Stampede Blue
It’s time to give rightful credit when it is definitely due.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones, who had to listen to his fair share of naysaying (myself included!) since being newly named the starter, clearly answered the call during his debut game in Horseshoe blue.
‘Danny Dimes’ was nothing short of magnificent, completing 22 of 29 pass attempts (75.9%) for 272 total passing yards, a touchdown, and 0 interceptions—earning a passer rating of 115.9. He also added two rushing touchdowns on the ground near the goal line.
Perhaps, most importantly, it was Jones’ command of the Colts offense, getting his teammates in the right play, the right protections, and making the right reads—spreading the ball all around to his wealth of new receivers.
On Monday evening, Steichen added during 1075 The Fan’s ‘Roundtable Live’ (via the radio voice of the Colts Matt Taylor) as follows:
“He was great,” Steichen said. “Like I said, he kept us . . . stayed steady, put us on schedule. Found the completions. Hit the shots when they were there. And just like you said, he distributed the ball to everybody. First read wasn’t there, he got to his second, third reads. Sometimes, fourth read.”
Now, if Jones consistently plays like he did on Monday afternoon against the Miami Dolphins, the Colts will have found a bona fide Pro Bowl caliber starting quarterback for the remainder of the 2025 campaign (and no I’m not talking 2023 Gardner Minshew!). He was that good en route to a Colts blowout victory.
That being said, Jones has shown flashes of being a franchise quarterback before, as it helped him once earn a lucrative 4-year, $160 million contract extension with the New York Giants back in early March of 2023—only to be hindered by inconsistency, turnovers, and injuries before being eventually waived.
It’s just a matter of whether the former 6th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft can routinely bring it on the field for the Colts on a weekly basis.
Next weekend’s home matchup against the Denver Broncos stingy defense, who are one of the best units in the entire league, will be a tall test—and a better measuring stick. Broncos All-Pro Patrick Surtain II, the NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year and 2x NFL All-Pro, is as good as it gets at starting cornerback these days.
The Broncos defense just limited rookie #1 overall pick Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans passing offense in Week 1 to just 112 total passing yards. They were a great defensive unit last year too, allowing the third fewest points (18.3 avg. ppg.).
It’s hard to know right now whether the Colts are actually (and surprisingly) pretty good, or whether they met a below average Miami Dolphins team in Week 1, who may be borderline dysfunctional these days. Honoring late team owner Jim Irsay at halftime and having not won an opener since 2013, the Colts were plenty motivated.
If ‘Indiana Jones’ can put together another solid to...
