The Indianapolis Colts had their way with the beleaguered Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Jonathan Taylor ran, Daniel Jones threw, and Lou Anarumo’s defense dominated the entire day. Of the many bright spots, Indy’s gifted receiving corps really stood out.
Michael Pittman was a beast, making tough catches all day. Slot receiver Josh Downs had his best game of the year, twisting and wriggling for one key play after another. And rookie tight end Tyler Warren was …. well, Tyler Warren. That is plenty good enough.
The one missing piece was deep ball threat Alec Pierece, who missed his second straight game. Last week, AD Mitchell took Pierce’s place and every Colts’ fan knows about the trouble he had. So this week, Shane Steichen turned to the next man on the depth chart, sixth-year wideout Ashton Dulin. And Dulin did not disappoint.
Longtime Indianapolis Colts backup Ashton Dulin shines in rare start
Dulin’s journey has been remarkable up to this point. Against all odds, he made the Colts' roster as an undrafted free agent out of D II Malone University in 2019. He came back from a torn ACL that cost him his 2023 season. He has rarely started, but has been a steady presence on special teams.
Dulin was on the field a lot against the Raiders. He was in on almost every two and three-receiver set. And he made his presence felt throughout, beginning in the first quarter.
The Raiders had taken a 3-0 lead. Dulin fielded the ensuing kickoff on his two-yard line, hit the first hole and made one cut left. Then he streaked up the sideline, outrunning two Raiders for a momentum-changing touchdown.
Or it would have been had Joe Bachie not been called for a hold away from the play. Nonetheless, the play seemed to ignite the Colts. Dulin was open on a deep out a few plays later but Daniel Jones overthrew him. At the end of that drive, Dulin cleared out the left side, allowing Tyler Warren an easy catch and score for the go-ahead touchdown.
That’s three plays for which Dulin got no stats but which showed off his value. It happened again on the next drive when he ran another deep out and seemed to make a sensational catch on the sideline despite a jarring hit from Raiders’ safety Jeremy Chinn. Initially ruled a catch, it was determined that Dulin bobbled the ball as he went to the ground after the hit.
Nonetheless, he bounced right to his feet and was able to draw a key DPI on Raiders’ corner Kyu Blu Kelly two plays later. That helped set up another Colts’ touchdown.
Still no stats, but a big impact.
In the second half, Dulin again popped right up after a big shot from safety Isaiah Pola-Mao, but this time, he got a better reward. Jones immediately went back to his receiver on a deep cross which resulted in Dulin's first catch – this one for 20 yards and a drive-extending first down. Jonathan Taylor pounded the ball in eight plays later for a 26-3 lead.
Then, after the Colts stonewalled Vegas on a fourth down play toward the end of the third quarter, Dulin sprinted by Kelly and hauled in a 35-yard strike from Jones that set up another Taylor touchdown.
For the day, Dulin was on the field for 34 offensive snaps and four of the Colts’ six touchdowns. He is not about to take over the starting spot from Pierce, the emerging star who should return to the lineup soon. And Indianapolis is still invested in Mitchell, the mercurial young wideout who has been struggling to find consistency thus far.
Dulin will return to his role as return man and special teams gunner, and probably see the occasional offensive snap when one of the starters needs a rest. But it is very reassuring for Shane Steichen to know that when he needs him, Ashton Dulin is more than ready to make plays for the Colts.