Overview
- The Colts lost 41-23 to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1 after giving up 506 total yards, a game that left Indianapolis 0-1 and exposed major breakdowns on both sides of the ball.
- Quarterback Daniel Jones returned from a December Achilles tear but completed just 19 of 31 passes for 166 yards and acknowledged after the game that he "didn't play well enough on offense."
- Many analysts singled out the Colts' defense for allowing Lamar Jackson to throw for 324 yards and Derrick Henry to rush for 144 yards and three touchdowns, with some arguing the loss cannot be pinned on Jones alone.
- National power rankings slid the Colts into the low-to-mid 20s after the opener as outlets flagged the combination of Jones' uneven play and a porous defense as reasons for concern.
- Indianapolis faces the heavy-favorite Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Sept. 20, in a short turnaround that will shape whether early season narratives about the roster harden or can be reversed.