The Indianapolis Colts have begun the season in a way they haven't since 2009. That was the last year Indy won its first two games. Heck, it was almost the last time Indy won its first game. But things are seemingly better now, and let's hope it lasts.
Still, every team needs fixes. Lack of adjustment can lead to the downfall of a once promising year. Daniel Jones has been terrific, of course, but he could be even more productive in terms of touchdowns.
On defense, Indy played exceedingly well in Week 1 against a terrible Miami Dolphins team, but Week 2 was a bit more of a mess. This is especially true of preseason free agent signee Xavien Howard. The veteran was once one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL, but that obviously isn't the case anymore.
Indianapolis Colts might have a tough decision with Xavien Howard coming up
After a solid game against his former team, the Dolphins, and maybe partly motivated by revenge, Howard was atrocious against the Denver Broncos in Week 2. He gave up completions on all eight of his targets, two of which were for touchdowns. He also whiffed on two of his five tackle attempts.
Miami wasn't interested in bringing Howard back this past offseason after the cornerback missed 2024 with a foot injury. He is also 32 years old, which is fairly ancient for a player whose job it is to stop speedy and younger receivers. The Dolphins thought Howard was washed up, and he might very well be.
The problem for the Colts is that they had no real choice but to play him against the Broncos. This made sense, too. After all, Howard was good against Miami. But now the team might know who Howard truly is, and counting on him moving forward is likely a mistake.
Indy has struggled with injuries at the cornerback spot so far this year, and Charvarius Ward missed Week 2. He might be able to play against the Tennessee Titans in Week 3, but he still has to clear concussion protocol. Rookie Jonathan Edwards and Mekhi Blackmon are behind Howard on the depth chart. Blackmon was pretty good in Week 2.
But both might get a chance to play in Week 3, and if they do well while Howard struggles again, Edwards or Blackmon might need to replace Xavien Howard. For 2025 to continue to be a success for the Indianapolis Colts, Howard might need to take a seat on the bench.