A lot of the national chatter around the Indianapolis Colts and 2026 is muted, even skeptical. Plenty of outsiders don’t see a team capable of winning the AFC South for the first time since 2014 or getting back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. But there’s a real case that Indianapolis can do both.
That belief starts with the part of last season people are most likely to forget: the first half. The Colts opened 7-1, with an offense that was humming efficiently and a defense that made just enough plays to hold things together. If that version of the team shows up again - and if the defense is better than it was a year ago - Indianapolis has a path to beating the projections.
Daniel Jones is the first big reason for optimism, and it begins with something simple: staying on the field. Jones has already had three seasons shortened by injuries, including 2025, when he first broke his fibula and then, a few weeks later, tore his Achilles tendon.
That’s bad luck, not some kind of soft-tissue curse. He’s due for better fortune.
There’s also the football fit itself. Jones wasn’t sustainably great with the New York Giants, and that’s part of the reality with quarterbacks: most of them need the right system as much as anything else.
In Shane Steichen’s offense, Jones found a setup that plays to his strengths - accurate short-to-middle throws and the ability to escape pressure with his legs. He’s healthy now and has a strong group of offensive starters around him.
If he lasts the season, the Colts are going to the playoffs.
On defense, Sauce Gardner gives Indianapolis a true difference-maker for the whole year. Some people question whether he’s overrated, but the numbers don’t really support that argument.
Gardner has a career quarterback rating allowed of 76.7, has given up only five touchdowns in four seasons, and brings real value against the run as well. He’s also a strong tackler for a defensive back.
The key detail for Indianapolis is that this is the first time Gardner will be with the Colts for an entire season. His impact hasn’t fully hit yet, but it will start in Week 1. He’s motivated, already elite, and the rest of the league is going to have to remember just how disruptive he can be.
Then there’s Keenan Allen, who looks like one of the more underrated additions on the roster. Before preseason Week 2, the Colts had a real issue at receiver.
Alec Pierce was hurt and not practicing, and more importantly, there was no WR3. Michael Pittman Jr. was traded this past offseason to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the team needed someone who could help fill that void.
Allen may turn out to be more than a replacement. He might be better in this offense because of how he fits.
He won’t need the same target volume Pittman had, but he could end up being more valuable on third downs. He understands the job, embraces it, and knows Steichen’s system.
That connection matters. Allen played under Steichen for several seasons with the Chargers, so this isn’t a new language for him.
The fit is natural, and his football IQ should help both Pierce and Josh Downs, at least for this season. And that’s the only season that matters here: 2026.
In Other News...
Colts Roster Battle Just Got Worse For A Few Bubble Players
A rough preseason night in Atlanta did little to help the Colts bubble players make their case, as Indianapolis fell 34-6 and saw several fringe names come up short when they needed a clean showing. With roster decisions drawing closer, the spotlight naturally shifted toward players trying to carve out a role, and the game offered few convincing answers for a group already fighting uphill.
Jaylahn Tuimoloau, Blake Grupe, Riley Leonard and C.J. Allen were among the most disappointing performers, based on what they showed in this game and across their recent preseason chances. For players in that part of the roster picture, every snap matters, and a performance like this only makes the final decisions more complicated for a Colts staff that still has some sorting to do. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Owens Colts Debut Brought Attention Fans Didnt Expect
Simone Biles showed up at the Colts preseason game Aug. 22 to back her husband, Jonathan Owens, as he took the field in his new uniform. The two were seen together on the sideline before the game, adding a little extra buzz to a night that was already about Owens making his latest stop in the NFL. For Indianapolis, it was another small reminder that even a preseason tune-up can carry a bigger spotlight when a player with a profile like Owens arrives.
Owens has already moved around the league during his career, and his Colts debut drew attention beyond the usual roster-watch crowd because of the presence of one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. Biles and Owens married in 2023, and their appearance together fit the moment well enough: a new team, a familiar support system, and a public glimpse of a relationship that has stayed visible as his career has kept changing. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Richardson Just Raised The Stakes In Colts Quarterback Battle
Two preseason games into the Colts quarterback evaluation, the backup spot behind center has become more than a depth chart exercise. Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard are competing for it, and Richardsons uneven play has kept the conversation going even as Indianapolis has already said he will stay on the roster for the season. The bigger picture still hangs over the situation, with Richardsons long-term future in Indianapolis looking far less settled than his place on the roster right now.
Colts assistant general manager Ed Dodd has made the teams preference clear, saying the organization wants three quarterbacks who can play, which only adds to the pressure on the battle unfolding over the next few weeks. Richardsons recent remarks have also suggested he may not be fully convinced the Colts are as confident in him as they want to be, and that tension gives this competition a different feel than a standard preseason fight for snaps. [Read more 🡒]