Takeaways from Colts' Dominating Win Over Raiders

–After throwing two interceptions a week ago against the Los Angeles Rams, Daniel Jones regained his impressive form, dicing up the Raiders' defense. Jones finished 20-of-29 (69%) for 212 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions. Jones was comfortable in the pocket and delivered the ball accurately to his receivers for the majority of the afternoon. Despite the Raiders bringing pressure on numerous occasions, Jones remained calm and made them pay.

The beginning of Jones' tenure in Indianapolis has been nothing short of spectacular. He looks like an MVP candidate at best and a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback at worst. Jones continues to keep the Colts' offense humming on all cylinders with no signs of slowing down.

– Speaking of MVP candidates, Jonathan Taylor continued to rack up the touchdowns on Sunday. While the Raiders limited Taylor to 66 yards on the ground, he punched it into the end zone three times on the afternoon. Taylor now leads the league in rushing yards and touchdowns, further proving the point there is not a better running back in the NFL right now.

– The Colts got all of their pass catchers involved in this one. Michael Pittman Jr. and Tyler Warren continued to be favorites of Jones' as each hauled in multiple catches and a touchdown. Josh Downs was also crucial to the offense's success, making shifty moves all over the field to pick up multiple first downs.

But it was Ashton Dulin who led the Colts in receiving on the afternoon, making two huge catches for 55 yards as he filled in for Alec Pierce (concussion). Dulin replaced AD Mitchell in the lineup after Mitchell's debilitating mistakes against the Rams. While known for his special teams prowess, Dulin continues to answer the bell whenever his number is called on offense.

– The Colts' offensive line got back on track as well after struggling against the Rams' front a week ago. The unit gave up zero sacks and kept Jones upright for most of the game despite pass rusher Maxx Crosby on the other side and the Raiders' continued attempts at pressure. Quenton Nelson and Tanor Bortolini paved the way for Taylor on multiple occasions as well. It was a solid rebound for Indy's offensive line.

– Scoring touchdowns in the red zone has been one of the only weaknesses for this Colts' offense through the first month of the season. That was not the case on Sunday, as the Colts were a perfect 6-for-6 on red zone opportunities. It was a significant step in the right direction in addressing their red zone woes, and if this team can consistently convert in the red zone, Indy's offense will be really scary.

DEFENSE

– The Colts' run defense has been leaky at times to start this season. However, the unit did a solid job of containing the Raiders' rushing attack to 106 total yards, including 67 by Ashton Jeanty. It wasn't perfect, but outside of the Raiders' first drive, the Colts did not allow the Raiders to control the clock.

– With the Raiders' offensive line banged up, the Colts' pass rush was able to get pressure on Geno Smith early and often. The Colts racked up four sacks on the afternoon by four different players (Tyquan Lewis, DeForest Buckner, Zaire Franklin, and Samson Ebukam). Smith never seemed to get comfortable, and the Colts' pressure forced him into mistakes.

– Laiatu Latu was not one of the players to register a sack, but he impacted the game in a variety of other ways. Latu continued to add to his pressure total, including pushing Smith into the arms of Buckner for a sack. Latu also came up with his second interception of the season after a batted ball by Grover Stewart hung in the air. The second-year pass rusher might not have the sack numbers yet, but he has been one of the Colts' most impactful defenders through five weeks.

– The Colts forced another interception of Smith when Mehki Blackmon stepped in front of a pass intended for Dont'e Thornton Jr. Blackmon would have returned the interception for a touchdown had he not swung too wide and stepped out of bounds at the 6-yard line. Blackmon made his first start with the Colts after the surprising retirement of Xavien Howard earlier in the week. Blackmon still has things to work on – he tripped and gave up a big pass play for the second week in a row – but it was a performance that should give the cornerback confidence moving forward.

– Another cornerback who impressed was Johnathan Edwards. While he only saw limited action, Edwards made a couple of big pass breakups in coverage that stalled a couple of the Raiders' drives. Edwards made the team as an undrafted free agent after an impressive summer, and if Blackmon begins to struggle, Edwards could push for the other starting cornerback spot opposite Charvarius Ward.

– The lone blemish for the Colts' defense was the play of Joe Bachie. No matter if it was against the run or pass, Bachie came out on the losing end. He also committed a couple of bad penalties on the afternoon. The linebacker spot next to Franklin continues to be the weak link of the defense despite the Colts' best efforts to find a solution. The hope is Jaylon Carlies can offer stability at the position when he returns from injured reserve.

SPECIAL TEAMS

– The biggest injury of the day happened to Spencer Shrader. Shrader suffered a knee injury when he was hit on the Colts' second extra point attempt of the afternoon. The team gathered around Shrader on the field before he walked off gingerly with the help of trainers. Steichen said after the game that the initial prognosis was not good, and the Colts did not attempt a kick the rest of the way.

Shrader, the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September, is 13-of-14 (92.9%) on field goals and 14-of-14 on extra points this season. It would be a big loss for the Colts if Shrader is forced to miss considerable time. The Colts will likely be looking at the kicker market this week.

– Arguably, the most impactful play of the game came when Segun Olubi blocked the punt of AJ Cole. It was the first blocked punt by the Colts since Week 1 of 2024, which was also blocked by Olubi. The Colts produced tremendous special teams play all afternoon, adding to a performance that featured complementary football in all three phases.