The Colts’ snap counts from Sunday tell a pretty clear story: Indianapolis is still sorting out its rotation, but the defensive tackle group is already making a strong case to stay busy.
That showed up in the 19-17 win over the Houston Texans, a result that snapped a nine-game losing streak and also ended a five-game skid against Houston dating back to 2023. With injuries nudging the roster around and the coaching staff still figuring out who fits best in certain spots, the usage numbers are starting to shift week by week.
One notable detail from the game: backup quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. was the only active player who did not see the field. The inactive list included quarterback Riley Leonard, running back DJ Giddens, wide receivers Ashton Dulin and Darius Slayton, interior offensive lineman Dalton Tucker, and edge defender George Gumbs Jr.
On offense, Indianapolis played its first full game without Alec Pierce, who left last week’s contest early after aggravating a heel injury. Dulin remains out with an ankle injury that has now cost him two games. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine was elevated from the practice squad for this one, and Anthony Gould had already been signed to the active roster from the practice squad last week, though his role is limited to special teams.
Laquon Treadwell led the team in receiver snaps, while Josh Downs had the fewest among the starting wideouts. The way the Colts leaned on heavier personnel suggests they were trying to establish the run. Rookies Seth McGowan and Deion Burks both logged career-high snap totals.
The defensive side produced the most interesting numbers. Akeem Davis-Gaither and Cam Bynum each played every snap, while Charvarius Ward Sr. was on the field for 52 of 54 plays and Sauce Gardner for 49. DeForest Buckner was right behind them at 48 snaps, and his workload remains eye-catching after 2025 neck surgery.
That interior rotation is where the real movement is happening. Grover Stewart played 36 snaps, Jerry Tillery 26, Adetomiwa Adebawore 15, and Tim Smith 10.
Tillery’s share has been sliding: he played 53% of the defensive snaps in Week 1, then 41% in Week 2 and 48% in Week 3. Adebawore has stayed steady in the high-20s, while Smith has been used more as a gameplan piece, going from 19% in Week 1 to 4% in Week 2 and back to 19% in Week 3.
The Colts clearly like what Adebawore can do alongside Buckner, and Sunday gave them another reason. Both players finished with 1.5 sacks.
Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo put it this way on Tuesday: “Tomi's quickness that he has that he can use on guards, and Buck’s Buck. For as big as he is, athletic as he is, they are very, very different," Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said on Tuesday.
"And I think that they provide different challenges for the guards that they line up on. So, to your point, we try to get them out there as much as possible together in those situations, and we’ll continue to do so.”
On special teams, Rigoberto Sanchez saw a little more work because he took over kickoff duties from Spencer Shrader. Shrader felt groin discomfort during pregame warmups, so the Colts didn’t ask too much of him. Even so, he was perfect, going 4-for-4 on field goals and making his lone extra point attempt.
In Other News...
Anthony Richardson's Colts Future Just Became A Real Midseason Watch
For now, the Colts are treating Anthony Richardson Sr. like a quarterback they still want in the building, even with the noise that has followed him around in recent months. According to ESPNs Jeremy Fowler, Indianapolis is not looking to move Richardson and has not been fielding trade calls, while the Giants have not even reached out about his availability.
Still, the broader picture has not gone away. The fact that a deal before the NFL deadline later this year remains possible keeps Richardson squarely in the middle of a midseason storyline, especially for a team trying to balance patience with urgency at the games most important position. For the Colts, this is less about chatter than about how long they can keep the conversation from turning into something more serious. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Came Uncomfortably Close To A Kicking Crisis Against Houston
Spencer Shraders afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium almost turned into a special-teams stress test before the Colts even kicked off against Houston. The kicker picked up a groin injury in warm-ups, then went on to handle the job anyway, making every field goal he tried and finishing the day with a game-winning 53-yarder that kept Indianapolis from having to sort out the chaos of an in-game replacement.
Still, the Colts had a plan ready if Shrader had been unable to go. Special teams coordinator Brian Mason said punter Rigoberto Sanchez would have taken over as the emergency kicker, a role he has handled before in college when he was responsible for all kicking duties. Indianapolis also had backup options lined up for snapping and holding, the kind of detail work teams usually hope stays invisible unless the situation turns uncomfortable fast. [Read more 🡒]
Laiatu Latus Slow Start Is Fueling A Painful Colts Fear
Laiatu Latu arrived in Indianapolis with the kind of first-round promise that usually changes the shape of a pass rush, and he gave the Colts enough of that impact as a rookie to leave real expectations for a second-year jump. Instead, through three games this season, the production has not moved forward the way the Colts hoped. His sack total and pressure numbers have both dipped from where they were before, and a chest contusion in Week 3 only added to the sense that the defender they are counting on has yet to find his stride.
For a Colts defense that has spent too much time searching for consistency up front, Latu's slump is more than a personal concern. Indianapolis needs him to look like the player who flashed last season, because the pass rush has not been reliable enough without that kind of edge threat carrying it. The worry now is not just about a slow start, but whether the team can afford to wait much longer for its top young rusher to rediscover the form that made him such an important part of the plan. [Read more 🡒]