The Colts left Week 1 with a mess on their hands, and the biggest one might be sitting in the slot.
Indianapolis was beaten badly by Baltimore in its 2026 regular season opener, and Lou Anarumo’s defense spent the afternoon getting carved up. That kind of performance is hard to survive for long if the Colts are serious about staying in the division race and keeping a playoff path alive.
Now comes Kansas City in Week 2, fresh off putting up 31 points on one of the league’s top defenses from last season. Another breakdown on that side of the ball could turn into another ugly loss in a hurry.
At the center of the concern is second-year nickel corner Justin Walley. He was the Colts’ weakest link against the Ravens, and Baltimore wideout Zay Flowers made sure of it.
Flowers exploded for 150 yards, all in the first half, and did much of his damage from the slot, repeatedly finding the matchup against Walley and winning it with ease. Walley looked overwhelmed trying to stay attached in space.
The rough outing came with some important context. Walley was a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but a torn ACL kept him out for his entire rookie season.
Sunday’s game was the first competitive snap he’d played since November 2024, back when he was still in college. The Colts had reason to be encouraged by what they saw from him in practice, and they handed him the starting nickel job.
After Week 1, that decision looks shaky.
The challenge gets tougher with Kansas City. The Chiefs have plenty of options who can attack the middle of the field, and both Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy can line up in the slot.
That gives them the same kind of matchup edge Baltimore used against Walley. If Anarumo doesn’t solve it quickly, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs will have a clear target.
There are a few ways Indianapolis could try to patch the problem. The Colts added Cam Taylor-Britt to their 53-man roster this week after his one-game suspension, and he brings familiarity with Anarumo’s system from Cincinnati along with slot experience. He’s the most straightforward veteran alternative.
Another possibility is moving Sauce Gardner inside when needed. Baltimore deliberately worked Flowers from the slot to stay away from Gardner, and Kansas City could take the same approach with Rice and Worthy. The Colts would rather keep Sauce in his usual spot, but they may not have that luxury if the Chiefs start hunting the middle of the field.
Still, this is only one game into Walley’s pro career, and the Colts know he has the traits to become a useful NFL player. The question is whether they can afford to let him learn on the job. Week 1 showed how costly that can be, and Week 2 offers no softer landing.
In Other News...
Colts Make Early Defensive Change After Week 1 Communication Issues
After a Week 1 loss that exposed some communication hiccups on defense, the Colts are making an early adjustment to the way the operation is run on the field. Head coach Shane Steichen said the team will shift the defensive signal-calling duties from safety Camryn Bynum to linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither, a move aimed at cleaning up the kind of issues that can snowball quickly once the regular season begins.
For Indianapolis, the change is less about panic than urgency. The Colts knew the first game would be a useful test of how smoothly the defense could line up, adjust and get everyone on the same page, and now they are trying to get ahead of the problem before it becomes a recurring one. With Davis-Gaither stepping into the role, the focus turns to whether a different voice can settle things down and help the defense find its rhythm faster. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Enter Chiefs Game With One Absence And Bigger Health Questions
As the Colts get ready for a key matchup with the Chiefs, their injury report has a little bit of everything: one player out, a couple of key pieces cleared, and at least one return on the way. Ashton Dulin will miss the game because of an ankle injury and is considered week-to-week, a hit to Indianapolis special teams depth and a reminder that the roster is still settling in early in the season.
Alec Pierce and backup quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. are both available after working through recent injuries, which gives the Colts some needed flexibility on offense. The other encouraging sign is Austin Ajiake, who is expected back after sitting out the opener with a hamstring issue, leaving Indianapolis with fewer health concerns overall even if Dulins absence lingers into next week. [Read more 🡒]
Daniel Jones Brings One Troubling Trend Into Colts Chiefs Showdown
Daniel Jones heads into Sunday nights Week 2 trip to Kansas City carrying a prime-time history that will be hard for Colts fans to ignore. Since entering the league in 2019, he has gone 1-15 as a starting quarterback in night games, with 12 touchdown passes and 20 interceptions in those settings, a backdrop that makes this matchup feel a little different before it even kicks off.
There is some reason for Indianapolis to feel better than the record suggests, though. Jones has played well in his two previous games against the Chiefs, and the Colts will also lean on the work of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, whose past success against opposing quarterbacks has been a point of discussion, along with Shane Steichens offensive track record against Kansas Citys defense. Even so, the spotlight on Jones is obvious, and Sunday night will be another chance to see whether the prime-time trend follows him or finally starts to bend. [Read more 🡒]