The Indianapolis Colts' Week 12 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs may have exposed a brutal truth about the team. This time, we aren't talking about the defensive issues that have plagued the team in the 2025 NFL season. When push came to shove, it seems the Colts lost their identity and, in turn, lost the game.
Throughout the season, Indianapolis has gone as Jonathan Taylor has gone. When the Colts hand the ball to Taylor, he has made a habit of making opposing defenses look like Swiss cheese. In the Colts' eight wins through Week 12, Taylor is averaging nearly 115 rushing yards per game and has multiple rushing TDs in five of those wins.
Indianapolis has shown itself to be an explosive team capable of putting points on the board with the best of them. Establishing the running game opens up the passing game. Both of these are done by dominating the line of scrimmage.
Indianapolis Colts must regain an identity lost
This is the area where the Colts failed miserably against the Chiefs. In fact, it was Kansas City who dominated the line of scrimmage, causing the Colts' defense to stay on the field for extended periods of time. This made a huge difference in the fourth quarter and overtime against Kansas City.
The Colts have not always dominated the time of possession stat, even in their wins, due to their ability to make big plays. That doesn't matter if the team can dominate the line of scrimmage, protect the quarterback, and run the ball to use up the clock when they have a lead and need to keep the opposing offense off the field.
Not forgetting who they are is how the Colts were able to prove their toughness early in the season and beat another likely playoff team in the Denver Broncos. Jonathan Taylor had 165 rushing yards in that game, and again, it's because the team was able to dominate at the offensive line.
If the Indianapolis Colts are going to make a run to the playoffs in the 2025 NFL season, they must regain their identity. The Colts are in a dog fight for the AFC South crown and the ability to host at least one playoff game. Whether or not they regain their identity could very well be the difference in making or missing the playoffs, which would be brutal after a 7-1 start.