The Indianapolis Colts haven’t been here for a long time. They’re 3-0 for the first time since 2009, the season in which they made their most recent Super Bowl appearance.
Between 2002 and 2010, when Peyton Manning won four MVPs while quarterbacking the Colts. Indianapolis won 109 regular season games without ever missing the postseason. Manning led the team to nine playoff wins and two Super Bowl appearances, winning one in 2006.
Since that 2009 season, Indy has made just one AFC championship appearance. The team hasn’t made the playoffs since 2020 and hasn't had a postseason victory since 2018.
Since Andrew Luck’s shock retirement in 2019, Indianapolis has been stuck in a loop of mediocrity, disappointment and underwhelming seasons. There was no continuity at the quarterback position — 11 different signal callers have started a game since Luck left.
The 2025 Colts have settled on Daniel Jones as their guy under center, and so far, so good. Jones has the team on a roll, getting off to their best start in 16 years, reigniting the passion within the fanbase which simply hasn’t been there in recent times.
There’s a saying that says if something happens once, it’s a fluke. It happens twice, it’s a coincidence. Three times is a pattern. Four times? A standard. And the Colts are on the doorstep of reviving the winning standard they’ve established in years past.
Indy began the season with a 33-8 trouncing of the Miami Dolphins, a game where Daniel Jones silenced his critics with a three-touchdown performance. The Colts won their first season opener in 12 years. The low expectations which the fanbase had set for 2025 were bumped up a notch as a result.
Heads were turned. But it was just one game. Could’ve been a total fluke, right? Wrong.
Week 2 was different; the Colts had to do it the hard way. Maybe their 29-28 win over the Denver Broncos was undeserved. Head coach Shane Steichen horribly mismanaged the game’s final drive. But Jones and the offense did their job and got the team in position to win the game.
While Denver committed a costly penalty on the final play, handing the Colts new life and subsequently the win, a lucky win at that. Still, Indianapolis improved to 2-0.
Again, it must’ve been a coincidence. Teams in the NFL never get as lucky as the Colts did, with a leverage penalty being called on the game-winning field goal, which gave Spencer Shrader a second chance to win the game. That never happens. The Colts were only 2-0 by complete coincidence.
For the second time, wrong.
Jones and the offense continued their high-flying performances after putting 41 points on the Tennessee Titans on Sunday afternoon, remaining undefeated. Jonathan Taylor had a hat trick of touchdowns on the ground. Jones threw for over 200 yards passing for the third game in a row.
Even the defense pitched in. Kenny Moore II got the scoring started with a pick-six off of Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward. The defensive line bounced back from a quiet showing against Denver, taking advantage of a banged up Titans offensive front to record four sacks.
That makes three. The Colts won their first divisional game of the year and moved to 3-0. That’s no coincidence. Jones isn’t accidentally leading one of the league’s best offenses.
The Colts aren’t just winning games and dominating while they do it, they’re stacking victories and building a pattern.
At this point, we know what the Colts can do. We know they can control games from start to finish, put together complete team performances and close out the close ones, too. But if they want to be truly taken seriously, they must reestablish their historical championship pedigree by winning a fourth in a row.
It’s not just the winning four games in a row that will legitimize the Colts as a contender. It’s the fact that the Los Angeles Rams, their Week 4 opponent, are the biggest test on the schedule so far.
Sean McVay is a Super Bowl champion head coach. Matt Stafford is one of the best quarterbacks of his generation. The Rams are 2-1 this season and were a blocked field goal away from taking down the defending Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles.
Plus, the Colts haven’t had a true road test yet. A quick drive down to Nashville is not the same as a trip out to Los Angeles. The Rams are also the first NFC team Indianapolis will play this year. While wins against fellow AFC teams are more important when it comes to possible playoff standings, being able to compete with the opposing conference is a sign of a true championship contending team.
Sofi Stadium awaits next week. And we’ll see if the Colts are on track to truly bring back the glory days the franchise once enjoyed.
