Source: Kevin Sabitus / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS – As Carlie Irsay-Gordon put it, the Colts 2025 season was a tale of two halves.
A 7-1 start as met with a 1-8 finish, as the Colts missed the playoffs for a 5th straight year.
It’s time to examine things further and hand out some 2025 grades:
1. Pass Offense: B+
Source:Getty
Pass Offense: B+
Evaluation: The Colts were a pretty productive passing offense in 2025, especially if you take out the dinosaur offense that Philip Rivers operated for the better part of 3 weeks. The Colts created chunk plays, found efficiency and protected well in the pass game department. If those couple games with Rivers would have been a little more potent passing offense wise, I think this grade is in the A-range.
2. Rush Offense: B-
Source:Getty
Rush Offense: B-
Evaluation: Man, what a tale of two seasons for the Colts run game. Just think about this, Jonathan Taylor had 21 rushes of at least 15 yards through Week 11 (Kansas City game). In the final 6 games, Taylor didn’t have a single carry of more than 15 yards. Now, the run game, with Daniel Jones helping things a bit, too, was so darn impressive through the first 8-to-10 games, that it keeps the grade above average. But this is the epitome of someone coasting through second semester senior year.
3. Pass Defense: D+
Source:Getty
Pass Defense: D+
Evaluation: With continued little return on investment in the pass rush game and tons of injuries/misevaluations at cornerback, the Colts pass defense was woeful in 2025. For me, third down is also a key stat when it comes to pass defense, and the Colts ranked 26th in getting off the field there. Honestly, one of the few reasons why I didn’t have this grade lower was because of the injuries to DeForest Buckner, Charvarius Ward and Sauce Gardner.
4. Rush Defense: A
Source:Getty
Rush Defense: A
Evaluation: Under Chris Ballard, this has probably been the best aspect, or the most consistent, to the Colts. In 2025, the Colts ranked 2nd in the NFL in yards per carry allowed (3.87), and 7th in rushing yards allowed per game (101.9). Lou Anarumo’s group was very stout against the run. Christian McCaffrey and Karrem Hunt (took 30 carries in overtime) were the only runners to eclipse the 85-yard mark against the Colts this past season.
5. Special Teams: A
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Special Teams: A
Evaluation: What a year for Brian Mason and the Colts special teams unit. The only reason this isn’t an A+ is because Michael Badgley missed 3 extra points in 7 games, missing one against the Texans that was potentially game-costly of a massive divisional contest. With 3 kickers though, the Colts converted 34-of-36 field goals. Rigoberto Sanchez and the punt unit ranked as one of the best in the NFL. And the Colts finished 2025 as the 2nd best kick return unit, with those plays becoming even more critical as league rules have changed.
6. Overall Grade: C-
Source:Getty
Overall Grade: C-
Evaluation: Indeed, it was a wild season for the 2025 Colts. So much promise met with so much disappointment. The end result was all too familiar—making it 11 years without a division title, 8 years without a playoff win and 5 years without a playoff appearance. Honestly, the Colts didn’t cross off many goals this season. Nothing in January, the Jacksonville streak continued and the Colts went 0-4 against the Jaguars and Texans. Outside of finally ending in Week 1, the Colts leave this season without much accomplished winning/losing wise. And if you are looking more big picture, the Anthony Richardson/Colts experience looks like a bust of a project. The Colts invested a precious resource into Richardson and many would sign up for a return on him being a middle-ish round pick after 3 years, with an 8-7 record over 51 possible games.
