The Colts left Week 1 with a loss, but the AFC picture around them makes that result look a lot less fatal than it felt in the moment.
That’s the bigger takeaway from the conference’s opening slate: plenty of teams stumbled, a few contenders looked shaky, and Indianapolis wasn’t the only club that came out of the gate looking incomplete. Shane Steichen’s team has issues to clean up, no question. But the sky isn’t falling in Indianapolis after one Sunday.
The offense at least showed a pulse early. Daniel Jones came out with a strong opening drive, the kind that made the training camp buzz sound real for a few minutes.
After that, the afternoon cooled off. Even so, there were still encouraging signs on that side of the ball.
Jonathan Taylor remained a superstar despite the fumble. Keenan Allen settled in quickly.
And Alec Pierce, even in limited snaps, flashed the explosiveness that makes him so dangerous.
The problems were on the other side. The linebackers had no answer in coverage, and the secondary that looked like a strength coming into the year got picked apart by Zay Flowers. If the Colts are going to bounce back, that’s where the work starts.
That’s why Indianapolis lands at No. 8 in these AFC power rankings after Week 1 - behind some teams that won, but still ahead of a few clubs that looked every bit as rough, if not worse.
At the bottom, the Browns were a mess in a way that felt familiar. The Titans’ loss to the Jets was one of the more surprising outcomes of the week, especially with Cam Ward not looking the part.
Miami got some small signs of life, but not nearly enough to change the outlook. The Jets technically opened 1-0, though the performance still had that classic Jets feel to it.
The Raiders won without Brock Bowers and got a clean start to the Klint Kubiak era, but expectations remain modest.
The middle tier had its own brand of problems. Pittsburgh barely survived an Atlanta team that started Cooper Rush at quarterback.
The Chargers took the biggest upset of Week 1 and looked sloppy on both sides. Denver was a wreck, missing 28 tackles and looking lost in the opener.
New England didn’t do much to quiet anyone, though the Patriots did face the defending champions and one of the toughest defenses in football. Houston’s elite defense disappeared against Josh Allen, even if C.J.
Stroud looked worryingly good.
At the top, the usual heavyweights still looked like heavyweights. Cincinnati’s defense may need time, but the offense gives them a chance every week Joe Burrow is healthy.
Jacksonville came out swinging and looked like a wrecking ball. Kansas City reminded everyone Patrick Mahomes is still Patrick Mahomes, and the Bills proved they can go toe-to-toe with the best.
Baltimore, though, sits at No. 1 after backing up the preseason hype with a defense that smothered Daniel Jones and a Lamar Jackson performance that made Lou Anarumo’s defense look plain.
So yes, the Colts lost. But in a conference where so many teams also looked flawed, Week 1 did not bury them. Not even close.
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 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 🡒]
DeMeco Ryans Just Put Houstons Defense On Notice
The Colts are still sorting through the sting of that season-opening loss to Baltimore, and Jonathan Taylors read on it was blunt enough to fit the moment. He called it a wakeup call, the kind that forces a team to confront where it stands right away instead of waiting for the standings to do the talking. For Indianapolis, it is a reminder that the margin in the AFC South is thin, and the early weeks can shape the tone for everything that follows.
Across the division, DeMeco Ryans was already drilling into what went wrong for Houston after its loss to Buffalo, pointing to a defensive line that settled in better after halftime but still left too much uncovered in key moments. The Texans know the standard has to rise quickly, especially with the Colts and the rest of the division watching for any sign of vulnerability. Ryans postgame assessment suggested the fixes are there to be made, but the challenge now is tightening the coverage before those lapses start piling up. [Read more 🡒]