So far, the Indianapolis Colts have been on fire. The offense is scoring points with ease, while the defense is doing its job and holding its own. The result is three wins and an unexpected undefeated record.
There are plenty of reasons behind the Colts’ sudden resurgence. Daniel Jones has rejuvenated the Indianapolis passing attack, Jonathan Taylor is leading a dominant ground game, and the new-look secondary routinely makes high-impact plays. Across all three games, the team has excelled in every possible way — except one.
The Indianapolis pass rush was virtually nonexistent in Weeks 1 and 2. It was the sole blemish on an otherwise perfect start to the 2025 NFL season. Fortunately, the Colts’ defensive line showed a lot more life against the Tennessee Titans, generating a ton of pressure on rookie QB Cam Ward.
Indianapolis Colts’ pass rushers wreaked havoc on Cam Ward and the Titans
Entering Week 3, Indianapolis had recorded just three total sacks, the league’s worst pass rush win rate, and the second-lowest pressure rate. By lacking a consistent pass rush, the Colts end up gifting the opposing QB an easier path down the field, while also hamstringing the rest of the defense.
Against the Denver Broncos, the Colts didn’t even sack QB Bo Nix once. Nix had a whole lot of time in a clean pocket and proceeded to shred the Indianapolis defense through the air. The Broncos ended up scoring 28 points, including three touchdowns in the first half alone. It took a herculean effort from Jones and Taylor, as well as some luck, to save the Colts.
Compared to the Denver game, the Indianapolis defensive line looked like a completely different unit against Tennessee. They tormented Ward by consistently getting in his face and putting him in uncomfortable situations. The Colts’ dynamic pass rush tallied four sacks and seven QB hits on the rookie.
Ward clearly felt the pressure. Under constant threat, he was forced to rush his throws, make poor decisions, and run for his life. Ward completed just 61% of his passes for 219 yards and also threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. The Colts made sure Ward never felt “at home” in a home game.
Several players contributed to the revival of the Indianapolis pass rush. Five different Colts — defensive tackles DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, and Neville Gallimore, and defensive ends Tyquan Lewis and Kwity Paye — all had a QB hit or sack in Week 3. That level of depth is impressive and highlights just how many playmakers are on this roster.
Indianapolis desperately needs to keep up this momentum, as much better offenses are coming up on the schedule. If the Colts fail to generate pressure on elite QBs like Matthew Stafford (Week 4), Justin Herbert (Week 7), Aaron Rodgers (Week 9), and Patrick Mahomes (Week 12), then the Indianapolis defense could get torched.