Three games into the 2025 NFL season, Daniel Jones looks like a completely new quarterback with the Indianapolis Colts. But for as good as he is playing, it is still too early to tell if Jones has truly evolved, or if he is just on a hot streak.
Jones has the Colts off to a 3-0 start and is currently leading one of the most efficient offenses in the country. If he maintains this pace, a Pro Bowl nod is well within reach for the seventh-year signal-caller.
However, Jones has not improved in all aspects of his game. He is still struggling to throw under pressure, which could be the final indicator that will make or break his season, according to ESPN's Matt Bowen.
“But my concern for Jones moving forward is his ability to make smart decisions and throw with accuracy when he is truly pressured,” Bowen wrote. “His completion percentage against pressure drops to 50%, and his off-target rate jumps to 17.4%. Plus, Jones' average yards per attempt also falls to 5.7. Can he still play at a high level when his internal clock is sped up due to edge or interior pressure?”
Through three games, Jones has taken just two sacks — one against the Miami Dolphins and one against the Denver Broncos. Bowen sees Week 3 as his biggest test in that department against a Los Angeles Rams defense that is generating the 11th-most pressure in the league, per ESPN.
Pressure is one element that Jones is very used to. He absorbed 208 sacks during his 70-game tenure with the New York Giants, averaging nearly three per game. Perhaps it was that pressure that made him look like one of the worst quarterbacks in the league with the Big Blue.
Daniel Jones off to hot start with Colts
If and when Jones comes crashing back to Earth, it takes nothing away from his scorching hot start to the 2025 season with the Colts. He has finally seemed to hit his stride in his age-28 season, as leaving New York seemed to be the best move for his career.
Jones' start has been so efficient that the Colts have hardly needed to punt. Ahead of Week 4, Rigoberto Sanchez has basically collected free checks, attempting a league-low one punt thus far.
Jones' performances make it hard to believe that Colts fans reacted with disgust when the team announced him as its Week 1 starter. The Indianapolis faithful still wanted to believe in Anthony Richardson, who, despite his struggles, is still just 23 years old. It is safe to say that those feelings are at least tempered for now.
