Heading into the 2025 season, the Indianapolis Colts were considered to be a bottom dweller in the AFC due to their quarterback battle. However, they have flipped the script, becoming one of the AFC’s most dangerous teams. Head coach Shane Steichen has developed Indianapolis into one of the most efficient offenses fans have ever seen. How were they able to turn things around?
Fans were impatient with third-year head coach Shane Steichen and General Manager Chris Ballard. The Indianapolis Colts have not been crowned AFC South Champions since 2014, and fans were growing distraught by the past few years of Colts football.
How did everything change so quickly?
Indianapolis Revives Daniel Jones
The biggest question for Indianapolis revolved around the quarterback position. Since the departure of Peyton Manning and the unexpected retirement of Andrew Luck, Indianapolis has been searching for its franchise quarterback, and the journey has not been pretty. Heading into the season, Indianapolis has started ten quarterbacks since the early retirement of Andrew Luck before the 2019 season. However, the 2025
In the 2025 free agency, free agent Daniel Jones signed with Indianapolis on a short-term contract while former fourth overall pick Anthony Richardson was fighting to return to his rookie form. Daniel Jones won the starting job, but not without criticism from the fan base.
In an article written by Hunter Haas, he puts it perfectly, saying, “It only took three games for most to accept that this new-and-improved version of Jones is here to stay. And with that, the Colts franchise is finally able to breathe a collective sigh of relief.”
Indianapolis Runs Through Taylor
Drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Taylor broke out in 2021, rushing for over 1,800 yards and 18 touchdowns. In 2022 and 2023, Taylor’s were down due to contract negotiations and injury, but he turned back to his younger self in 2024. Even with having a great career at age 26 years old, Taylor is on pace for statistically his best season yet while already having three games this season with three touchdowns. Heading into Week 8, he is leading the NFL in attempts (131), touchdowns (10), and rushing yards (697), which makes him on pace to win the “rushing triple crown”.
With Saquon Barkley regressing and injuries impacting running backs across the NFL, Jonathan Taylor has cemented himself as the best in the league. If he continues his current level of production, he could deliver one of the most historic seasons ever by an Indianapolis Colts running back.
“But yeah, he’s been really, really impressive game after game, coming up with big runs, coming up with dirty runs that should be one or two-yard runs, and he gets five or six,” Jones says as he praises Taylor and his ability to extend plays.
Indianapolis Writing Offensive History
With Daniel Jones reviving his career and Jonathan Taylor’s dominance, the offensive numbers through the first seven weeks are incredible. Shane Steichen’s offense ranks #1 in points/game (33.1), #2 in yards/game (380.3), #1 in points/play (0.554), #1 in yards/play (6.4), and #1 in touchdowns/game (3.9).
Even historically, this has become one of the most dominant stretches in the team’s history. They have scored 232 points through their first seven games, making this the third-highest point total in Indianapolis Colts history, behind the 1958 season (255 points) and 1964 season (237 points).
To top it all off, the Indianapolis Colts’ first seven weeks of the 2025 season are comparable to the 2007 New England Patriots’ historic start to their season. Here are the numbers (According to A to Z Sports):
2025 Indianapolis Colts vs 2007 New England Patriots offensive stats through 7 weeks
- Record: Colts (6-1), Patriots (7-0)
- Passing Yards: Colts (1,751), Patriots (2,096)
- Rushing Yards: Colts (911), Patriots (934)
- Turnovers: Colts (4), Patriots (6)
- Punts: Colts (12), Patriots (16)
Indianapolis’ Remarkable Revival
What the Indianapolis Colts have continued to produce offensively is otherworldly and a great story. This is a team many people, including myself, doubted heading into 2025 due to the uncertainty at quarterback. Daniel Jones is coming off a miserable season, where he went from one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL to becoming the third-string quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings after being released by the New York Giants.
Jonathan Taylor has soared back to the lead in the NFL and continues to silence doubters. If his historic start continues, we could be discussing his position in the MVP conversation, and he certainly has a case for OPOY.
The 2025 Indianapolis Colts have completely flipped the script, transforming from AFC bottom dwellers to one of the NFL’s best teams. This turnaround could be one of those rare but remarkable worst-to-first stories in just a few seasons.
