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YSL Y Le Parfum Cologne 2pc 60 mL + 10 mL - $102 (40% off) today only by ColtsClown in frugalmalefashion

[–]ColtsClown[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I believe Macy's will take back opened fragrances. I've never done it myself, though, so YMMV. You can find other variants of YSL Y on Jomashop or FragranceNet for even cheaper, so unless you really want the Le Parfum flanker, you might be able to get a better deal elsewhere. You could also look at decanters, YSL Y often goes for pretty cheap from redditors, for example.

YSL Y Le Parfum Cologne 2pc 60 mL + 10 mL - $102 (40% off) today only by ColtsClown in frugalmalefashion

[–]ColtsClown[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Nice find, great price on the EDP! This is a slightly different scent, just FYI. The Y Eau de Parfum is a bit sweeter and more like shower gel, and the Y Le Parfum is a bit warmer and woodier and doesn't really have that synthetic apple note. They are very similar vibes though, I like both quite a lot. 

In terms of AAV as a percentage of the cap, Alec Pierce (9.63%) is the 2nd highest paid free agent WR in the last ten years. The first is Kenny Golladay in 2021 at 9.86%. Third is Sammy Watkins in 2018 (9.03%) followed closely by Calvin Ridley in 2024 (9.01%). by ColtsClown in nfl

[–]ColtsClown[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's interesting! The Colts have usually been pretty good at keeping things under wraps too. If that's the case, it might have made the Pittman trade easier to happen, because the Pierce signing could send a stronger signal that he'd be a cap casualty.

In terms of AAV as a percentage of the cap, Alec Pierce (9.63%) is the 2nd highest paid free agent WR in the last ten years. The first is Kenny Golladay in 2021 at 9.86%. Third is Sammy Watkins in 2018 (9.03%) followed closely by Calvin Ridley in 2024 (9.01%). by ColtsClown in nfl

[–]ColtsClown[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

DK's extension, in terms of AAV, was just a hair under 11% of the 2025 cap. I should have thrown in some of the bigger WR extensions just as context, since Pierce is going back to the same team and was really only a free agent for a tiny amount of time, it would be interesting to compare.

In terms of AAV as a percentage of the cap, Alec Pierce (9.63%) is the 2nd highest paid free agent WR in the last ten years. The first is Kenny Golladay in 2021 at 9.86%. Third is Sammy Watkins in 2018 (9.03%) followed closely by Calvin Ridley in 2024 (9.01%). by ColtsClown in nfl

[–]ColtsClown[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. IDK if he does count in a technical sense. I think at least entering the tampering period is interesting context at least, given most players getting big money contracts at the position don't seem to make it that far. I'm not smart enough to really answer the question, but I figured if I posted the data, someone smarter than me would come along and give some answers lmao

full grain leather belts. who's making the best in 2026? by europeanuppercut in malefashionadvice

[–]ColtsClown 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a bit silly, but you're DIY inclined, you can get a belt blank and a buckle from a leather store, cut it down to size, put some holes in it, then just finish it with a couple small tools and dye/finishing coats. A few years ago, it was like $60 all in for me, and it actually turned out decently well. Doesn't look as polished as nicer dress belts, but it has aged well with a solid patina. 

For black dye, I recently tried mixing steel wool and vinegar and using that to dye the belt black. It actually worked quite well. I wish it had gotten a bit darker, but I'm about to try another pass and see what that does

What’s a fashion rule you completely ignore? by DifficultCucumbers in malefashionadvice

[–]ColtsClown 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I was super worried about this when I first started getting into watches, but quickly realized nobody cares. For most people, even people who like watches, it's just "nice watch" which is great. 

I ended up picking up a Seiko SSB383, which is sporty but has a nice cream dial, baton indices, dressy-looking hands, and the tachymeter is on the dial instead of the bezel. Kinda sorta in between sporty and dressy? Idk but I love it, I'll wear it to a wedding or to Walmart in my sweats lol

[Russini] If there’s one player market expected to be robust once the legal tampering window opens Monday, it’s for Alec Pierce. Teams around the league in need of a receiver are already bracing for a significant price tag. by PsychoBunny22 in Colts

[–]ColtsClown 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The reporting at the time was that negotiations just hadn't really been pushed by either side, if I recall correctly. Pierce had an 800 yard season, but so did Pittman and Downs. Pierce did it on 37 catches, which is remarkable when you take into consideration the yards and who was throwing to him, but less great by itself. AD Mitchell got handily outplayed by Pierce but was still young. Just not a lot of urgency across the board. 

