The Colts came out of Week 2 with an 0-2 record and a loss that stung in more than one way, dropping a 33-30 overtime decision to the Chiefs after hanging around long enough to make it a fight. Indianapolis deserves credit for the way it battled, but the bigger truth is still hard to ignore: this team is not yet equipped to take down good opponents.
That reality now sits on top of a rough run. The defeat was the Colts’ ninth straight, and Shane Steichen’s record against winning teams is now 7-23.
There’s already a conversation forming about what happens if Indianapolis misses the playoffs, though there’s still time for the season to shift and for careers to be viewed differently by the end of it. Even so, the Colts still believe in themselves, and that belief could be enough to steal a game or two as the schedule wears on.
The biggest concern from the game may have been Alec Pierce, who probably never should have been out there in the first place. He got hurt in the first half, or possibly aggravated an existing injury, and had to be carted to the locker room after being unable to put weight on his leg.
The problem is that this was the same ankle/heel he had surgery on in March. If it had been a fresh issue, that would be one thing.
But if it was a re-injury, the worst-case reading is obvious: he wasn’t fully healed and should not have been playing yet. Initial tests came back negative, but his return remains unknown.
Keenan Allen’s first two weeks in Indianapolis have also raised real questions. He has no speed left, he’s not separating, and he isn’t bringing much physicality either.
One of the uglier moments came on Daniel Jones’ first-half interception, a play where the blame leaned more toward Allen than the quarterback because the receiver didn’t seem to fight for the ball or even reach for it. The Colts brought him in to help replace Michael Pittman, but the short stay has been messy already, including the arrest tied to an alcohol-related incident.
Allen did manage a first down in the fourth quarter, but that was his first catch on five targets. If this is the version of him the Colts are getting, there’s no reason he should stay on the roster.
On the other side of the ball, Jonathan Taylor keeps doing Jonathan Taylor things. He remains one of the best running backs in the league, and his 24-yard touchdown was the kind of run that only a few players on earth can pull off.
Could he have gotten more touches? Sure, but that question comes up in plenty of games.
The larger point is simple: he’s the Colts’ best player, and Shane Steichen can’t just run him into the ground.
The linebacker group was another sore spot. It still doesn’t matter much who is lined up in the middle, because the unit struggles to cover tight ends and running backs.
That leaves open the question of whether this is mostly a talent issue or whether Lou Anarumo isn’t finding the right answers schematically. To be fair, these problems existed before Anarumo arrived before the 2025 season, but he hasn’t solved them either.
The coverage is shaky, the group isn’t being asked to pressure quarterbacks, and if it doesn’t stop the run, it doesn’t offer much else.
Still, the Colts did show something important: they didn’t fold. After Week 1’s blowout loss to the Ravens, when the team looked flat despite all the talk about urgency, this was a much more stubborn effort.
Indianapolis stayed in it even as injuries piled up, tied the game late in the fourth quarter, and kept pushing all the way into overtime. That doesn’t erase the 0-2 start, but it does leave room for a team that still believes in itself to keep making noise.
In Other News...
Colts Fans Had Every Reason To Hate NBCs SNF Intro
NBCs Sunday Night Football buildup ahead of the Chiefs-Colts matchup had little to do with what Indianapolis had done to earn the spotlight and a lot to do with the leagues biggest pop-culture crossover. Comedian Nikki Glaser fronted a promotional video that leaned into Travis Kelces marriage to Taylor Swift and the noise surrounding Kansas Citys recent run, turning the pregame tease into something closer to a national talking point than a simple game preview.
For Colts fans, the reaction was easy to understand. Instead of a showcase for two teams preparing to meet in prime time, the promo seemed to brush past Indianapolis entirely, and the backlash quickly followed. It was the kind of attention-grabbing NBC clip that got people talking, but not necessarily for the reasons a Colts audience would have wanted. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Just Lost The One Receiver Their Passing Game Needs Most
Alec Pierces availability has been a major part of the Colts passing-game puzzle, and Sunday brought another setback when the wideout was carted off with an apparent left heel injury against the Chiefs. Pierce had already been working through heel discomfort tied to offseason ankle surgery, so the latest injury only adds to the concern around a player whose speed and vertical routes help stretch defenses and open up the rest of the offense.
For Indianapolis, the timing is especially tough because Pierce has become the teams primary deep threat. When he is on the field, the Colts can threaten more than just the short and intermediate game, which makes his status worth tracking closely going forward. What happens next with the injury is now the bigger story for a passing attack that can least afford to lose its field-stretching option. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Kelce Brings Unexpected Off-Field Drama Into Chiefs Colts Spotlight
Taylor Swifts appearance at a Kansas City Chiefs game, where she was seen celebrating Travis Kelces touchdown, only added to the attention surrounding a matchup that already draws plenty of eyes from Colts fans. But off the field, the Chiefs star found himself connected to a far different kind of spotlight when his name surfaced in a federal Ponzi scheme case tied to Siddharth Jawahar, who was recently sentenced to 11 years in prison.
According to the case, investor funds were misused for personal expenses and fraudulent payments, and Kelce was identified as one of the victims whose money was caught up in the scheme. For Indianapolis, it is another reminder that the Chiefs-Cults storyline often stretches well beyond the field, with major names and unexpected off-field developments following Kansas City wherever it goes. [Read more 🡒]