Stampede Blue
The Indianapolis Colts are 3-0 and playing some of the best football in the league. They own the NFL’s top point differential, and it all starts with an offense that has been dynamic both through the air and on the ground. The pairing of Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor may have seemed unusual on paper before the season, but three weeks in, no duo has been more effective.
Daniel Jones
Last week, I wrote about Daniel Jones’ clutch play on third downs — but that’s only part of what’s made him so effective this season. Jones has been on time, accurate, and decisive. He hits his primary read in rhythm, but when it’s taken away, he’s calmly working through progressions and finding his second or third option with confidence. He doesn’t waste movement in the pocket, and that efficiency is a tremendous trait to possess.
Each week has revealed a new layer of his strong play. Against the Dolphins, it was his rhythm throws to primary reads. Against the Broncos, it was his composure under pressure and in critical downs. This past weekend against the Titans, it was his execution on bootlegs and rollouts. The Colts leaned heavily on those concepts, and Jones thrived — whether it was hitting a quick dump-off to Pittman or Warren, or creating off script and pushing the ball downfield. One clip shows his legs on display — an underrated part of his game, as he’s as capable as most QBs in the league when he tucks it and runs. Another shows his accuracy on a timing throw to Pittman, who found soft space under the safety. The final example highlights how poised he’s been under duress, ranking among the eight most heavily pressured quarterbacks through three games.
Taken together, the four clips above showcase the best of Jones this season. And honestly, there hasn’t been much bad to balance them with — finding a negative play from him has been nearly impossible. He hasn’t thrown an interception, or even one that came close. Shane Steichen’s scheming deserves credit for creating open looks, but Jones and his receivers have been perfectly in sync. The wideouts are sitting in the right windows, and Jones is consistently delivering on time.
Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Taylor has been the anchor of the Colts’ offense — not just this season, but for the last four years. When fully healthy, he’s one of the three best running backs in the NFL. While he was quiet against the Dolphins, he’s been dominant over the past two weeks, and you could argue he’s been the league’s best player in that span. Taylor’s combination of vision, explosiveness, and balance has been on full display, with at least two of those three traits showing up on nearly every snap — including the five clips above.
What makes Taylor special is his ability to get stronger as the game goes on. Take today’s game: he had just 28 yards in the first half but...