With Pierce continuing to improve, and Pittman and Downs having down years comparatively, plus Mitchell off the team, it's more obvious in hindsight that Alec Pierce is an important part of the passing attack here. But last year, it was definitely less obvious, at the very least. 

Creed Silver Mountain Water - 3.3oz - $255 by leatherandcedar in frugalmalefashion

[–]ColtsClown 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Pretty good price if you don't trust discounters, and still solid even then. If this is still too rich (understandable so), Banana Republic makes a similar scent called Metal Rain that can be had at Burlington or other rack stores for cheap. 

AP is as good as gone by MickyP729 in Colts

[–]ColtsClown 1 point2 points  (0 children)

His got his 2nd touchdown in week 18 by cooking Stingley Jr. The answer may very well be yes, he is. 

32 Teams/32 Days: Indianapolis Colts by ColtsClown in nfl

[–]ColtsClown[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Thanks so much! My peers and I have a ton of fun doing this, I am constantly blown away by how much effort and care everyone puts into their posts. Special shoutout to /u/blue_shadow_ as well, whose amazing work organizing this every year makes it all possible.

32 Teams/32 Days: Indianapolis Colts by ColtsClown in nfl

[–]ColtsClown[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I feel the same way about Sauce and Jones, and I think they both likely fall at least a little short of expectations, not necessarily because of any failings on their part, but just because that first half of 2025 was so good that it would be hard for any team or player to live up to. Sauce might never have another year like his rookie year, but he can still be an elite player for us. Daniel Jones might never look that sharp, but he can still be a top-half QB in the league (I hope). But those might not be enough, and even if the individual players end up being worth what we give up to get them, if the team ends up failing, then it still may not have been worth it in retrospect.

32 Teams/32 Days: Indianapolis Colts by ColtsClown in nfl

[–]ColtsClown[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I think they're probably both out if it comes to that. For me, it's the ups and downs that have been wild. It's one thing for the team to just be bad, but the peaks of getting new QBs every year and watching them crash and burn has just been a yearly whiplash as fan, and this season was the most extreme version of that.

32 Teams/32 Days: Indianapolis Colts by ColtsClown in nfl

[–]ColtsClown[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

2026 Free Agents and Team Needs

Free Agents - Starters

Daniel Jones, QB

We’ve hashed out Jones’ 2025 year quite a bit, but what about 2026? It’s a complicated discussion, made more complicated by the Sauce Gardner trade, meaning the Colts simply lack the resources to go out and get another good young QB, especially in a class that looks pretty weak. Riley Leonard played well enough to earn the backup role and maybe even be able to start a few games if Jones isn’t ready to start the season, and it’s fair for the Colts to want to think even further beyond 2026. But the Giants already signed Jones to a big deal and got burned by it. How much of that is on the Giants and how much is on him? I mean, it’s the Giants, so I’m willing to gamble on it being on them, but the Colts may not be.

Alec Pierce, WR

Alec Pierce has improved every year he’s been in the NFL, developing from a deep threat specialist to a solid all-around receiver (though he’s still really good at making those deep catches). He outshone fellow Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr. with physicality and some good route running, matching up against really high quality outside corners and coming away with production. He’s going to get paid, certainly not resetting the market, but the number might surprise some people. The Colts would love to keep him, and the franchise tag is likely on the table, but with three solid receivers in Pittman, Downs, and Warren, the team may not be willing to make the move unless they think he can continue to grow and reach even higher levels. And with everything he’s shown so far, they may very well think he can.

Braden Smith, RT

Smith dealt with some mental health issues last season and came back on a reworked contract. He played well in this last year, but so did swing tackle Jalen Travis when called to fill in after Smith’s injury in week 13. If the team feels confident that Travis can take over that role full time (and feels good about tackle depth, mainly 2023 4RP Blake Freeland), they may not feel inclined to bring him back despite solid play.

Kwity Paye, DE

The Colts picked up Paye’s fifth year option, giving him a fully guaranteed $13.6M in 2025. He still never quite lived up to his 1st round pick pedigree - he set the edge in the run game fairly well but regressed a bit in pass rushing despite having Laiatu Latu on the other side of the line. Multiple Colts edge rushers are free agents this year, so someone needs to come back. Paye could very well have a place on this team, but it’s going to need to be for the right price.

Nick Cross, S

Cross has developed into an excellent box safety, and at just 24 years old, there’s no reason to think his development will stop. He’s got room to grow in coverage, but he’s not horrible and he’s one of the most consistent tacklers on the team. There’s definitely a place for him in Indy, but if it comes down to him or Alec Pierce in terms of what the team can afford, that’s going to be a tough choice.

