Mina Kimes says Daniel Jones might not sustain Colts’ explosive plays, ‘but I do know…’

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Mina Kimes says Daniel Jones might not sustain Colts’ explosive plays, ‘but I do know…’

Originally posted on NFL Analysis Network
By Ricky Westaby | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 11:35 AM ET

Daniel Jones has enjoyed a brilliant start to life at the Indianapolis Colts, guiding them to their first 2-0 start since 2009 with zero punts and zero turnovers in eight quarters of football.

That 2009 season, the Indianapolis Colts went to the Super Bowl with Peyton Manning, although they lost to the New Orleans Saints.

It would be silly to even talk about Daniel Jones being near the level of Manning, but he has already made a strong statement towards keeping the QB1 job.

There is a strong sense that Anthony Richardson is ‘done as a Colt’ after Jones’ impressive start, backing up a big win over the Miami Dolphins against a far tougher test in the Denver Broncos.

The Colts being able to sustain their start with no punts and zero turnovers would be borderline impossible, but Mina Kimes believes Jones is there to stay due to one key trait.

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Daniel Jones’ accuracy will allow the Indianapolis Colts to flourish under Shane Steichen

When the Colts named Daniel Jones as the starter over Anthony Richardson, there were questions over the team’s intentions for the 2025 season.

However, as Chris Simms said, Jones is better than NFL fans realized and has taken the Colts to an excellent 2-0 start. Whether it’s sustainable is unclear, but Kimes has faith due to his accuracy.

Speaking on ESPN’s NFL Live, Kimes said: “The run game is so dominant that the willingness to throw in those early downs, they’re able to punish teams for overplaying the run.”

“I keep getting asked, okay, ‘is Daniel Jones going to come down to earth? Is this really Daniel Jones?’ And the truth is, I don’t know if he can sustain what we’ve seen on big plays and under pressure.

“But I do know the accuracy on the short throws; he’s completing 77% of his passes. That’s sustainable because that’s who he’s been over the course of his entire career.

“It’s something that was sorely missing with Anthony Richardson, who was the worst quarterback in the NFL on short passes in terms of completion percentage.

“And it’s a big deal because boy, they got some playmakers. You got a quarterback who’s accurate underneath.

“You’ve got players like Jonathan Taylor and Tyler Warren, who can pick up yards after the catch, who are mismatches against linebackers.”

Kevin O’Connell and Shane Steichen have revitalized Daniel Jones’ career

After Jones left the New York Giants, he had a brief half-season pitstop with Kevin O’Connell at the Minnesota Vikings.

At the time, O’Connell was orchestrating Sam Darnold’s incredible career renaissance, having also struggled to make it in New York, only with the New York Jets.

Darnold earned a sizable contract with the Seattle Seahawks at the start of this season, and Daniel Jones will be hoping to do the same after this year.

Jones witnessed the work of O’Connell and decided his best bet was to go with the Indianapolis Colts and prove himself to Shane Steichen, another young offensive-minded head coach.

While it is only two games in, Jones’ gamble is paying off already, and the one-year $14 million contract could soon turn into something much bigger if he can maintain it.

This article first appeared on NFL Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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