1. The Colts only converted one of three trips to the red zone into a touchdown, an area in which Shane Steichen's teams have historically not struggled.
Entering Week 5, the Colts' offense had scored a touchdown on 75 percent of its red zone possessions and 100 percent of its goal line possessions, numbers that were in keeping with what we saw in 2025. The Colts last year were fifth in red zone touchdown rate (65.2 percent) and first in goal to go touchdown rate (93.8 percent).
Digging deeper: The Colts hadn't had a game in which they scored touchdowns on fewer than 50 percent of their red zone possessions since Week 2 of the 2025 season, when they went 2/5 in the red zone against the Denver Broncos.
This is, again, not something that's been an issue in recent games. But it was one of the bigger reasons for the Colts' 34-22 loss: settling for two short Spencer Shrader field goals meant the Colts left eight points on the board, which would've changed the flow of the game plenty in the fourth quarter.
2. Tyler Warren's physicality showed up again.
It wasn't just that Warren caught seven passes for 83 yards, it was how the second-year tight end did it. On his 29-yard catch in the third quarter, Warren ran over Steelers cornerback Daylen Everette, who tried to force him out of bounds at the six-yard line; Warren stepped out at the three-yard line and didn't hit the ground on the play.
Warren has consistently over his career picked up extra yards by powering his way through contact. That physicality is something the Colts value immensely in the versatile tight end, and is something that always jumps off the tape – especially in games when he gets as much volume as he did against the Steelers.
Of course, Warren plunged in a one-yard touchdown rush on a fourth-and-one in the first half, which was the Colts' only red zone conversion of the game.
3. Mo Alie-Cox played in his 100th straight game.
A phrase you'll hear a lot around the NFL is that the best ability is availability, and few on the Colts exemplify that like Alie-Cox, who on Sunday played in his 100th consecutive game. It's a streak that dates back to Week 8 of the 2020 season; since the start of the 2019 season, Alie-Cox has missed only one game, which came in Week 6 of the 2020 season (the Colts had a Week 7 bye).
Warren wore a pin celebrating Alie-Cox's achievement before and after Sunday's game, and said the longevity and consistency displayed by his fellow tight end – who's established himself as one of the best blockers at his position in the NFL – is aspirational.
"Obviously he's great to have in the room and on the team, and I think it just kind of speaks to the type of person he is," Warren said. "He's consistent every day, and 100 games in a row is pretty cool."
4. The Colts are seeking solutions to generate more takeaways.
In 2025, the Chicago Bears were 21st in EPA per play and 30th in success rate on defense but generated a league-high 33 takeaways, which greatly contributed to their 11-6 record and NFC North title.
Certainly, the most important thing a defense can do is be consistently difficult to move the ball against on a down-to-down basis. Situational success matters plenty, too.
But sometimes defenses can paper over deficiencies by being opportunistic and forcing opposing offenses into turnovers. That's what the Bears did last year.
The Colts, in 2026, enter Week 6 26th in EPA per play and 20th in success rate allowed on defense – but they only have two takeaways, tied with the Titans and Cowboys for the fewest in the NFL. That lack of takeaways, coupled with those down-to-down issues, has been behind the 27.6 points allowed per game they've averaged (28th).
Head coach Shane Steichen on Monday emphasized the Colts' lack of takeaways on defense.
"I made a point to that today in our team meeting," Steichen said. "Obviously, we're not where we need to be taking the ball away – obviously, and turning the ball over. We didn't have any turnovers in the game on Sunday, which was good offensively. But we've got to do a great job of attacking the football defensively, punching at the ball, being relentless, drilling the heck out of it in practice every single day. You've got to be a bulldog going after the ball – try to get these takeaways."
5. Spencer Shrader set a new record.
Rather improbably, Shrader's two field goals from 56 and 57 yards gave him four field goals of 55 or more yards in his career, which is the most from that distance in franchise history. Adam Vinatieri, who will enter the Colts' Ring of Honor on Sunday, had two such kicks; Matt Gay was the previous record-holder with three.
Shrader has now connected on seven of eight field goals from 50 or more yards in his career, with six of those coming in 2026. For reference, Vinatieri's career high for 50+ yard field goals was seven in a single season (2016).
But this is part of a larger trend: through Week 5 (excluding Monday Night Football), kickers have made 64 of 92 kicks from 50 or more yards (69.6 percent). In Weeks 1-5 of the 2016 season, there were only 51 kicks even attempted from 50+ yards, with kickers making 30 of them (58.8 percent).
In today's NFL, it's almost a requirement to have a kicker who can consistently blast 50+ yard field goals through the uprights. The Colts have that in Shrader, who's 16/16 on all field goal attempts in 2026.