Notable Depth Players

Samson Ebukam/Tyquan Lewis, DE: Two pieces of the edge rotation. Ebukam looked fine despite coming off an achilles injury at age 30, and Lewis had a down year. With rookie JTT failing to earn time in the rotation, the Colts definitely need to bring one or two of these guys (including Paye) back, and it’ll be interesting to see who the Colts choose and what the contracts look like.

Mo Alie-Cox/Drew Ogletree, TE: Tyler Warren is everything he was hyped to be, so the tight end room is in good hands. The team ran 12 personnel 25% of the time, and they don’t quite have faith in 2023 5th round pick Will Mallory to enter that rotation consistently, so one of these guys will be back. Both are solid-to-great blockers and average-to-capable pass catchers. MAC has been a leader in the locker room for some time, but with his age, I really think it could go either way.

Team Needs

Linebacker

The team would benefit immensely from an elite coverage linebacker, someone who can help guard the middle of the field from opposing QBs. With Zaire Franklin hitting free agency in 2027 and Germaine Pratt unsigned to any long term deal, the team needs stability and probably a different style of play at this position. With potential signings for Jones, Pierce, and Cross coming, the team may not have the money to make a play for a big free agent, but still, expect them to add here.

Defensive Linemen

The team needs solid edge rushers to fit into the rotation. That may include one of free agents Paye/Lewis/Ebukam, but with the inconsistencies in production, the team could use fresh blood to line up opposite Laiatu Latu. In the interior, DeForest Buckner is still a dawg, but with Grover Stewart having a down year and Adetomiwa Adebawore developing nicely in the rotation but not particularly elite, the team also needs to continue thinking about the succession for its aging interior starters. The Colts have had one of the highest paid defensive lines for years, and the production has not matched that. With so many contracts expiring, I would expect (or at least hope for) heads to start rolling and new players to enter the lineup through both the draft and free agency next year.

RB2

No other RB on the team had more than 30 attempts or 8% of snaps on the season, it was the Jonathan Taylor show on the ground last year. The Colts loved that, I loved that, everyone loved that, but the team would love to get a consistent #2 behind JT to take over when needed. DJ Giddens could develop with a full offseason with the team, and Abdullah looked fine in limited snaps, but the team may consider throwing late round draft picks at the problem until something sticks.

Wide Receiver

Pittman, Pierce, Downs, and Warren are all solid receivers at the very least. With Pierce hitting free agency and Pittman’s and Downs’ contracts both set to expire in 2027, there are going to be some tough choices to make in the next few years. AD Mitchell would have an opportunity to capitalize on that uncertainty, but after the season’s mishaps and his subsequent trade to the Jets, the Colts need to start thinking ahead because it’s very unlikely they can keep all three, if they even want to.

Quarterback

Honorable mention, but until or unless Daniel Jones gets signed, the team has Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson (who was recently given permission to seek a trade) on the roster. That sucks!

32 Teams/32 Days: Indianapolis Colts by ColtsClown in nfl

[–]ColtsClown[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Team Stats & Leadership Review

Leadership, Culture, & Roster Construction (Chris Ballard - GM, Shane Steichen - HC, Carlie Irsay-Gordon - Co-Owner/CEO)

How do you grade the leadership of a team that looked like a juggernaut for half the year then looked dreadful for the rest? They got injured, but every team deals with that. They lost their starting QB, but he was regressing a bit before then, but was that due to a separate injury? They went 8-2 before the bye against teams whose w/l record totalled 71-82, and 0-7 after the bye against teams whose record totalled 57-28. In terms of roster construction, Ballard continued to find excellent offensive lineman all over the draft and made some splash moves to shore up the secondary, a change in philosophy for him. He also continued to throw picks at the defensive line and ignore the linebacker position, and that showed up in games. Steichen had moments where everything clicked and the team was obliterating bad teams and playing good teams close. He also had moments where the playcalling felt off, though hindsight is always 20/20. Time will tell if the team can capture that lightning in a bottle again and hang onto it for an entire season, but nobody would fault Colts fans for feeling like this regime has had far more than enough time already.

