Back in Week 3, the Indianapolis Colts trounced the Tennessee Titans by a score of 41-20. We thought that was bad, but it paled in comparison to the soul crushing defeat that Indy administered to this Titans team just five weeks later. With a final score of 38-7, this was a much more complete outing from all phases of the team.
The offense was just as electric as it was in these two teams first meeting, but it was the defense that really stepped up their level of play. This was a game where the Colts stepped on Tennessee's throats from the outset and they never let up.
In fact, this was such a truly dominant performance that it would be next to impossible to point out two losers for the game. Heck, it's pretty tough to even find one. This Colts team played a game that was complete in all aspects, and they showed that they're here to stay.
Who were the standouts from the Indianapolis Colts Week 8 dominance?
Winner No. 1: Jonathan Taylor
At this point, it would almost be more shocking to see Jonathan Taylor not in the winners section than to see him claim his weekly place as the best player on the team. The problem is, he's been so undeniably amazing that it's next to impossible to keep him out of the winners section.
The man is the NFL's rushing yards leader and touchdowns leader, and he's outpacing the competition in both of those categories by a massive margin. Taylor already has 850 yards through just eight games (almost 100 more than the next highest, James Cook), and he's amassed 14 touchdowns.
This is a player that's having one of the best running back seasons that this game has ever seen. He's been truly head and shoulders above his competition, and he deserves to be a top MVP candidate. If he were a quarterback, he'd basically have the award locked up by now.
Winner No. 2: Michael Pittman
Michael Pittman is the unquestioned WR1 of this Colts team, and yet he often feels like an afterthought behind the star power of Jonathan Taylor and Tyler Warren. Well, he showed why he's viewed as the best wide receiver on this team against Tennessee .
Pittman finished the game with 95 yards, making him the receiving leader for Indy on the day. Even more than that, though, he reeled in a touchdown catch with one hand that is a real candidate for the catch of the year. Seriously, you have to see it to believe it with this one, on a play where Pittman caught a moon ball with just one arm that was tucked into his rib cage all the while having a defender draped all over him.
The defender was called for pass interference, but Pittman made sure that didn't matter. Michael Pittman is often overlooked when looking at the landscape of WR1's in the NFL, but he reminded everyone against the Titans why he's more than deserving of being in the conversation for the elites.
Loser No. 1: Adonai Mitchell
On a day that was this picture perfect for Indianapolis, the only way that a player could be labeled as a loser for the team was to not get on the field at all. Mitchell only got in the field in garbage time, when backup quarterback Riley Leonard was under center. Mitchell recorded zero catches for zero yards on one target.
There's being in the coach's doghouse, and then there's wherever Adonai Mitchell is. It's tough for any player to earn back playing time after having as disastrous of a game as he did against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 5, but its doubly hard when you're fighting for playing time on the best offense in the league.
Hopefully this isn't the last time we've seen Adonai Mitchell make a positive play for the Indianapolis Colts, but it sure is trending that way. One can only hope he works his way back as the season progresses, but if the team keeps on steamrolling opponents like they have been, he may just simply be unneeded.
Winner No. 3: DeForest Buckner
The final score might fool some into thinking the Titans at least put a fight up offensively. Let's debunk that myth, they did not. The score of the game was 38-7 when Indy put their bench on the field, and Ward and company scored a garbage time touchdown to make the contest seem slightly closer.
There wasn't exactly a game-breaking player from the defense as it was more of a concerted effort from everyone, but the closest thing to it was DeForest Buckner. Buckner has been nothing short of elite this season, and he finished the day with two tackles and one sack.
It's tough for a defensive tackle to make their mark on the stat sheet, but when the games are on, it's apparent how much of a force Buckner has been for this team.
Lou Anarumo's defense has been questionable at times this season, but when the Indianapolis Colts are playing complementary football at this level, with how historic their offense has been they're nearly unbeatable. Yes, this was the Titans, but you can only play who you play, and Indianapolis played extremely well.
Winner No. 4: Shane Steichen
It's high time that head coach Shane Steichen gets his dues in the race for Coach of the Year. This is an Indianapolis Colts team that nobody saw coming before the year. There were more predictions for top 10 draft pick finishes than playoff berths for this team coming into the year. Now, not only are the playoffs all but assured, but the Colts are the current number one seed in the AFC.
It's a year where parity is more apparent than ever in the NFL. Yes, Kyle Shanahan is working magic to keep stacking wins in San Francisco despite having the most injured roster in the league. Yes, Sean McVay has the Rams humming right now. But no team in the entire league is as hot as the Indianapolis Colts right now.
Entering the year, more people thought that Steichen would be fired before the season even ended than those who thought he could put up a legitimate COTY case. Well, here we are, eight weeks into the season, and Steichen is more than deserving of the praise he is now getting.
Next week, Indy travels to Pittsburgh for a game that will have massive playoff implications in the AFC. The Steelers did just lose a game to the lowly Joe Flacco Bengals (who just gave the Jets their first win of the season), but divisional games are always close. This Pittsburgh team is a quality squad, and they will be one of the biggest challenges Indy has faced up until this point.
It was predictably easy sledding in Week 8 against the Titans. The Colts need to play with the same energy and execution they did today, and they should take care of business against Aaron Rodgers and Co. in Pittsburgh. Indianapolis has shown they're among the best teams in the NFL week in and week out. It's time for them to prove it again.