For the Indianapolis Colts, week one is all but a must-win game. Their first two games of the season will be played inside Lucas Oil Stadium, followed by a trip to Tennessee to play the team that finished dead last in the league standings in 2024. It goes without saying that the 2025 season for the Colts could begin with a string of encouraging results. Within that, there is a very reasonable argument that the most winnable game of September is in week one, at 1 p.m. Eastern this Sunday against Miami.
That argument is exactly why there is extreme pressure on Indianapolis to succeed in week one. The decision to bench Anthony Richardson was controversial enough that a poor performance from Daniel Jones or disappointing final score of the game could cause a considerable chunk of the fanbase to completely turn on the organization right at the outset of the season. A home game this winnable should not be lost by any legitimate AFC playoff contending team, even in week one.
If the Colts are what fans hope them to be, the goal of course should be to begin the season 1-0. If that is to happen, there are a few objectives the Colts should aim for to support the effort of winning the war that is the upcoming date with the Dolphins. While not necessarily directly linked to a win or a loss, failing to meet these objectives would put Indianapolis on a fast track to an undesirable result. Conversely, an easy way to tell the story of how the Colts won would be to revisit how they were able to check each of the following boxes. Let’s dive in.
Goal No. 1: Establish a solid run game
Regardless of who the powers that be ended up declaring the starting quarterback for this team would be in week one, the Colts were going to require an early and effective establishment of the run game. Daniel Jones is capable, but not awesome. Despite his veteran status, facing a flurry of critical passing down situations in the first quarter would significantly drag down his performance. This is a quarterback of questionable quality playing his first meaningful snaps with a new team. Establishing the run early and often will allow Jones to ease into the game and the nuances of the opposing defense.
As seen in the preseason, offensive drives last significantly longer and are significantly more successful for the Colts when they are productive on the ground. The running back room had a fantastic preseason. Tyler Goodson and DJ Giddens were both impressive, allowing fans to rest assured that Johnathon Taylor won’t be shouldering the vast majority of the workload. If a quality run game is established, the entire offense will open up, and the chances of Indianapolis scoring enough to win will substantially rise.
Goal No. 2: Exploit the weak Miami secondary
It’s understood that the presence of a solid run game will be critical to the offense’s success on the first Sunday in September. On top of that, it's helpful for the Colts that the Dolphins secondary is, frankly, not very good. Last season the group let up the 10th-most passing yards and the sixth-most passing touchdowns.
From that, Miami traded away Jalen Ramsey to Pittsburgh for Minkah Fitzpatrick and watched Kader Kohou be hit by a season-ending injury. Multiple rotation pieces in the secondary were also lost to either injury or free agency as well. What remains is a conglomeration of young and unproven defensive backs, joined by one aging safety in Fitzpatrick.
If there’s an opponent on the schedule that will be torched by Jones through the air, it’s more than likely Miami. Furthermore, the Colts have an arsenal of receivers that are fantastic at shedding defenders one-on-one. The corresponding goal is simple: Jones needs to be an accurate passer.
Explosive plays deep down the field are desired, but not expected or necessary. Consistently completing passes to move the chains and progress down the field is a must, and there are few excuses to be made against this secondary should he fail. If a quality ground game is established, and Jones is effective through the air, the offense will be in position to score enough to win. That is, of course, assuming the defense holds up its end of the bargain.
Goal No. 3: Outwit Mike McDaniel
Lou Anaroumo coming to Indianapolis was arguably the most impactful change made in the offseason by the Colts, and can be described as eviscerating blind robbery of the Bengals. The Cincinnati defense that went to the Super Bowl in the 2021-22 season was engineered by Anaroumo. His uniquely creative and assertive methods of confounding and disabling opposing quarterbacks is one the Colts will massively benefit from utilizing. Anaroumo was fired following a few poor defensive seasons, and the Colts scooped him up. Cincy’s loss, Indy’s gain.
On the flip side, Mike McDaniel is a genius. The clash of titans between coordinators in week one will be one for the ages. Defensively, one goal will be to create advantages in the margins by properly executing the collection of dynamic coverages Anaroumo draws up. McDaniel is clever, and someone perfectly capable of dissecting a static defense like the one Indianapolis employed under Gus Bradley.
The 2025 Colts, however, will sport a defense that will take a lot more to beat considering the complexity of the scheme and talent level of the roster. The outcome of the chess match between Anaroumo and McDaniel will go a long way in determining the outcome of the game.
Goal No. 4: Effectively harass the quarterback
While Anaroumo is known for complex coverages, he is also known for being unafraid to blitz. The first-year defensive coordinator in Indianapolis loves the “fire zone blitz” concept, which involves five pass rushers and an array of stunts and twists used to outmaneuver the pass protection. Over the past few years, Indianapolis has put together a formidable front four consisting of Kwity Paye, Grover Stewart, DeForest Buckner and Laiatu Latu.
Latu, the youngest of that group, is striving to pick up a sack a game in 2025 according to the IndyStar. While that is undoubtedly a lofty goal, it is one that illuminates the competitive edge and expected talent value of the pass rush this upcoming season. If the genius of Anaroumo and talent of his front seven combines to create a healthy amount of pressure on the quarterback, the Colts defense will stunt the development of McDaniel’s march to the endzone.
The importance of starting 1-0
The fanbase in Indianapolis is understandably tired, frustrated and fed up with the results of the past few Colts seasons. Each controversial decision seems to be followed closely by another, leading to another season in which hope is minimal. It is clear that if this season goes poorly, significant changes will be made to the front office and coaching staff.
For the Colts, putting their best foot forward by starting the regular season with a win is crucial to the chase for the postseason, morale of the fanbase and job security of multiple individuals in key roles for the franchise. Achieving these four goals will heavily contribute to the team’s ability to succeed in week one and spark a glimmer of hope for the future of the Indianapolis Colts.