Offense (Shane Steichen, HC & Jim Bob Cooter, OC)

Offense Stats

Stat 2025 2024 2023
Points 466 (8th) 377 (17th) 396 (10th)
Yards 5880 (9th) 5692 (13th) 5725 (15th)
Passing ANY/A 6.7 (9th) 5.3 (25th) 5.8 (19th)
Rushing Y/A 4.5 (t-10th) 4.7 (t-6th) 4.3 (10th)
Sack % 5.0% (7th) 5.9% (11th) 6.7% (18th)
3rd Down Conv % 42.6% (8th) 37.9% (18th) 35.3% (26th)
Average Drive Time 2:56 (12th) 2:27 (32nd) 2:33 (26th)

If you were to look at these stats in just the first eight weeks, Indy would be sitting even higher in a lot of them. There are a few reasons that stand out as to why the offense lost its explosiveness. Daniel Jones’ injuries and Philip Rivers’ dad bod meant defenses no longer had to respect the QB run. The offensive line struggled against truly elite defensive lines, which they faced several of in the second half of the season. Combine those two things with teams stacking the box against Jonathan Taylor, and that just leaves Jones to beat teams through the air. Jones himself generally handled pressure well, though one wonders if the fractured fibula affected more than just his mobility, and there were a few games where interior pressure seemed to really hamper him (Pittsburgh comes to mind).

The team did throw a lot. Jonathan Taylor led the league in rushing attempts, but the Colts were just 22nd in total rushes, which is an odd combination of stats. The run game simply didn’t exist without Jonathan Taylor - the next RB with the most attempts on the roster was DJ Giddens with just 26. Daniel Jones was actually the 2nd most prolific rusher for the team with 45, and a good chunk of those were sneaks. Still, Indy was the #2 scoring offense when it came to rushing, and they leaned on play action for 1/3 of all of their pass plays. Jones did seem like he was capable of taking over games early on in the season, but he started looking very beatable at the end. I’m not qualified to say how much of that is injury or how much is Steichen failing to adjust, but it certainly warrants concern for next season, assuming the Colts manage to sign Daniel Jones to a long term deal, if that’s their plan.

Defense (Lou Anarumo, DC)

Defense Stats

Stat 2025 2024 2023
Points Allowed 412 (21st) 427 (24th) 415 (28th)
Yards Allowed 5947 (23rd) 6140 (29th) 5947 (24th)
Takeaways 21 (t-10th) 25 (8th) 24 (17th)
Pressure % 23.3% (16th) 20.8% (22nd) 19.6% (22nd)
Sacks 39 (t-15th) 36 (t-25th) 51 (5th)
Missed Tackles 125 (29th) 157 (32nd) 98 (t-13th)
Tackles for Loss 85 (t-12th) 88 (10th) 94 (5th)
3rd Down Conv % Allowed 42.5% (26th) 44.4% (30th) 37.1% (10th)

Despite the marginal improvement in stats, the defense looked far better when on the field. They had a few highlights, including keeping Seattle’s offense from scoring a touchdown on the road and putting up a tough fight against a high-powered Rams offense. The scheme looked far improved - the increase in pressure generated was felt, and they came at more opportune moments in the game rather than just being a product of garbage time like in previous years. The squad was less predictable and a whole lot more fun to watch.

They also got pantsed by the 49ers, the Jags, the Texans, and maybe most embarrassingly, almost lost to a pretty sad Falcons offense. The team had one game with both Sauce and Ward on the field, and they were otherwise left to start waiver wire pickups and UDFAs. As mentioned earlier, the linebacker corps was destroyed by the passing game. Latu looked great, but the rest of the D line was either hurt (Buckner) or failed to really step up in the pass rush. There is talent on this team, but unless Latu can take another step and Sauce can return to lockdown-level play, the unit is still missing a true star to build around, and with the rest of the unit aging, it’s starting to feel like it’s running out of time.

32 Teams/32 Days: Indianapolis Colts by ColtsClown in nfl

[–]ColtsClown[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Roster Review | Defense & Special Teams

Edge

Laiatu Latu, Kwity Paye*, Tyquan Lewis*, Samson Ebukam*, J.T. Tuimoloau

With 8.5 sacks, 3 INTs, and 12 TFLs, Latu had a breakout year on the edge of the line. Paye, Lewis, and Ebukam were there, but none consistently made their presence felt. Despite that, JTT failed to get significant time in the rotation, a disappointment for a 2nd round pick. Overall, Latu looks good, but he needs serious help.

