Daniel Jones was far from great in the Indianapolis Colts‘ season-opening loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
In some ways, maybe that was to be expected from Jones as he returned from injuries that had ended his 2025 season prematurely and forced the Colts to turn to the likes of Philip Rivers and Riley Leonard down the stretch in a miserable collapse.
The reality is that Indy was likely thrilled to have Jones back on the field on Sunday, even if it resulted in a 41-23 loss.
But Jones was relatively inefficient and didn’t help the Colts’ offense operate at the level it did in the first half of last season, which raised some concerns about what this could look like going forward.
It doesn’t get easier, either, because the Colts now have the Kansas City Chiefs on the Week 2 schedule in a Sunday Night Football clash.
Digging deeper into the numbers, though, show that Jones’ issues weren’t his alone.
Colts’ Real Problem
Maybe the most obvious thing to blame for Jones’ issues in Week 1 was the amount of time he was pressured by the Ravens’ defense.
Jones dropped back to pass 34 times.
On 18 of those dropbacks, Jones was pressured.
That rate of 52.9% was the highest in the NFL in Week 1:
#Colts QB Daniel Jones was the most pressured quarterback of Week 1, according to @NextGenStats.
Jones was pressured on 18 of his 34 dropbacks (52.9%) against the Ravens.
— Noah Compton (@nerlens_) September 14, 2026
Jones took just two sacks, which is a testament to him finding his way out of some trouble.
But when you consider that he was 19-for-31 for 166 yards and also threw an interception, some of that is easier to explain when you realize he was under siege for much of the game.
The pressures stat is a good one, because sacks don’t often tell the whole story. Quarterbacks rely on timing as well as space to operate, and Jones had neither of those in his favor for much of Sunday’s game.
It doesn’t include Jones’ performance entirely, but it does offer an explanation.
What’s Next?
The Chiefs just put on a strong defensive showing to blow out the Denver Broncos in Week 1, which means the Colts could have their hands full again.
Their offensive line is led by the superstar guard Quenton Nelson, who is seeking a big contract extension but couldn’t get a deal done before the season began.
Obviously, offensive line play is more about the unit than any one individual, but Nelson is going to have to be a leader and let his teammates know that they need to keep Jones safer back there.
The QB is just back from serious injury, and he was evading defenders left and right on Sunday. If that keeps happening, it could be a long season for the Colts.
Colts’ Real Daniel Jones Problem Revealed