The Indianapolis Colts are as ready as they could possibly be for the beginning of 2026. Daniel Jones is healthy, and so are Jonathan Taylor and DeForest Buckner. At this point, Indy has no excuse for not being successful.
Still, just like every team in the NFL, the Colts have questions that cannot be answered until real games begin. Week 1 isn't going to be easy, as the Baltimore Ravens are a quality team. Indianapolis can certainly win the game, however.
The first game of the season could dispel a lot of the myth that national football analysts believe about Indy, namely that the team isn't that good. With just a few answers to tough questions, the Colts could change the minds of those who think that.
Indianapolis Colts need to find answers to these five questions in Week 1
Is Daniel Jones healthy enough to run well?
Daniel Jones tore his Achilles tendon in Week 14 last season and was limited until training camp, when he was a full participant. He didn't play in the preseason, but he didn't really need to. The quarterback knows head coach Shane Steichen's offense and did what he needed to do in practice.
What fans don't yet know is whether Jones can still use his legs to pick up first downs effectively. His running ability has always been one of the more underrated aspects of the quarterback's game, and he showed, after breaking his fibula last season before he tore his Achilles, that if he is hampered in mobility, he isn't as good a quarterback.
The assumption is that Jones will be just fine and be able to run around as well as he ever has. Colts fans won't know that until the Ravens game begins, however.
Will Sauce Gardner begin forcing turnovers (especially interceptions)?
Gardner is obviously one of the better coverage cornerbacks in the NFL, but he hasn't been elite at intercepting passes. Sure, teams don't throw his way all that much because he so thoroughly blankets his receiver, but his receivers still get their share of targets.
In four seasons, Gardner has only three interceptions, and two of those came in his first year. He's allowed just 54.1 percent of the passes thrown his way to be completed on 244 targets. He is great, but nothing helps a team more than a player who can create turnovers. Gardner has spoken this offseason about wanting more picks. Hopefully that happens in Week 1.
Will the Indianapolis Colts' defensive changes make a difference?
Indianapolis sent linebacker Zaire Franklin packing in the offseason and didn't re-sign safety Nick Cross or edge rusher Kwity Paye. The defense will look different, but does that equate to better efficiency on that side of the ball?
The rookies aren't likely to help much against the Ravens. CJ Allen has been injured twice before the season, and that has thwarted his growth. Safety AJ Haulcy has been banged up too. The Colts wanted to get more athletic defensively, but that will be put to the test against Baltimore.
What does the passing offense look like without Michael Pittman Jr.?
The obvious answer to this question is that preseason acquisition Keenan Allen will play the part of Pittman. But that shouldn't happen. Pittman got too many targets before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason, and Alec Pierce needed more.
Still, Pierce had ankle surgery in March and is only recently back to practice. For the first few games, the passing attack will be a work in progress, especially in finding out if Pierce can be a true WR1. Tight end Tyler Warren should see a big increase in targets, while Allen should get nowhere near as many as the 111 that Pittman received in 2025 from the Indianapolis Colts.
Bottom line: Do the Colts look like a playoff team?
This is a make-or-break season for many involved in the Indy organization, and a hot start is needed. That happened last season, but then the team struggled due to injuries and a massive uptick in the level of competition. At the start of 2026, the run of opponents is tough.
The Ravens didn't make the postseason last year, but they had their own share of injuries. When healthy, they can easily make the postseason. Indianapolis will be able to see where they stand early, beginning with a game against Baltimore and then against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, and so on. If the Colts win in Week 1, that might be the start of a playoff run.
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