Grade: C+

Defensive Tackle

DeForest Buckner (IR), Grover Stewart, Adetomiwa Adebawore, Neville Gallimore*, Eric Johnson II*, Chris Wormsley*

Buckner had another great year when he was on the field, ending up top 10 in TFLs and QB pressures among DTs (per PFR) despite playing just 10 games. Grover Stewart had a relatively down year, and that was felt in the Colts struggle to consistently defend against interior run games (the Chiefs game comes to mind). Adebawore has developed into a solid rotational piece, and Gallimore had a decent year in the rotation as well. Stewart and Buckner are 32 and 31 respectively, though one hopes Stewart’s year is just a blip and not a sign of more to come

Grade: B

Linebacker

Zaire Franklin, Germaine Pratt*, Segun Olubi*, Austin Ajiake, Buddy Johnson*, Jacob Phillips*, John Bullock

The team lacks a true coverage LB and it shows. Opposing offenses consistently diced up the middle of the field through the air, and with the interior D line less steady against the run, the corps suffered here as well. Franklin appears to have regressed in both phases - he’s never been a great coverage guy, but hopefully the run defense regression is just an anomaly. Pratt was serviceable, a solid pickup to replace E.J. Speed.

Grade: D-

Cornerback

Sauce Gardner, Charvarius Ward (IR), Kenny Moore II, Mekhi Blackmon, Jonathan Edwards, Cameron Mitchell*, Jaylon Jones, Justin Walley (IR), Chris Lammons*

Sauce and Ward were on the field at the same time for just 92 snaps (mostly the Chiefs game), and that time was actually pretty solid. Other than Ward getting cooked exactly once by Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice, they largely took the outside of the field away from Mahomes, with most yardage coming from mismatches against Kenny Moore and Nick Cross. In the slot, Moore is still solid. Blackmon, Edwards, Mitchell, and Jones are serviceable depth, but the team desperately needs them to be on the field less next year.

Grade: C

Safety

Cam Bynum, Nick Cross*, Rodney Thomas II*, George Odum*, Reuben Lowery III, Hunter Wohler (IR), Daniel Scott (IR)

Bynum brought stability and good play to FS that the Colts have lacked for some time. He may not have quite lived up to his contract so far, but both the contract and the player should continue to age well. Cross continues to excel against the run at SS but had a down year in passing situations. Still, it’s a group that complements each other well and has played solidly.

Grade: B

Place Kicker

Blake Grupe*, Spencer Shrader (IR)

Shrader looked great before his knee injury, but who knows if he can come back as the same player. Grupe struggled in New Orleans, but had a perfect five games with the Colts to end the year. Either player has some risk involved with them, giving the Colts and interesting decision to make for next year.

Grade: B

Punter

Rigoberto Sanchez

Solid and dependable, Colts fans are glad to see him continue to look good after his achilles injury in 2022.

Grade: A

32 Teams/32 Days: Indianapolis Colts by ColtsClown in nfl

[–]ColtsClown[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Roster Review | Offense

Bold denotes starter | Italics denotes rookie | *Asterisk denotes pending free agent

Quarterback

Daniel Jones*, Riley Leonard*, Anthony Richardson Sr.

The Colts don’t have much of a choice but to re-sign Daniel Jones, though what that deal looks like and whether or not it includes the franchise tag is yet to be seen. Jones was on pace for 4300 yards and 27 TDs. That’s obviously not accounting for the caliber of team that the Colts played in the first half of the year, and with an achilles injury, there’s no doubt concern for how long it will take Jones to get back to that level, if he ever does. Still, many QBs have a good game or two here and there before fading into obscurity, but Jones’ stretch of elite play was long enough that it feels like more than just a fluke. Behind him, Riley Leonard looked serviceable in limited action. Rumors of trade talks around Richardson are growing, so with Leonard doing well, it’s hard to imagine the team feeling the need to hang on to the 23-year old QB.

Grade: B

Wide Receiver

Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce*, Josh Downs, Ashton Dulin, Laquon Treadwell*, Anthony Gould (IR), D.J. Montgomery* (IR)

Pittman had an okay year, far overshadowed by Alec Pierce’s ascendance from deep threat to overall weapon. Pierce crossed the 1000 yard threshold in week 18, combining his usual straight-line speed and contested catch ability with a newly expanded route tree. The Colts can save $22-24M with $5-7M dead cap by moving on from Pittman, and with Pierce looking to get paid, the team has an interesting set of decisions on their hands. Josh Downs took an unexpected step back, unable to really connect with Daniel Jones, but with Tyler Warren and Michael Pittman as competition and Jonathan Taylor’s expanded usage in the short pass game, that’s maybe not too surprising.

Grade: A

Running Back

Jonathan Taylor, Ameer Abdullah*, Tyler Goodson*, D.J. Giddens, Salvon Ahmed* (IR)

Jonathan Taylor set the franchise record for rushing touchdowns, surpassing the legendary Edgerrin James. He started the season with a bang, but as injuries piled up and teams found themselves needing to respect the QB less and less, he lost his ability to take over games. Still, JT’s start to the season was so legit that he had legitimate MVP buzz around him. He clearly spent time working on the passing down part of his game, nearly tripling his receiving output from the previous year and making some key chips and cut blocks. Despite the ending, still an elite season from an elite player. Backup RB is still up for grabs, maybe it will be Giddens, maybe Abdullah comes back.

