After so much adversity over the last few years, the Indianapolis Colts got their first win on opening day since 2013. On top of this, they won in dominating fashion.

The entire team, from offense , defense, and special teams, were clicking on all cylinders. This thus resulted in a near-perfect performance at home against a worthy opponent in the Miami Dolphins. With the Colts dominating 33-8 victory, there are plenty things to overreact to. Will Week 1 be a sign of great things to come or will this be an anomaly in which the season will end in tears? Regardless, there is no denying that this Week 1 performance was one for the ages, especially considering all of the adversity leading up to it.

1). Colts owner Jim Irsay passed away earlier this summer.

2). Rumors surrounding the quarterback competition led to talks of disunity in the locker room.

3). Both head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard were being petitioned to get fired.

This sort of negative media attention would warrant meltdowns across the league. However, the Colts rose from this and showed that they can be a contender in the AFC. Here are a few overreactions from Sunday’s dominating win.

Daniel Jones Is the Best QB Signing Since Andrew Luck

Daniel Jones broke a couple of big records in Week 1. The first being that he led scoring drives in all seven of the team’s possessions. This feat has never been done in this century. He also led the Colts to a Week 1 victory, which was their first in 11 years. The last quarterback to lead the Colts to a Week 1 win was Andrew Luck in 2013 against the Raiders.

With the quarterback carousel that has loomed over the Colts organization, it is safe to say that as of today, Daniel Jones is the best QB signing since Andrew Luck. Jones showed more ability than Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, and Anthony Richardson. He showed that he can be a game-manager who can make explosive plays with both his arm and his legs. Jones also showed that he can lead this team to the playoffs, and that even a division crown is not too far of a mountain to climb. Needless to say, Jones, who was once considered a first-round bust, is coming alive in Indianapolis and Week 1 was just the beginning.

Lou Anarumo Will Lead the Defense to be a Top 10 Unit

While the offense was fantastic on Sunday, the defense was also fantastic and it was led by new defensive coordinator, Lou Anarumo. This was an all-around strong performance in which several guys had moments to shine. Kenny Moore II forced a fumble, Laiatu Latu got his first NFL interception, and Cam Bynum got his first interception as a Colt. The team finished with three sacks, four tackles for loss, and six quarterback hits.

On top of having players shine, this unit as a whole held Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to 70 total yards receiving. They also shut down the running game and held Miami to 78 total rush yards. They also held Tua to only 114 yards passing and left him with a 2.7 QBR. Needless to say, this defense is completely different than where it was in 2024 with Gus Bradley. This defense looks disciplined and is filled with playmakers who are working together.

Tyler Warren Will Win NFL Rookie of the Year

For the first time since, probably, Dallas Clark, the Indianapolis Colts actually had a clear number one tight end that was making plays every time he touched the ball. Tyler Warren was the Colts first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and played as such. He finished with seven catches on nine targets for 76 yards which is more catches than the entire tight end unit averaged in 2024.

If Week 1 said anything, it was that Tyler Warren is the real deal and was a steal in the draft for the Colts, who picked him at 14. If the Colts want to carry the momentum of this dominant performance, they will need Tyler Warren to produce. It was evident that as long as he gets touches, good things will happen. If he continues to duplicate the success of Week 1, he will be a big contender to win Rookie of the Year.

Shane Steichen Will Win Coach of the Year

As well as Rookie of the Year, another award given at the end of the NFL season is Coach of the Year. Typically this recipient is a coach who experiences adversity and overcomes, improves tremendously from the previous season, and leads his team to success. This success can include the playoffs, a division crown, or even a championship. If things continue to trend in the right direction from Week 1, Shane Steichen will certainly be in the running for Coach of the Year.

Before the season even began, Steichen was dealing with adversity. His job was on the line, he was dealing with a quarterback competition, fans were losing faith in him, and his owner passed away. To lead this team to a successful 2025 season with a quarterback in Daniel Jones, who has faced his own adversity, would be a story for the ages.