Daniel Jones’ Week 2 showing against the Chiefs looked a lot cleaner than the opener, and the numbers back that up. Even in a loss, the Colts got a far better version of their quarterback this time around, one built on steady efficiency rather than big, flashy throws.
Indianapolis helped him out with a strong ground game and a run-heavy approach on early downs, and Jones wasn’t under much pressure. He got the ball out at a normal pace, which points to the offensive line doing its part. The passing attack stayed pretty conservative in terms of depth, with most of the work happening short and intermediate instead of downfield.
That style worked. Jones posted a 75% adjusted completion rate, and the lack of negative plays mattered just as much.
He had no sacks, no drops, only a couple of scrambles and very few throwaways, which meant almost every dropback had a chance to count. That helped turn ordinary yards per attempt into one of the better all-around yardage outputs of the week when every dropback was included.
The result was a game that kept the offense moving. Jones generated first downs at one of the league’s better rates and finished with strong marks in both success rate and overall efficiency.
The one major stain was the interception, which stood out as the biggest problem in an otherwise productive performance. His scoring production through the pass game was still modest, but the overall value was much better than in Week 1.
The play-by-play picture tells the same story. Jones’ first-quarter interception was a costly mistake, worth -4.69 EPA, and it was easily his worst snap of the day.
But the rest of the outing was full of positive plays, including his most valuable one: the 48-yard overtime fumble completion to Laquon Treadwell. One damaging error sat alongside a long stretch of solid work.
That rebound shows up clearly when Week 2 is compared with Week 1. His success rate and first-down rate both jumped, and the gains carried over into EPA per play and net yards per play as well. In other words, he wasn’t just avoiding mistakes - the good plays were producing real value.
Jones also stayed conservative in how far he pushed the ball. The two deep pass interference calls helped, but most of his damage came on short and intermediate completions, and the 48-yard throw to Treadwell was his deepest attempt. Over the first two games, the Colts have been passing short relative to the rest of the league, and Jones has generally been operating quickly enough to match that approach.
The targets were spread around, with Downs leading the way in targets, receptions and total yards. For the first two games combined, Downs is tied with Warren for the most receptions.
Pierce and Downs both sit in the positive side of the value chart, while Keenan Allen was the clear negative outlier because of the interception thrown in his direction. Warren’s targets have not been as valuable as hoped so far, but the main receivers are still producing above league average value.
Jones’ accuracy was strong in Week 2, though once his short average depth of target is taken into account, it was only about average in context. He also got the ball out at a pace that fits the offense Indianapolis has been running through two weeks. He’s not holding it too long, but he’s not relying on lightning-fast releases either.
Most of his damage came over the middle, especially on intermediate and deeper throws, while the left side was far less productive and included the interception. Add Week 1 and Week 2 together, and the season line still looks pretty middling. That makes sense: a rough opener followed by a much better second week leaves Jones somewhere in the middle overall, even if the latest performance was a clear step in the right direction.
In Other News...
Colts Injury Report Brings Relief With One Big Texans Concern Still Looming
The Colts got a little clarity on the injury front this week as they and the Texans worked through practice ahead of Sundays matchup. Indianapolis still has its own health questions, with several players showing up as limited or not practicing, including wide receivers Ashton Dulin and Alec Pierce, and Pierce is expected to land on injured reserve.
Houston, though, has its own issue that could matter just as much for the game plan. The Texans report included key names such as tackle Trent Brown and receiver Nico Collins, with both listed among the players dealing with injuries, and that leaves one of the bigger concerns in the matchup still hanging over the week. [Read more 🡒]
Colts May Get A Huge Defensive Boost For Must Win Texans Test
The Colts are getting some encouraging signs on the defensive side as they prepare for a Week 3 showdown with the Texans. Cornerback Charvarius Ward, who has been dealing with a groin injury, is trending toward being available for the matchup, a development that would matter plenty for an Indianapolis secondary facing a pivotal early-season test.
Wards status is still the main item to watch, especially with his recent concussion history from last season lingering in the background. Indianapolis has already ruled out wide receiver Ashton Dulin for the game, so any boost from Ward would help balance out what the Colts can bring to a must-win division battle in Houston. [Read more 🡒]
Sauce Gardners Colts Start Has Brought More Heat Than Answers
Sauce Gardner arrived in Indianapolis with the sort of rsum that usually comes with instant credibility, and he has tried to bring that same edge to the Colts secondary. A two-time first-team All-Pro and the 2023 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Gardner has already stepped into a leadership role since the trade from the Jets, even as the broader results have been uneven and the team has dropped to 1-3 with him in the building.
Justin Walley has been asked to fill in at nickel corner in Gardners absence, and the rookie has been getting thrown into the kind of reps that can speed up development whether the day goes cleanly or not. It has been a useful stretch for the Colts to see what they have behind their headline addition, but it also underscores the larger question hanging over the move: when Gardner is on the field, how quickly can this start turn from intrigue into the kind of impact Indianapolis expected? [Read more 🡒]