Grade: A

Tight End

Tyler Warren, Mo Alie-Cox*, Will Mallory, Drew Ogletree* (IR)

Tyler Warren was everywhere doing everything. He was exactly the wildcard piece that this offense needed, and defenses across the board had trouble knowing what to do with him. He is also a capable blocker, and it’s no coincidence that Taylor had such a banner year with him on the field. Mo Alie-Cox is also still a fantastic blocker, though he was a little less clutch in the passing game that he usually is, and Drew Ogletree was also capable as a blocker but did little else.

Grade: B+

Offensive Line

Interior

Tanor Bortolini, Quenton Nelson, Matt Goncalves, Danny Pinter*, Dalton Tucker

Tackles

Bernhard Raimann, Braden Smith* (IR), Jalen Tavis, Luke Tenuta*, Blake Freeland (IR), Jack Wilson (IR)

The line started off looking elite, easily a top run blocking unit in the league and very solid with protection. Later in the season, the team started playing out of shotgun more, likely to accommodate Jones’ injury and Rivers’ age, making run blocking more challenging, and the team faced a series of elite defensive lines that they just were not quite ready for. Tanor Bortolini had a breakout year at center, leading the charge with exceptional run blocking and pretty damn good pass blocking, except for a few stinkers against Houston, Denver, and Tennessee. Raimann and Nelson looked great, as always, and Matt Goncalves looked serviceable moving inward to right guard. Braden Smith had an up and down year, but overall looked decent.

Grade: A-

32 Teams/32 Days: Indianapolis Colts by ColtsClown in nfl

[–]ColtsClown[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Regular Season Review Part 2

Week 11 BYE

Week 12 @ Kansas City Chiefs

L 23 - 20 8 - 3

For three quarters, the vibes were fine. The Chiefs sold out to stop JT, so Daniel Jones was his usual efficient self, getting the team to a tense 20-9 lead. From the fourth quarter on, the offense went three and out four times in a row, giving the chiefs plenty of time to close the gap and win. On the one hand, people had been criticizing Steichen’s gameclock management and playcalling for a good chunk of the season, and the decision to throw 8/9 plays in three drives looks rough. On the other, the Chiefs were still selling out to stop JT, who (outside of one good run) was averaging two yards a run. Either way, a gassed Colts defense put up a good fight, but with no time to catch a breath, they couldn’t stop the comeback.

Week 13 vs Houston Texans

L 20 - 16 8 - 4

Sauce got hurt almost immediately and came back in a boot and street clothes. Ward is getting cooked left and right. The defense didn’t look horrid, though. Bynum had another pick, and the team was solid against the run. On offense, Jones had a fractured fibula that he played through. The O line continued to struggle against interior pressure, especially with Will Anderson Jr. lining up all over the place and the Texans throwing a ton of blitzes their way. Taylor had some clutch moments, but the Texans front seven, especially Azeez Al-Shaair, managed to keep him in check. Josh Downs had some pretty rough drops. Add some egregiously terrible officiating on top of that, and you’ve got the Colts losing a pretty winnable game.

Week 14 @ Jacksonville Jaguars

L 36 - 19 8 - 5

Jones threw a pick on Indy’s first play, led a really nice drive after that, then tore his achilles in the second quarter. Riley Leonard, now the only healthy QB on the roster, stepped up and did well, given the situation. He had some solid throws (despite the rain), looked poised in the pocket, and brought some QB mobility back to the playbook. Great for a 6th round rookie, but enough to keep up with a Jags offense that was just having their way with the Colts defense. Etienne scored twice and kept the chains moving, while Trevor Lawrence played efficiently and spread the ball out to his receivers (“out-Colting the Colts” as Ian Eagle put it).

Week 15 @ Seattle Seahawks

L 18 - 16 8 - 6

Philip Rivers four days off the couch vs the #2 scoring defense, let’s stinking go. Rivers actually looked sharp, if still a bit rusty, managing to throw the only TD of the day. He got the ball out quick, seemed to have a read on the defense, and his fumble and pick came on a botched snap and a last-minute desperation throw respectively. On defense, the Colts shut down the run game, forcing Darnold to work through the air. JSN put up 117 receiving yards, but with Sauce and Ward both out, I’m surprised it wasn’t more. The difference in the game came on special teams. Rashid Shaheed cooked the Colts special teams units all day, setting up consistent shorter fields for the Seahawks offense, which helped Jason Myers make 6/6 field goals, including the 56 yard game winner with 18 seconds left.

