Takeaways from Colts' Statement Win Over Chargers

OFFENSE

– Daniel Jones was fantastic yet again, leading the Colts up and down the field seemingly at will. He finished 23-of-34 (68%) for 288 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Jones was in control throughout the game, never phased when pressured by the Chargers' defense. It's no longer a surprise when Jones has this type of performance, instead becoming the norm for QB1.

– Jonathan Taylor continues to look like the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year. The Chargers had no answer for Taylor, as he finished with 94 yards on 16 carries (5.9 avg.) and three touchdowns. Taylor is already up to 10 rushing touchdowns on the season after scoring 11 in 2024.

Taylor also contributed as a receiver, hauling in three catches for 38 yards and picking up crucial first downs. The burst Taylor had in the early years of his career is back, and the added receiving element makes him as complete a back as he's ever been. And defenses across the league cannot stop him.

– No Josh Downs, no problem for the Colts' offense. Jones leaned on his three big receivers in Alec Pierce (five catches for 98 yards), Tyler Warren (four catches, 69 yards, TD), and Michael Pittman Jr. (seven catches, 58 yards, TD) to move down the field. Pierce stretched the Chargers' defense all game while Warren racked up yards after the catch, and Pittman dominated the middle of the field. Having so many playmakers all over the field allows the Colts' offense to stay incredibly dynamic even when one of their top targets is out.

– The Colts' offensive line set the tone early by dominating the line of scrimmage. It only took five plays for the Indy offensive line to pave the way for Taylor's first score of the afternoon. The offensive line only surrendered one sack of Jones as well, giving the quarterback plenty of time and clean pockets to find his receivers. The work Tony Sparano Jr. continues to do with this unit should not go unnoticed, as the group is back to one of the best offensive lines in football.

– It is safe to say the Colts' struggles in the red zone are firmly in the past. Indy's offense went 4-of-5 scoring touchdowns in the red zone against the Chargers and is 14-of-15 over their last three games. The only time the Colts did not score in the red zone was at the end of the first half when they kicked a field goal as time expired. The Colts' red zone offense has quickly gone from a weakness to a major strength.

DEFENSE

– For much of the afternoon, the Colts' pass rush had little impact on Justin Herbert. Herbert had way too long to throw on numerous occasions, and when the Colts did get pressure, they would allow Herbert to escape the pocket and make a play.

Thankfully for the Colts, DeForest Buckner took over and sacked Herbert twice on the Chargers' final drive of the game. Laiatu Latu was able to get to Herbert on the drive before as well. However, failing to finish pressures is becoming a common theme for the Colts and is something the defense must improve on moving forward.

– Turnovers were huge for the Colts in this one, as Indy intercepted Herbert twice on the afternoon. The first was by Grover Stewart, who came down with his first career interception after Herbert's pass was batted into the air at the line of scrimmage. It was a fun moment for one of the most loved Colts in the locker room as more than 20 of his teammates ran down the field with Big Grove to celebrate.

The other interception was by Nick Cross, who stepped in front of a pass intended for Quentin Johnston in the end zone to halt a Chargers' drive. The one-handed grab by Cross was his first interception of the season and helped the Colts win the turnover battle 2-0. With Indy winning by 14, these two turnovers were crucial to the outcome of the game.

– With Kenny Moore II back in the lineup, the Colts' secondary received a boost in the slot. Moore led the team with eight tackles and had good coverage for most of the afternoon. Unfortunately, it did not stop Herbert from carving up the defense. Herbert finished with 420 yards and three touchdowns on Sunday against Indy's severely banged-up cornerback room.

Now, some of Herbert's success can be attributed to a lack of pass rush from the Colts' front. However, the Colts' secondary had too many lapses in coverage that allowed easy completions for Herbert and his receivers. With Charvarius Ward (concussion) out at least the next four games on injured reserve, the Colts should be doing whatever they can to add help to the secondary.

COACHING

– Shane Steichen is at the top of his game, and I would be remiss if I didn't say he is a huge reason why the Colts are 6-1. He has instilled confidence in every player and coach on the team to be at their best. As a play caller, he is giving Jones multiple answers on each play to keep the offense on track as they continue to be the most dangerous unit in the NFL.

Steichen is also making great decisions that do not show up in the box score. He faked a punt and brought the Colts' offense back onto the field late in the play clock, forcing the Chargers to burn one of their timeouts in the second half. He also won another challenge, further increasing his win percentage on those calls.

While many said Steichen was on the hot seat entering the season, all of that talk has quieted down. Instead, the talk is now centered on the Colts' head coach being named Coach of the Year. If Indy keeps this up, Steichen will win the award running away, and deservedly so.