5 Things Learned: Colts Take Care Of Titans

1. Jonathan Taylor Adds To Highlight Reel

Jonathan Taylor Adds To Highlight Reel: I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say Jonathan Taylor has put together a career that could hear his name in Canton one day. Well, if/when that happens, add his third-quarter touchdown run from Sunday to the highlight reel. We don’t often lead with an individual player, but I thought Taylor’s run was that special on Sunday. With Taylor having a pretty pedestrian day (12 carries for 44 yards) to that point, he ripped off one of the best runs of his Pro Bowl-filled career. With Tyler Warren serving as a lead fullback blocker, Taylor got a head of steam into a big hole, before giving the Titans defense a cut, then a spin, followed by running through multiple arm tackles for the 46-yard touchdown. Taylor forced several missed tackles on what felt like a back-breaking TD for the game itself. If it wasn’t for this play, plenty of Taylor fanfare would also go to his game-sealing, extra, extra effort on his 2-yard TD run to make the score 41-20. To begin this 2025 season, the Colts have used Taylor a ton, and the star running back has returned the favor with a tremendous start.

2. Nothing Flashy, Nothing Alarming From Daniel Jones

Nothing Flashy, Nothing Alarming From Daniel Jones: Another Daniel Jones start. Another one filled with steady playmaking and nothing negative for the other team. Jones finished Sunday 18-of-25 for 228 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions. One of the sneakier Jones plays from Sunday was him escaping a 3^rd-and-7 siege of pressure for a first down scramble during the opening half. It was a reminder that Jones has some definite leg ability, turning a likely sack into an extension of a drive (and eventual Jonathan Taylor touchdown to push the lead to 17-3). Of course, Jones learning to slide would probably be welcomed given his injury history. One of the “simpler” passing plays Jones made on Sunday was a third quarter 3^rd-and-4 check down to Taylor. The play netted 3 yards and allowed for the Colts to then QB sneak it with Jones on 4^th down, to extend a drive that ended with Taylor’s special playmaking. Again, that play won’t wow you, but these are the decisions Jones is making to keep the Colts in favorable down and distance situations. And through 3 weeks, Jones has yet to commit a turnover, with hardly any turnover-able plays. Jones has led a Colts offense that went 20 offensive drives before their first punt of the 2025 season.

3. Mixed Bag From Colts Defense

Mixed Bag From Colts Defense: The plan against a rookie quarterback is always a unique one. And Lou Anarumo’s history against rookie QBs has had about a split of good and bad. But if we are purely evaluating Anarumo’s 60-minute effort on Sunday, I would call it a “mixed bag.” Despite being down two offensive linemen, the Titans moved the ball and scored the best they have in any of Ward’s 3 starts. Yes, the Colts sacked Ward 4 times and Kenny Moore II was, once again, in the perfect spot for an opening drive pick six. But I still think you want more from a Colts defense that had its starting 11 intact. The lack of an edge pass rush is still something the Colts would love to find, especially with a guy like Matthew Stafford waiting next Sunday. The Titans were able to move the ball at a decent rate against the Colts on Sunday. At one point on Sunday, the Titans had 5 straight offensive drives reach Indy territory (1 FG, 2 missed FGs, 2 TDs). On the positive front, the Colts run defense was better on Sunday. Basically, you had some good, some bad from the Colts defense on Sunday. The challenge and plan for one of the league’s great pocket passers in Stafford will be a lot different next week, and the execution will have to be more consistent.

4. Injuries To Watch

Injuries To Watch: Honestly, the Colts have been a pretty healthy bunch to start this 2025 season. Not a single player on the 53-man roster missed Sunday’s game due to injury. But both Alec Pierce (concussion) and CB-Kenny Moore II (calf) left Sunday’s game in the second half and did not return. It’s not often we mention a single injury or two like this, but given the players, I find it notable here. Pierce and Moore II are unique players to their respective sides of the ball. Pierce continues to be a deep ball menace, while showing some more ability to round out his receiving tree. And Moore II has been an effective slot corner in Lou Anarumo’s defense. Either player missing time would be notable, with Moore II’s availability probably needed even more with Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams waiting next Sunday. Colts top outside cornerback Charvarius Ward did get banged up late in the game, but his injury status was never officially reported. The Colts had gone about 6-7 quarters without an in-game injury, but the bug hit them a big in Sunday’s third quarter..

5. AFC South Leaders

AFC South Leaders: Not only are the Colts now 3-0 for the first time since 2009, they are winning games that could carry some more weight later in the year. No, the Titans are not a playoff team in 2025. But they do reside in the AFC South, so any divisional win is key for the Colts, in case some tiebreakers arise come early January. And scoring 41 points in an NFL game, and winning by 3 scores isn’t commonplace. As the Colts have gotten off to a great start, they are encountering different tasks. Sunday was taking care of business on the road against a team they should handle. That’s part of NFL life. Again, this Sunday counts as a win just as much as any other week. But not every Sunday will bring an opponent as inept as the Titans, who have now lost 9 straight games. You can see why they are the most penalized team in the NFL with a coaching staff that fumbled away a potential game-changing sequence to end Sunday’s first half. Sometimes NFL football simply comes down to being smarter than your opponent. And the Colts continue to do that, with no turnovers committed through 3 games.

6. QUICK HITTERS

–Injury Report: The following Colts were inactive on Sunday: TE-Will Mallory, LB-Chad Muma, OT-Luke Tenuta, DE-JT Tuimoloau. The following players got injured and did not return: WR-Alec Pierce (concussion), CB-Kenny Moore II (calf).

–Key Stat: It took the Colts 20 offensive drives into the 2025 season before they had Rigoberto Sanchez punt.                                                                                         

-What’s Next: The Colts (3-0) will be on the road again in Week 4, with a trip out west to take on the Rams (3-0). It’ll be a 4:05 PM kickoff in Week 4 for the Colts.