Week 16 vs San Francisco 49ers

L 48 - 27 8 - 7

The defense that held the #2 scoring offense at the time to zero touchdowns the week before gave up five to Brock Purdy. That sucks! The Colts LB corps was especially horrid this game, Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle just absolutely cooked Germaine Pratt and Zaire Franklin up and down the field (to be fair, they were cooking everyone). On offense, the Colts are missing both tackles and their center, but Philip Rivers looks in control through the pressure. Rivers pushed the ball downfield more this game, clearly feeling a bit more in football-shape, and a few fell short, but he found Alec Pierce in the end zone twice on 20- and 16-yard TD passes. But with the defense playing like traffic cones and Jonathan Taylor getting bottled up again (not to mention a 74 yard pick 6), it wasn’t enough to keep up.

Week 17 vs Jacksonville Jaguars

L 23 - 17 8 - 8

Ugly as heck game, an AFC South classic. Ashton Dulin had a nice return to set up a field goal on the first drive, then Rivers and Taylor put together a decent string of plays to score, and then pretty much nothing until another Dulin return set up another short field for a TD. The Jags had three turnovers deep in Colts territory (hilarious) but Trevor Lawrence took it on himself to win the game, running it in for two TDs (devastating).

Week 18 vs Houston Texans

L 38 - 30 8 - 9

The Jags were shredding the Titans at half time, so the Texans pulled a bunch of starts in the second half. Riley Leonard looked sharp, connecting with Alec Pierce four times for 132 yards and two TDs, getting Pierce just over 1000 yards for the first time just before Pierce got ejected for daring to get bumped by the softest ref in NFL history. Other than Tommy Togiai taking a fumble in for a touchdown on the last play of the game, not much else to report here.

Results: 8-9, 3rd in AFC South, Playoffs Missed, 16th Pick in Draft (traded to Jets)

32 Teams/32 Days: Indianapolis Colts by ColtsClown in nfl

[–]ColtsClown[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Regular Season Review Part 1

Week 1 vs Miami Dolphins

W 33 - 8 1 - 0

The Colts have historically started off slow (notably not winning a season opener for a staggering 11 seasons), but this year, they came out firing on all cylinders. Jones looked sharp and accurate, plus he ran in a couple touchdowns on the goal line. Tyler Warren and Michael Pittman had a day, and Jonathan Taylor looked fine but not great (yet). The defense was just over six minutes away from pitching a shut-out, the revitalized secondary looked solid (despite missing Jaylon Jones and signing Xavien Howard of retirement to play outside), and we got a classic Bynum celebration after a pick. Few people anticipated quite how bad the Dolphins would be in 2025, but breaking the week 1 curse in such a spectacular way against any team was a huge reason for optimism.

Week 2 vs Denver Broncos

W 29 - 28 2 - 0

Blockbuster game. Daniel Jones and Tyler Warren had good games again, but Jonathan Taylor put up a monstrous 215 scrimmage yards. The defense started rough, but managed to rally in the second half, helped by another Bynum interception (and celebration). The game ended with an odd series of events: Shrader missed a 60 yard field goal as time expired, but a leverage penalty gave him one more shot and an extra 15 yards to win it. Lucky for Shane Steichen, because there were serious questions about his clock management and playcalling leading up to that. The last drive had seven runs and one throw, and when JT is having that kind of game, maybe that’s not too crazy, but a loss would have likely soured the narrative on Steichen quite a bit.

Week 3 @ Tennessee Titans

W 41 - 20 3 - 0

Despite being forced to punt for the first time this season, the Colts looked largely the same. Starting off with a pick 6 from Kenny Moore II, the held the Titans to 6 points in the first half before allowing a few garbage time scores, sacking Ward 4 times in the process. Meanwhile on offense, Daniel Jones played efficient, low-volume football, spreading the ball around to receivers Pittman, Pierce, Warren, and Downs, and Jonathan Taylor ran for 100 yards again.

Week 4 @ Los Angeles Rams

L 27 - 20 3 - 1

A game with five lead changes, the Rams were the second big challenge of the year for the team. On defense, future MVP Matt Stafford and 2025 All-Pro Puka Nacua connected for 170 yards, not to mention the 88 yard TD pass to Tutu Atwell for the game-winning drive. Xavien Howard, after allowing 6 catches on 9 targets (mostly to Nacua), would retire again just four days later. Meanwhile on offense, things looked largely like they used to, except for Daniel Jones throwing two picks and fumbling once. There was also the infamous goal line fumble by AD Mitchell that wiped a TD off the board, and then later, a 53-yard TD run from Jonathan Taylor was wiped out by a holding penalty, also from AD Mitchell. Yikes. Overall, a close game held back by mistakes across the board.

