LONDON — If you woke up at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time on Sunday expecting to watch a masterclass in modern offensive football at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, I hope you had a strong pot of coffee nearby.
The Indianapolis Colts’ 30-13 victory over the Washington Commanders was not a Rembrandt. It was more like a blunt-force instrument wrapped in a jet-lagged haze. Indianapolis was outgained 317 yards to 257, averaged a microscopic 3.9 yards per play, and turned the ball over twice in the first half. Yet, somehow, Shane Steichen’s squad boarded their return flight to Indy sitting at 2-2 with a 17-point blowout on the scoreboard.
How does a team pull that off? By dominating every single situational detail that drives football coaches insane, and by leaning on a superstar running back who treats international trips like a personal business venture.Here are three brutal truths and takeaways from the Colts’ trip to London.
Jonathan Taylor Remains Europe’s Undefeated Landlord
Whatever passport stamp Jonathan Taylor uses, the customs officials should just waive him through without looking.While the rest of the Colts’ offense spent the first quarter wandering around looking like tourists who couldn’t figure out the Tube, Taylor was the only guy in a white jersey who brought his own engine. He finished with 95 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, repeatedly plunging into the heart of Washington’s defense whenever Indianapolis desperately needed a reset.
Taylor didn’t just churn out yards; he set the physical tone after Daniel Jones spent the opening drive getting strip-sacked inside his own 25-yard line. When the offense was teetering on the edge of a complete meltdown down 6-0, Taylor stepped up, dragged defenders for five extra yards at a time, and capped off a crucial second-quarter drive with a 5-yard touchdown run to give Indy a lead it never surrendered. He remains the engine of this team, and without him, this game gets ugly fast for Indianapolis.
Daniel Jones is Playing on a Knife’s Edge
Let’s not sugarcoat this: Daniel Jones is currently living a very dangerous lifestyle under center.Yes, he ran for a slick 4-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach, and yes, he avoided fatal mistakes in the second half. But his final stat line—19-of-34 for 143 yards, zero passing touchdowns, one interception, and a lost fumble—is the kind of box score that usually gets a quarterback questioned in the postgame presser.
Jones looked jumpy early on. His interception to Washington cornerback Rasul Douglas off his back foot was an uncomfortable throwback to his worst days in New York. The Colts paid for a steady hand, but right now, Jones is delivering a wild roller-coaster ride that requires the defense and special teams to bail him out. He got away with it on Sunday because Washington’s offense collapsed under the weight of its own injuries. Against top-tier AFC contenders, that stat line gets you blown off the field.
Defensive Situational Masterclass vs. Washington’s Worst Nightmare
If Dan Quinn is waking up with a headache in London, you can blame a combination of terrible luck and atrocious situational execution by the Colts.
With starter Jayden Daniels already sidelined, the Commanders lost backup Marcus Mariota to a knee injury in the first half after a sack shared by Laiatu Latu and Adetomiwa Adebawore. That forced third-string rookie Athan Kaliakmanis into emergency duty against a ruthless Lou Anarumo-style defensive front.
The Colts’ defense didn’t just survive; they feasted on the key moments:
- Red Zone Stalls: Washington had brilliant opening field position twice in the first quarter and walked away with six points via two short field goals. Those forced “four-point plays” by the Indy front seven completely flipped the game’s early script.
- Third & Fourth Down Dominance: Washington went a pathetic 2-for-15 on third down and 1-for-4 on fourth down. Whenever Kaliakmanis looked for a lifeline, DeForest Buckner was caving in the pocket, or Latu was blowing up the play off the edge.
- Discipline Differential: Washington committed 10 penalties for 84 yards. The Colts? A single 5-yard penalty. That’s how you win by 17 despite being outgained by 60 yards.
The Bottom Line
A win is a win, especially when it involves flying across the Atlantic Ocean, surviving two turnovers, and heading home with a .500 record. But while Spencer Shrader deserves a raise for drilling three field goals—including a casual 52-yarder—Steichen knows this team has major homework to do during the bye week. Relying on 257 total yards and defensive red-zone heroics isn’t a viable long-term strategy for December football. But for now, the Colts take the win, take the flight, and leave London with their season very much alive.
