How Colts went from outsiders to unstoppable

NFL Week 9 of the 2025 season

The Indianapolis Colts are still leading the NFL in eight weeks of play.

People believed they had a strong roster going into the season, despite the difficulties they faced during Shane Steichen’s first two years as head coach.

However, I don’t believe anyone ever imagined that they were doing this.

They are the only NFL team with a 7-1 record and they won four of those games by at least 21 points, making them the leaders of the AFC South.

It’s crazy to think that the Colts could go all the way. This is what makes this team so thrilling.

They were ready to piece together the puzzle. They did a good draft. Some good guys have been acquired by them. They simply required a quarterback.

Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones were both competing for the starting position on a one-year deal, but it was unclear how he would perform. He had never been in such a great setting.

At best, his rapport with the New York Giants was poor. People thought that Jones was a man who was not mobile, who was not making wise decisions, and who was overthrowing people. How frequently did he observe ghosts while standing there?

He was released by the Giants in November, and he spent the season with the Minnesota Vikings’ Sam Darnold.

However, the Colts do not employ a rookie quarterback. Jones is a wise man who is now kicking the ball.

He ranks fourth among the starting quarterbacks for the current season in terms of pass completion percentage (71%), passing yards (262), yards per attempt (8.8), and passer rating (109.9).

Because he gets to manage the game, Jones has never before attained those numbers. He does not have to be the superstar, but he does because the Giants require him to be the one who makes the plays.

He has discussed how he and Steichen are connected. Jones claimed that Steichen oozes optimism and belief, but Jones never felt like an overly optimistic person. The rest of the players are then fed that.

In high school and college, Steichen played quarterback. He has never had the opportunity to live it out, despite having always been an offensive mind.

Jones has never played for a team where the Colts have run games that are as explosive. It can’t be stopped.

Yes, Jones does a good job, but Jonathan Taylor, the running back, is ultimately allowing this team to succeed.

He has always had potential, but he has previously suffered injuries. This portrayal of him right now is the best.

In rushing yards, scrimmage yards, and touchdowns, he leads the NFL. He has 14 touchdowns in eight games and three or more have come in three or more.

Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, and Jonathan Taylor are just three of the players who have a five-yard average per carry and at least 90 rushing yards per game. Taylor ranks among the running backs who have won the MVP award for the longest.

You can’t deny that Taylor is an MVP candidate because we talked so much about Saquon Barkley winning last year. He’s playing “lights out.”

The Colts have exactly what they need. They have allowed only nine sacks and four turnovers this season, which means they are making big plays for Taylor to run through and protecting Jones.

The Colts are the only team with two players among the top 15 receivers for first downs in the league, Michael Pittman Jr. and Tyler Warren.

Warren is a rookie and has the most receiving yards (492). Because he is 6′ 6″, physically able, and just runs through people, he ranks seventh in the league (yards after catch) at 293 yards. No Colts receiver has ever had more than 100 yards in a game, which demonstrates how evenly distributed it is.

How can you prevent them, then? You can’t tell which wide receiver or tight end to cover because they are attacking you because they have a run game that makes you unconscious.

Jones appears to be fairly unflappable, and he is putting pressure on these guys by throwing it 15-20 yards. Last weekend, Pittman caught that touchdown catch with his arm for us.

The Los Angeles Rams were the only Colts defeat, and this could be an 8-0 team without Adonai Mitchell’s drop as he ran into the end zone.

They will, in my opinion, continue. Although it is not like they have anyone who is unwell, they will play against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, face the Atlanta Falcons in Germany, and then their bye week.

The ball is being spread around Taylor, which has hardly ever been touched. Additionally, they are so far ahead of their rivals in terms of games that they can play them.

The Colts might lose two more games so that they can rest players toward the end of the season and advance to the playoffs as the healthiest team possible.

I’m not sure how anyone can stop them right now based on their trajectory, their schedule, and everyone remaining healthy.