Colts Stock Watch: Blake Grupe Steps Up, While Defensive Concerns Linger
With the season winding down and playoff implications hanging in the balance, the Colts delivered a gritty performance that gave fans something to cheer about-and plenty to analyze. A few unexpected names rose to the occasion, while others, unfortunately, saw their stock dip. Let’s break down who’s trending up, and who’s got some questions to answer as we head into the final stretch.
📈 Stock Up
Blake Grupe - Welcome to the Show
Talk about seizing the moment. Blake Grupe, signed off the Saints’ practice squad just days ago, didn’t just fill in-he delivered one of the best kicking performances the Colts have seen since Matt Gay’s heroics in Baltimore two years ago.
Grupe went a perfect 4-for-4, including bombs from 54 and 60 yards. That 60-yarder?
It gave Indy the lead with less than a minute to play.
For a guy who wasn’t even on the roster a week ago, that’s more than just clutch-it’s potentially season-defining. Grupe’s performance likely solidified his role for the remainder of the season, and he’s now firmly in the mix for the long-term job next spring. Not bad for a mid-December pickup.
Shane Steichen & Lou Anarumo - Coaching Through the Storm
Credit where it’s due-Shane Steichen crafted a game plan that worked around a limited quarterback and a depleted offensive line. With both starting tackles out, on the road, and riding a three-game losing streak, the Colts could’ve folded.
Instead, they fought. The offense wasn’t explosive, but it was efficient enough to keep them in it, and the team never looked like it gave up.
Sure, there are fair criticisms-late-game clock management and fourth-down decisions chief among them-but considering the circumstances, Steichen had his group ready. That says something.
On the other side of the ball, Lou Anarumo continues to get the most out of a defense missing key stars. No All-Pro defensive tackle.
No shutdown corners. Yet the unit is still competing against quality offenses.
The fact that this defense hasn’t crumbled is a testament to Anarumo’s scheme and adaptability. It’s hard not to be optimistic about what this group could look like at full strength next year.
Laiatu Latu - Flashing the Tools
Latu’s development has been a slow burn, but the fire’s starting to catch. He notched another sack, made a key stop in the run game, and generally looked disruptive. Consistency has been the issue, but his production is trending in the right direction after a quiet rookie campaign.
He’s doing this without DeForest Buckner drawing double teams inside and with Kwity Paye struggling to create pressure on the opposite edge. In other words, Latu’s not exactly getting a ton of help-but the flashes are real. There’s something to build on here.
Adetomiwa Adebawore - Quiet Breakout, Loud Impact
Don’t look now, but Adetomiwa Adebawore is carving out a real role. With Buckner sidelined, Ade Ade logged a season-high 43 snaps at the 3-tech spot and held his own. After playing just over 130 snaps in each of his first two seasons, he’s now pushing 450 this year.
He’s not a household name, and he’s not racking up highlight plays, but he’s become a reliable rotational piece on the defensive line. That’s the kind of depth every contending team needs-and the Colts may have found theirs.
📉 Stock Down
Alec Pierce - A Deep Threat with No Deep Ball
Pierce is built to stretch the field-his average depth of target is the highest among receivers with 50+ targets this season. But that skill set is being wasted in an offense that, right now, can’t push the ball more than 20 yards downfield.
He was on the field for every offensive snap and saw just one target. One.
It’s not a reflection of his talent, but more a mismatch between what he does best and what the quarterback can deliver. That disconnect is limiting his impact-and, perhaps, his value heading into free agency.
Jonathan Taylor - Running Uphill, Literally
Taylor’s numbers-25 carries for 87 yards-don’t jump off the page. But this wasn’t about poor play.
It was about a stacked box and no vertical threat to back defenders off. With defenses crowding the line of scrimmage, Taylor has to break multiple tackles just to get back to the line.
It’s a tough spot for any running back, let alone one still finding his rhythm. The effort’s there.
The production? Not so much-but it’s hard to pin that entirely on him.
Jaylon Jones - From Starter to Afterthought
Jones came into the season as the presumed No. 2 cornerback. Then rookie Justin Walley beat him out before a season-ending injury, and Jones suffered a hamstring injury in Week 1. Since returning, he’s been buried on the depth chart-even with top corners like Mooney Ward and Sauce Gardner sidelined.
Instead of reclaiming his spot, Jones has been passed over for Mekhi Blackmon and Johnathan Edwards. For a player who logged nearly 2,000 snaps in his first two seasons, it’s a puzzling fall from grace.
Kwity Paye - The Numbers Don’t Lie
It’s hard to justify Paye’s snap count right now. Among 24 edge rushers with at least 350 pass rush snaps, Paye ranks dead last in total pressures with just 32.
That’s not a typo. The next closest?
Dre’Mont Jones with 39.
And it’s not like he’s making up for it in the run game. He has just 10 total stops this season-38th out of 49 qualified edge defenders.
For a player in a key position, the production just isn’t there. The Colts need more from him, plain and simple.
Final Thoughts
This week’s performance was a mixed bag-flashes of resilience, moments of brilliance, and areas that still need serious work. Blake Grupe’s emergence was a revelation, and the coaching staff deserves credit for keeping the team competitive in difficult circumstances. But the offense remains limited, and some players who were expected to be key contributors are fading at the wrong time.
As the season winds down, the Colts are still in the fight-but they’ll need more consistency across the board if they want to make any noise down the stretch.