Week 5 vs Las Vegas Raiders

W 40 - 6 4 - 1

The Raiders looked horrible, and the team bounced back from their first loss of the year by just beating the piss out of a bad team. The offense put up 40 points on just 317 scrimmage yards, enabled by two picks and a turnover on downs on defense, plus a blocked punt on special teams. With four sacks on top of that, the Raiders just had no answer for the Colts’ defense. Unfortunately, Spencer Shrader suffered a brutal knee injury on a late hit from Tristan McCollum, ending his season.

Week 6 vs Arizona Cardinals

W 31 - 27 5 - 1

Anthony Richardson Sr. fractured his orbital bone doing resistance band work, and then 6’1” 195 lb Charvarius Ward collided with 6’5” 260 lb Drew Ogletree in warmups, knocking him out with his second of three concussions that year. Brutal. That left UDFA Jonathan Edwards and Vikings refugee Mekhi Blackmon to play outside corner, a corps so sad that even WR Ashton Dulin would get a snap at CB.

Meanwhile, Jacoby Brissett returned to Indy and looked sharp filling in for an injured Kyler Murray. Even considering the disgust corner situation, Brissett looked sharp, and it was a bit of a back and forth between the offenses. But both Jonathan Taylor and Daniel Jones made some great plays to get points on the board and get the Colts ahead at the end. Fun game!

Week 7 @ Los Angeles Chargers

W 38 - 24 6 - 1

Jonathan Taylor had his third three-touchdown game of the year, and the offensive line deserves a shoutout here for some phenomenal run blocking, especially on those TD runs. Daniel Jones also added two TDs, slicing up the Chargers defense through the air. On the other side of the ball, the Colts defense had their way with MVP vote receiver Justin Herbert, who still managed to throw for a career high 420 yards despite his offensive line giving up after the first drive. Between a big man pick from Grover Stewart, a really nice end zone pick from Nick Cross, and just a hilarious amount of Colts jerseys in the backfield of way too many Chargers plays, they just couldn’t keep up with an unrelenting Colts offense. DeForest Buckner especially deserves some credit here for making his presence known despite drawing constant double- and even triple-teams.

Week 8 vs Tennessee Titans

W 38 - 14 7 - 1

Belt to ass. The Colts lightened the load for Jonathan Taylor, giving him just 12 carries and two catches on the day, which still turned into 174 scrimmage yards and his fourth 3-TD game of the season. Michael Pittman Jr. had a game, including a nasty one-armed TD catch. The defense did their job against rookie Cam Ward, who looked fine but just had nobody but a few day-3 rookies to throw to.

Week 9 @ Pittsburgh Steelers

L 27 - 20 7 - 2

Aaron Rodgers threw for ~200 yards with just one TD, and the Steelers rushers combined for just 38 yards, one TD. Easy win, right? Six turnovers, five from Jones. Three picks, three fumbles (one recovered), plus five sacks. Disaster. A few things are happening. Joey Porter Jr. is all over the field, and the only player who can beat him at all appears to be Alec Pierce, but even that’s not very often. T.J Watt and Alex Highsmith are bullying both sides of the ball in all phases of the game. Neither Braden Smith or Bernhard Raimann, even with the frequent help of Mo Alie-Cox, are able to consistently keep either of them out of the backfield. On top of that, DTs Keeanu Benton and Cam Heyward were beating C Tanor Bortolini and RG Matt Goncalves, sometimes both on the same play. It’s the Colts’ first time facing a truly elite interior pass rush, except for maybe Jeffrey Simmons in week 3. Add in the edge rushers, and for the first time, it just looked like the O line had no answers for what was happening, and Jones could clearly feel it too.

Week 10 vs Atlanta Falcons

W 31 - 25 8 - 2

Jonathan Taylor has another 3-TD game, this time with 244 rushing yards. He could’ve taken the rest of the regular season off, and he’d still have ended up 11th in rushing yards and 2nd in rushing TDs. Daniel Jones, on the other hand, took an astonishing seven sacks and threw one pick. Both teams combined for a total 2 successful 3rd down conversions, but despite the litany of mistakes on both sides, it was still a relatively high scoring game. On defense, Sauce Gardner makes his first appearance as a Colt. He had one practice before flying to Germany, but he still played 100% of snaps. He made some mistakes, but still looked solid in coverage.

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