Overreacting to NFL Week 1 results is a favorite fan pastime. So are the Indianapolis Colts destined for a losing season, or can they brush off a rough opener and contend? The Baltimore Ravens blasted the Colts 41-23.
Week 2 NFL power rankings lean toward the former but reserve the right to change if the Colts turn things around.
“I’m not pummeling the Colts … yet. Mostly because I thought Jesse Minter was a Week 1 buzzsaw that was going to hack just about any team in the opener. And, oddly, the running game was still really efficient. The Daniel Jones contract, though, does not appear to be aging well. Nor does the secondary that Indianapolis paid dearly for.”
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“It’s easy to forget that Jones was an MVP candidate last season before an Achilles tear ended his campaign. His return from that injury suffered in December has been incredible and swift. But it’s also fair to wonder if it’s still lingering after he threw for just 166 yards on 31 attempts in a disappointing opener.”
“Indianapolis has allowed at least 36 points in four of its last six games. With a below-average defense, the Colts need an above-average offense to be competitive.”
“Daniel Jones returning for Week 1, a little more than nine months after tearing his Achilles, always felt aggressive. And Jones didn’t play well in Week 1. He was 28th among 30 qualified quarterbacks in adjusted EPA per play through Sunday’s Week 1 games. Pair that with a defense that allowed 506 yards to the Ravens, and there should be plenty of concern in Indianapolis after just one game.”
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“They ran into a Baltimore buzz saw, but there were encouraging signs. QB Daniel Jones looked healthier than I thought he’d be, which could bode well when they start playing lesser teams.”
“Jonathan Taylor had 98 yards on 19 carries but it wasn’t enough to carry the offense in Daniel Jones’ first game since tearing his Achilles in December. That the defense got plastered by pass and run is the much bigger issue related to coach Shane Steichen’s job security.”
“Jonathan Taylor is still awesome and the Colts’ offense should be fine this season, even if I don’t have as much faith in their potential as they earned in the first half of last season. More concerning is their defense, which was dominated in every department on Sunday, allowing 506 yards to a Baltimore offense that steamrolled them in Indianapolis.”
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“They get plenty of hype every year, and they ultimately don’t deliver.”
(all times ET)
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Sun., Sept. 13: Baltimore Ravens 41, Colts 23 (Box score, stats)
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Sun., Sept. 20: at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m., NBC, Peacock (Preview)
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Sun., Sept. 27: vs. Houston Texans, 1 p.m., CBS (Preview)
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Sun., Oct. 4: vs. Washington Commanders in London, 9:30 a.m., NFL Network (Preview)
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Sun., Oct. 11: at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m., CBS (Preview)
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Sun., Oct. 18: vs. Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m., Fox (Preview)
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Sun., Oct. 25: at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m., CBS (Preview)
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Sun., Nov. 1: at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m., CBS (Preview)
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Sun., Nov. 8: vs. Dallas Cowboys, 1 p.m., Fox (Preview)
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Sun., Nov. 15: vs. Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m., CBS (Preview)
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Thurs., Nov. 19: at Houston Texans, 8:15 p.m., Amazon Prime Video (Preview)
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Sun., Nov. 29: vs. New York Giants, 1 p.m., Fox (preview)
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Week 13: Bye week
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Sun., Dec. 13: at Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m., Fox (preview)
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Sun., Dec. 20: at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m., CBS (preview)
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Sun., Dec. 27: vs. Cincinnati Bengals, TBA, TBA (preview)
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Sun., Jan. 3: at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m., Fox (preview)
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Sun., Jan 10: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, TBA, TBA (preview)
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Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Coltsall season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: NFL power rankings: Indianapolis Colts fall in Week 2
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