Steelers vs. Colts: 5 questions with the enemy ahead of Week 9

The Steelers are trying to get back in the win column after two straight losses. To do so, they’ll have to beat one of the hottest teams in footbal in the 7-1 Colts. I spoke with Chris Shepherd of Stampede Blue ahead of the contest.

1. The Colts are one of the biggest surprises of the season. What has been the biggest contributor to their 7-1 start? Did Colts fans see this coming?

Chris Shepherd: The biggest contributor so far has been Daniel Jones. For the past two years, the offense always felt like it was a quarterback away from being really good. And that quarterback didn’t need to be special, just average. Just a guy who would complete underneath passes, protect the football, and keep the offense on schedule.

Daniel Jones has been much better than average. He’s doing all of those things and more, hitting several deep shots to Alec Pierce along the way.

The second thing to mention would be rookie tight end Tyler Warren. Warren is as pro-ready a tight end as I’ve ever seen, but it’s more than just his play. It’s his presence and all of the things he can do. The ways he can be used have opened up the offense in ways we haven’t seen from Steichen during his time in Indy.

And if any Colts fan tells you they saw this coming, that Colts fan is a liar.

2. I think if we had asked most NFL fans this summer, they would have said there were few quarterback situations sadder than the Colts and their camp battle between Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson. Now, Jones and the Colts have the best offense in football. What can you tell us about how he’s revived his game and this offense?

CS: I touched on this a bit above, but the Indy offense was primed for success with a back-filled offensive line, an elite running back, and three good receivers with a diverse skill set. They just needed a point guard, someone to distribute catchable balls to the multitude of schemed open receivers we have seen each week for years now.

I will say that while Jones has had a handful of impressive throws, he himself hasn’t made many incredible plays. He doesn’t have the biggest arm, but he is a good athlete and can run the ball. However, if he doesn’t win with his speed, he’s not going to make anyone miss.

Where Jones is excelling is in his pre-snap recognition and post-snap processing. He’s seeing the field well and has consistently made good decisions. He’s an elite game manager with the confidence to take deep shots when the situation and coverage allow it.

And when the rest of the offense is this talented, Daniel Jones is perfect.

3. The Colts’ offense has outshone their defense thus far. What does the Indy defense do well, and where do they struggle?

CS: The strength of the defense is without a doubt...