Colts shed ghosts of early seasons’ past, improving to 2-0 with thrilling win against Broncos

With new starter Daniel Jones behind center, the Indianapolis Colts so far look like a different team to begin the 2025 with a bit more swagger to their step than in more recent seasons.

Call that the ‘Danny Dimes’ effect?

Barely besting the Denver Broncos, 29-28, with a game-winning 45-yard field goal in the closing seconds, the Colts can finally say something that the franchise hasn’t been able to say since they made their most recent Super Bowl appearance way back in 2009: they’re 2-0 again.

Sure, it wasn’t the sexiest performance, even though the Colts didn’t punt the ball offensively for the second straight game, and Rigoberto Sanchez may have the easiest Indy job since Jim Sorgi backed up Peyton Manning.

The Colts left a lot of points off the board in the red zone throughout this one, and 3rd-year head coach Shane Steichen was way too ultra-conservative late, with around a minute left and the Colts sitting around the Denver 40-yard line needing to get into much more comfortable field goal range for 2nd-year kicker Spencer Shrader to have a better change of successfully converting a game-winner.

Instead, the Colts called 3 straight inside running plays, netting +1 yard in field position, and Shrader was forced to attempt a 60-yard field goal, which he missed, until Denver was surprisingly flagged for ‘leverage’ on their field goal block attempt. The Colts got 15-yards and a re-kick, and the rest is history—with a tough Colts’ come-from-behind home win late!

Not to mention, veteran defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo will want to go back to the drawing board with his unit on this one, as the Colts defense largely looked mediocre at best—until Cam Bynum picked off Bo Nix early in the 4th quarter with Denver approaching the red zone and eliminating the chance for any field goal attempt.

Wiping those points off the board ended up being big for Indianapolis!

If you’re giving out game balls, one has to go to the following:

• Daniel Jones: He was 23 of 34 (70.6%) passing attempts for 316 total passing yards, a passing touchdown, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 107.0. Facing one of the toughest defenses in the entire league, Jones wasn’t necessarily elite, but I thought he was pretty good in this one, especially at times making positive plays under duress. He gave the Colts an opportunity to win late against a potential AFC playoff team again. He was more than enough, and that’s all you can ask for from Indy’s new starter. For a guy no one initially wanted to be the Colts new starter, he’s made the most of the opportunity to-date.
• Jonathan Taylor: With the Colts effectively deploying a ‘pick your poison game’ in a deep receiver corps regarding their passing attack, it was star workhorse Jonathan Taylor, who was the clear focal point of the rejuvenated Indianapolis offense collectively. Taylor had 25 carries for 165 total rushing yards (6.6 ypc. avg.), as well as had...