Adetomiwa Adebawore gave the Colts exactly the kind of game-changing burst they were looking for in Week 3.
Indianapolis leaned on the defensive lineman in the passing game against the Houston Texans, and he delivered. In just 15 snaps - 13 of them on passing downs - Adebawore piled up four pressures and 1.5 sacks as the Colts snapped a nine-game losing streak with a win over Houston.
That kind of impact is where his value lives. The Colts do not need him to be an elite run defender, because that is not really his game.
What he can bring is heat on the quarterback, and that has become the clearest part of his profile. In 2025, he posted 34 total pressures, a major leap from his first two seasons.
He added two more pressures in Week 2, but Week 3 was the breakout.
C.J. Stroud felt it every time he dropped back.
Adebawore did not record a tackle, and he has only one tackle this season after missing on two others, but that was never the assignment. He was on the field to disrupt timing, rattle the quarterback, and force Houston to deal with him.
Mission accomplished.
The Colts’ defensive front controlled the game as a whole. Houston finished with just 223 yards and 4.4 yards per play, and the Texans went four-for-11 on third down. DeForest Buckner was a huge reason for that dominance, but Adebawore made his own loud contribution.
There is also a bigger picture here. Adebawore, a 2023 fourth-round pick, is scheduled to be a free agent after this season. He barely saw the field over his first two years, got a much larger role in 2025, and should continue to see more chances if he keeps producing like this.
The timing could matter a lot for Indianapolis, too. The Colts are 1-2 and need a postseason push if key personnel are going to keep their jobs after the season.
Their next stretch includes a Week 4 trip to London against the Washington Commanders, a team that likes to run the ball. But later on, Indy will face more pass-heavy opponents, including the Jacksonville Jaguars twice, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Dallas Cowboys.
If Adebawore keeps winning as a pass rusher, those games could end up shaping how this season looks when it matters most. Week 3 was proof of that.
In Other News...
Spencer Shrader Fought Through More Than Colts Fans Realized
Spencer Shrader gave Colts fans a performance worth remembering, drilling four field goals from 39, 58, 37, and 53 yards in a single game while carrying an injury he picked up during warmups. It was the kind of quiet, steady day that can change the shape of a game, and it also offered a reminder that kickers often spend just as much time managing pain and pressure as they do putting points on the board.
Shrader spoke about the mental side of kicking and the path that brought him here, including growing up near the Colts and working his way to the NFL. For Indianapolis, that background adds another layer to what looked like a clean outing on the scoreboard, because it turns out the success came with more behind-the-scenes grit than many in the stadium realized. [Read more 🡒]
Colts May Be Running Out Of Anthony Richardson Options
The quarterback market got a little more complicated with Minnesota sending J.J. McCarthy to the Giants for a 2027 fifth-round pick, a move that ripples beyond those two teams and into Indianapolis. For the Colts, it is another reminder that the value of young passers can shift quickly, even when the player in question is no longer in line to start. Anthony Richardson remains in a backup role, but his name still sits in the trade conversation because of his age, draft pedigree and the uncertainty around his long-term fit.
For Indianapolis, though, the bigger issue may be whether there is enough real interest to make a deal worthwhile. Richardson has been discussed as a potential trade candidate, but the pool of teams willing to make a meaningful offer could be thinning rather than growing. If that is the case, the Colts may end up doing what once seemed unlikely and simply holding onto him, even as the league keeps searching for the next quarterback bargain. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Downs Is Becoming The Colts Passing Game Safety Valve
Josh Downs has quietly moved from promising slot target to one of the most dependable parts of the Colts' passing game, and the timing could hardly be better. With other receivers banged up, Indianapolis has leaned harder on him over the last two weeks, and he has responded with steady volume, reliable hands and a growing role in the offense's weekly game plan.
The encouraging part for the Colts is not just that Downs is getting the ball, but that he is doing more with it in the situations where offenses often stall. He has been better on third downs and has held up against the blitz, giving the passing game a safety valve when the protection gets stressed and the options narrow. For a team still sorting through injuries and adjustments, that kind of trust can matter as much as any big-play threat. [Read more 🡒]