Indianapolis Colts News

Home

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Sep 14, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) warms up prior to the game against the Denver Broncos at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Colts QB Daniel Jones' Momentum Possibly at Risk vs Titans

Originally posted on Indianapolis Colts on SI
By Drake Wally | Last updated Sep 20, 2025 11:01 AM ET

The AFC South is wide open heading into Week 3, and the Indianapolis Colts are already at the top of the division with a 2-0 record. Now, they must take care of business on the road at Nissan Stadium against the Tennessee Titans (0-2) in their first divisional game of the year.

Indianapolis has the momentum, while Tennessee faces a must-win situation. If the Titans fall to 0-3, there's almost no chance they'll make the playoffs. However, if the Colts can't take this game, they will lose all favor across the NFL after starting so hot.

Many believe the Colts will take the victory, but not Vic Tafur of The Athletic.

Tafur predicts the Titans to upset Indianapolis, and also doesn't think that Daniel Jones can continue his streak of fantastic play under center. Here's what Tafur had to say on the matter.

"Jones was really bad (and inaccurate) for the Giants on third downs last year. The Colts have not only boosted his confidence but also have largely avoided the third-down problem as well: Half of Jones’ first-down pass attempts have resulted in new first downs (the league average is 27 percent)."

Tafur concludes by stating about Jones: "He can’t keep that up; he just can’t. Plus, the Titans will finally get their ground game going."

Daniel Jones and his remarkable poise under pressure pic.twitter.com/xTBR4HEpj7
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) September 18, 2025

First, let's address the upset that Tafur mentions. To put it briefly, it's very possible, given how close divisional matchups often end up being.

Tennessee doesn't have an overwhelming offense or defense. Their offense, led by rookie QB Cam Ward, ranks 30th in the league with 31 points. As for their defense, they've allowed the 25th most yards with 756.

The Titans have lost to the Denver Broncos (20-12) and the Los Angeles Rams (33-19), two teams that are considered tough matchups, so Indy can't overlook their AFC South rival in anyway this Sunday.

If Tennessee makes some plays defensively and gets the ground game going with Tony Pollard, the Colts might see themselves in a far closer battle than they may have anticipated. Those types of bouts can go either way.

Now, let's discuss Jones and his ridiculously good start to the 2025 campaign.

Jones has helped lead one of the best offenses in the NFL. Shane Steichen has him playing his best football. Through the two contests, Jones has completed 45/63 passes (71.4 percent) for 588 passing yards, and 30 first downs.

Jones has also been a scoring machine in Steichen's offense, with two passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns. However, as Tafur points out, it might not be sustainable for him to continue at this level of efficiency, but it's not out of the question.

When Jones was with the New York Giants, he was nearly a disaster. However, when examining the lack of offensive line and talent surrounding him, it's not hard to imagine that it could've been the main reason he struggled.

Now, Jones has one of the best offensive lines in the league, a stout running game led by Jonathan Taylor, and plenty of receiving weapons (Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, and Tyler Warren).

The last time Daniel Jones played at Nissan Stadium against the Titans:

81% Completion Percentage
188 Yards
2 Touchdowns
25 Rushing Yards
⭐️ 115.9 QBR#ForTheShoe pic.twitter.com/L8YKL6Ei4X
— SleeperColts (@SleeperColts) September 19, 2025

While this is a critical AFC South clash, all eyes will be on Jones. The biggest question is: Were the first two weeks a fluke? It's tough to slap onto Jones, but given how rough his 69 starts were with the Giants, it's bound to follow him.

But if Jones leads the Colts to a 3-0 record and puts up another great performance, detractors will start slowing down their arguments that the one they are calling 'Indiana Jones' can't be a true and reliable starting quarterback in the NFL.