1. No starters played, and even some second-string guys didn't suit up too.

The following players did not participate in Saturday's game, either due to injury or rest after two days of physical, competitive joint practices with the Atlanta Falcons: QB Daniel Jones, RB Jonathan Taylor, RB DJ Giddens, RB Ulysses Bentley IV, WR Alec Pierce, WR Josh Downs, WR Ashton Dulin, WR Keenan Allen, WR Anthony Gould, TE Tyler Warren, TE Mo Alie-Cox, TE Drew Ogletree, TE Will Mallory, T Bernhard Raimann, T Jalen Travis, T Luke Tenuta, T Nolan Rucci, G Quenton Nelson, G Matt Goncalves, G Jalen Farmer, C Tanor Bortolini, DE Laiatu Latu, DE Arden Key, DT DeForest Buckner, DT Grover Stewart, LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, CB Sauce Gardner, CB Charvarius Ward Sr., CB Justin Walley, S AJ Haulcy, S Cam Bynum.

Some of these players – Giddens (hamstring), Pierce (PUP), Gould (groin), Warren (groin), Mallory (thumb), Tenuta and Ward (back) – had previously disclosed injuries (though Pierce, Warren and Ward wouldn't have played had they been healthy). Tenuta and Rucci haven't practiced recently, too, due to injuries. It's unclear what, if anything, guys like Bentley, Farmer and Haulcy are dealing with.

But to put it another way: The Colts were without three running backs, five wide receivers, four tight ends, eight offensive linemen and 10 defensive starters on Saturday. Wide receiver Laquon Treadwell only played four snaps, too.

So consider that context when thinking about a 34-6 loss in which the Falcons gained nearly 300 more yards than the Colts did.

The more important context is the Colts' starters handily won both days of joint practice at Grand Park.

Still, there were a few guys worth noting who did play on Saturday, which we'll get into in the rest of these five things.

2. Seth McGowan ran with physicality.

In training camp practices, non-quarterbacks can be hit but can't be tackled, so it's not always easy to evaluate running backs from our perspective (as in, we aren't a position coach/run game coordinator/offensive coordinator etc.).

But over two preseason games, one thing has jumped off the tape from seventh-round rookie running back Seth McGowan: That dude runs hard.

The 223-pound McGowan squeezes every inch out of his rushing attempts, even if he finished Saturday with only 27 yards on eight carries. For example: On his third carry of the game, McGowan jumped through a hole to his left and lowered his shoulder into Falcons linebacker JD Bertrand, who was trying to disengage with tight end Pharaoh Brown.

McGowan was first contacted at the 18-yard line and kept his feet moving, eventually churning out a five-yard gain. After the game, he talked about maximizing "dirty runs," which he's shown is something he's more than capable of doing.

"I'm a guy that doesn't ever want anything left on the field," McGowan said. "You never know some of those runs you can come up out of it. You take last year when they played Atlanta, you saw (Jonathan Taylor), he kept his feet pumping. ... That's everything, and I think it just shows your will and how much you care for the team."

3. The Colts' offensive line depth was tested.

The Colts wouldn't have played their starting five offensive linemen on Saturday, but without tackles Luke Tenuta and Nolan Rucci, as well as guard Jalen Farmer (who's had a strong camp to date), they only were able to play six offensive linemen.

Blake Freeland (left tackle), Dalton Tucker (left guard), Jimmy Morrissey (right guard) and Josh Sills (right tackle) played all 50 snaps, while Josh Kreutz (34 snaps) and Geno VanDeMark (16 snaps) shared time at center.

Tucker is a natural guard who's been working in at center during the preseason; Morrissey is a primary center who played guard; Sills is a primary guard who played tackle.

Getting those players reps at different positions does carry value if they're asked to be flexible during the regular season. It'll be interesting to see if Tucker gets any snaps at center in next week's preseason finale, as he's worked in there quite a bit over the last month and has shown some signs he could be an option behind Tanor Bortolini.

"I thought he's done a nice job," head coach Shane Steichen said. "Obviously, it's a new spot for him and a new role and there's a lot on the center's plate. But I think he's taken it really well mentally and he's still working through that process. I like his physicality there at that spot. Obviously, rotating from guard to there, that's a big transition, but I thought he's handled it well."

4. A few things on defense.

• Linebacker CJ Allen had three tackles in his first taste of NFL action, albeit in the preseason, over 20 snaps on Saturday. For Allen, the feeling of getting back on the field and actually tackling someone – after a long pre-draft process and months of practice – was a good feeling. "It's been a minute, just being able to tackle someone on the ground, especially in an opposite color jersey," Allen said.
• Linebacker Bryce Boettcher flew through a gap and brought down running back Nathan Carter for a two-yard loss in the second quarter, but his free run into the backfield was keyed by defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore sealing the back side and defensive end George Gumbs Jr. setting the edge on the front side of the play. Boettcher's speed and feel for space, then, did the rest.
• Defensive end Caden Curry had consecutive hustle pressures on third- and fourth-and-goal inside the Colts' two-yard line, helping force a turnover on downs in the third quarter. But Curry also played a team-high 11 snaps on special teams (five punt coverage, six field goal block), which the 2026 sixth-round pick has made a point of emphasis. "I feel like it's something that I've always wanted to do, and I enjoy doing it," Curry said. "I embrace it and I just love being able to be there for the team."
• Physical coverage in the slot from cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt forced an incompletion on a third-and-seven in the first quarter.
• A well-timed tomahawk punch from cornerback Jaylon Jones led to a PBU on an in-breaking route late in the third quarter.

5. Another data point in the Colts' kicking competition.

Spencer Shrader connected on field goals from 48 and 51 yards, while Blake Grupe missed from 36 yards on his only attempt of the game. Shrader is now 4/4 in games, including a 61-yarder against the New England Patriots, while Grupe is 0/2, having missed from 61 and 36 yards.

Plenty more kicks have happened during practice; Grupe recently went 5/5 (including a 54-yarder) in a joint practice with the Falcons while Shrader went 3/4 (with his lone miss from 54 yards).

Grupe's miss from 36 yards was not in line with how he's kicked since signing with the Colts last December; he's been extremely reliable on shorter kicks in training camp practices. But Shrader has been excellent in games, too.

And with one week left until a decision has to be made – roster cuts are due by 6 p.m. on Sunday. Aug. 23 – this is a competition that may come down to the wire. And that's a good thing, because what's becoming clear is what we expected would happen: The Colts have two good options at kicker, and the decision on which one they'll take into the regular season appears to be a difficult one.