Stampede Blue
The regular season has arrived. The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are set to take on the Dallas Cowboys to kick things off. There is a lot of excitement that comes with a new season as each team and fanbase have their own set of expectations. If a poll was taken to gauge expectations for the 2025 Indianapolis Colts, the results would most likely be all over the board. Some fans see this season being one for the drain and already have eyes for a new Manning in town. Others hope Daniel Jones reinvents himself in Naptown, while many more see something hovering closer to the middle.
This season could run off the rails. Completely. Jones has struggled during his NFL career to produce consistent results, and could find himself under a high level of pressure behind a revamped offensive line. Additionally, while all the talk is about Anthony Richardson and his injuries, Jones has his own list of ailments. A big hit from his blindside or getting crunched while taking off on a run could result in time on the shelf. Even if he manages to stay healthy, his dink and dunk strategy might prove futile. He isn’t as equipped as Richardson to sling it down the field, and the preseason didn’t calm nerves after watching his inability to sustain and finish drives. That applies more pressure on the defense. If they fail to get off the field and become warn out from defending short fields because of Jones’ turnovers, the score will rise too high to maintain contact. The secondary, while improved, could prove fragile and depth issues could be exposed, while the defensive front could also face injuries like it did in 2024. All of that would mark a disastrous season.
That is the worst case scenario. On the flip side, the Colts could take advantage of their schedule. A soft home schedule could net 8-9 wins. The road schedule is more challenging based on opponent alone, but the Colts could pick up 3-4 there as well. Jones could be this year’s Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield. Shane Steichen’s system could be just what he needs. Tyler Warren joins the rookie of the year discussion as he becomes an X-factor on offense, and Michael Pittman Jr. returns to form, while Josh Downs and Adonai Mitchell make leaps. The key free agents in the backfield look like steals as Chris Ballard shows he finally found a crucial piece with Charvarius Ward, and Laiatu Latu shows the power of an offseason as he looks like the most improved player on the team, wreaking havoc on the defensive line. Lou Anarumo’s new scheme which thrives on deceptiveness and pressure, ushers in a new era of Colts football in which the defense is the foundation on which everything is built.
Mixing the best with the worst seems like the most realistic outcome for the Colts this year. Aspects from both scenarios will most likely be true and produce a result somewhere...
