The Indianapolis Colts may be catching a break at exactly the right time.
After opening 0-2 and clawing back to 2-2, Indianapolis has already benefited from one opponent missing its top wide receiver and another starting a third-string quarterback. Now the Week 14 trip to Philadelphia is suddenly looking a lot less daunting, because the Eagles have taken a hit up front that could matter plenty by then.
Philadelphia lost two offensive linemen this week, and neither is coming back. Right tackle Lane Johnson, described as a future Pro Football Hall of Famer, retired for personal reasons on Tuesday. Then on Wednesday, the Eagles sent offensive lineman Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens.
That’s a significant turn for a unit that had been a real strength for Philly. Jurgens had been an exceptional center and was a Pro Bowler before the Eagles moved him to left guard in Week 2 this season.
After that switch, he was atrocious. The fact that Philadelphia didn’t move him back sooner came down to the team believing he was dispensable.
The trade sent Jurgens to Baltimore for a 2027 seventh-round pick and a 2028 second-round selection. If he shifts back to center, that could end up looking like a steal for the Ravens. For the Colts, though, the bigger point is simpler: they won’t have to deal with Baltimore in the regular season, since the teams already met in Week 1.
What Indianapolis does have to circle now is a Philadelphia front that has lost two of its top five offensive linemen just four games into the season. The Eagles can still field a strong line when the Colts visit Lincoln Financial Field in Week 14, but it won’t be the elite group it looked like before these changes.
That matters because Indianapolis has strength of its own where it counts. The Colts’ defensive line has been one of the team’s best units, and DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, and Adetomiwa Adebawore could create problems for just about any offensive front. Against a line without Johnson and Jurgens, that path should look even cleaner.
None of that makes Week 14 an automatic win. There’s a long way to go, and plenty can change between now and then. But right now, the matchup in Philadelphia looks more favorable for the Colts than it did not long ago.
And for a team that has to get into the playoffs, that kind of break can matter. If Indianapolis misses the postseason, head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard could be looking at job uncertainty. A win in Philadelphia would go a long way toward avoiding that worst-case outcome.
In Other News...
Colts Sideline Debate Just Got Bigger At A Delicate Time
Carlie Irsay-Gordons habit of planting herself on the Colts sideline has become one of the more unusual talking points around the team, especially as she continues to work in plain view with a playbook in hand and notes at the ready. The principal owner and CEO has framed her approach as part of being an attentive leader, saying in an interview that listening and understanding matter, which fits the image she has presented during games.
But the conversation around her presence has widened, and not everyone views it as harmless curiosity. Bill Simmons questioned the sideline involvement on his podcast, adding another layer to a discussion that is already unfolding at a delicate point in the season, with Indianapolis sitting at 2-2 and trying to keep its focus on football rather than the attention orbiting above it. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Suddenly Have A Khalil Mack Decision Fans Can't Ignore
The Colts pass rush remains a talking point as the season approaches, and the latest name to surface is a familiar one: Khalil Mack. Indianapolis has been searching for more help off the edge after injuries thinned that group, and Macks track record would instantly change the tone of that conversation if the Colts decide to get aggressive. He is on a one-year contract, which makes him the kind of short-term fix teams often explore when a roster hole becomes too obvious to ignore.
Still, any potential move is not entirely in the Colts hands. Mack also carries a no-trade clause, so he would have to sign off on any deal, and the Chargers would likely want draft compensation in return if they are willing to listen at all. That leaves Indianapolis weighing a familiar NFL dilemma: whether to pay for immediate help now or hold its picks and trust the current rotation to survive the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Add A Familiar Pass Rusher With Anarumo Ties
The Colts added a familiar edge presence to the practice squad on Wednesday, bringing in veteran defensive end Carl Lawson as they continue sorting through their pass-rush depth. Lawson arrives with a clear connection to defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo from their time together in Cincinnati, which gives Indianapolis a built-in level of familiarity as the team looks to fortify the front seven.
Lawson has been around plenty of NFL locker rooms over his eight-year career, with stops in Baltimore, New York, and Dallas in addition to his years with the Bengals. He has 32 sacks to his name, and the question now is whether that experience and Anarumo familiarity can quickly translate into a larger opportunity in Indianapolis. [Read more 🡒]