The Indianapolis Colts didn’t just make a splash - they dove headfirst into win-now mode when they pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade for Sauce Gardner. Giving up two first-round picks for one of the league’s premier cornerbacks was a bold move, the kind that says, “We’re not waiting for next year.”
It was a statement - not just about the defense, but about the team’s belief in Daniel Jones as their quarterback going forward. If you’re giving up that kind of draft capital, you’re betting big on the present.
But now, just a few weeks into Gardner’s Colts tenure, that bet is under serious pressure. Gardner’s dealing with a calf injury that’s expected to sideline him for a while, and just like that, Indy is staring down a major setback. Their top defensive playmaker has only managed three games in a Colts uniform, and now he's out - leaving a secondary that was already shaky in a precarious spot.
This isn’t just about one player, though. It’s about a team that looked like a real contender just a few weeks ago and now finds itself sliding in the wrong direction at the worst possible time.
The Colts Need to Regroup - Fast
Let’s be clear: if the Colts want this trade to be remembered as a franchise-defining swing and not a costly misfire, they’ve got to start stacking wins again. That starts with Daniel Jones, whose play has dipped noticeably in recent weeks. The fibula injury he’s been managing appears to be limiting his mobility - and for a quarterback who relies on pocket movement to extend plays and escape pressure, that’s a serious issue.
The numbers back it up. Indy has converted just 8 of their last 23 third-down attempts over the past two games. That’s not going to cut it, especially with a defense that’s now missing its top corner and struggling to keep opponents in check.
Just a few weeks ago, the Colts were sitting atop the AFC. Now?
They’ve slipped to the sixth seed, and the margin for error is razor-thin. They’ve got two crucial games remaining against the Jacksonville Jaguars - the team currently leading the AFC South.
Those matchups are no longer just important; they’re must-wins. Drop one, and the division might be out of reach.
Drop both, and the playoff picture could start fading fast.
Defense on the Ropes, Offense Needs to Answer
The Colts currently rank near the bottom of the league in pass defense - sixth-worst, to be exact. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a team that just invested heavily in a shutdown corner.
What’s more frustrating is that the secondary had finally gotten healthy just last week. But even with everyone available, the Colts have dropped two straight.
That puts even more pressure on the offense to carry the load. Early in the season, they were doing just that - scoring 20 or more points in seven of their first eight games.
But over the last month, that production has dried up. In the past four games, they’ve only topped the 20-point mark once - and even then, it took overtime to get there.
That kind of offensive output isn’t going to be enough to compensate for a defense that’s now missing its best player. The Colts need more from Jones, more from the run game, more from the play-calling - more from everyone, really. Because if they can’t find a way to win without Gardner, this season could slip away just as quickly as it once looked promising.
This is the stretch that defines a season. The Colts made their move. Now they’ve got to back it up.