot.
With less than two minutes left and still outside of “range,” the Colts huddled and eventually forced the Texans to burn a timeout. But if that series is called cleanly, the Texans never get the ball back.
The concern, then, is simple: if the hesitation comes from a lack of confidence in DJ making the right call at the line, that points to a different kind of problem altogether.
In Other News...
Daniel Jones Is Forcing A Colts Decision Much Earlier Than Expected
Daniel Jones arrived in Indianapolis with the kind of contract that suggested the Colts were ready to give him a real chance to settle in, but the first three games of this season have already put that plan under strain. Turnovers have been the recurring issue, with interceptions and fumbles piling up fast enough to make the early part of the season feel more like an audition than a fresh start.
The Colts built in an escape route when they signed Jones to a two-year deal worth up to $88 million, including a team option to move on after this season. If the miscues keep coming, the organization may have to start weighing a different starting quarterback much sooner than anyone expected, turning what was supposed to be a measured evaluation into a far more urgent decision. [Read more 🡒]
Colts London Game Is Turning Into A Fan Frustration Story
The NFLs London trip is already creating a headache for Colts fans who moved quickly to lock in seats for the matchup with Washington at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. With demand coming in softer than expected, the league has slashed prices on some tickets, and seats that were listed as high as $325 have fallen to about $105, leaving early buyers wondering why they paid so much more.
For Indianapolis followers making the overseas commitment, it turns what should have been a special event into a source of frustration before the game even kicks off. The league still has three London games on the schedule this October, but the pricing shift has raised new questions about how strongly fans are buying into the international series and how much goodwill takes a hit when ticket values move so sharply. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Still Face An Anthony Richardson Decision No Team Has Solved
The Giants quarterback scramble has already taken another turn, with Jaxson Dart now set to miss the rest of the regular season after knee surgery. New York moved to shore up its depth by dealing a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Vikings for J.J. McCarthy, a reminder of how quickly teams can pivot when the position gets unsettled, and how few obvious fixes are actually available once the market tightens.
For the Colts, the bigger picture around Anthony Richardson Sr. still looks unresolved. Richardson asked for a trade earlier this year, but no team has reportedly pushed hard to land him, and Indianapolis remains in the familiar spot of holding a talented backup while weighing a future no one else has been eager to define for them. With the Giants opting in another direction, it is one more sign that the leagues quarterback carousel has spun without offering Indianapolis a clean solution. [Read more 🡒]