We're back with another edition of The Colts Show Mailbag, where I'll answer listener questions both on the podcast and here on Colts.com every week.
You can submit your questions to me a few ways: At Colts.com/Mailbag, on social media (like X and Instagram) and in the YouTube comments for the podcast. Get your questions in, since next week's episode will be a full season preview – and I'll probably answer more than one on the podcast.
For this week's podcast mailbag question, I answered one from listener Matt Carlin about an under-the-radar reason why the Colts are 3-0. For the answer, check out this week's episode of The Colts Show – I was also joined by wide receiver Ashton Dulin this week – wherever you get your podcasts, including on:
Let's dive into the rest of this week's batch of questions:
Damon Crawford (Virginia Beach, Va.): Jonathan Taylor has been on fire as of late. With the Colts being 3-0 a top the AFC South, is this sustainable and/or should we expect to see a filtering of Goodson and Giddens as we move into Week 4 and beyond? What confidence does the team have that Goodson and Giddens can provide that additional assistance to give JT a break to have him healthy in the later games of the season?
JJ Stankevitz: Good question here, because Jonathan Taylor played all but five of the Colts' snaps before garbage time in Week 3. In Week 2, Taylor played 93 percent of the Colts' offensive snaps against the Denver Broncos (a game that came down to the last second); in Week 1, Taylor played 52 snaps before giving way to D.J. Giddens in the third quarter with the Colts holding a commanding 23-0 lead.
To answer your question about sustainability, Taylor is currently on pace to play 924 snaps this season; in 2024, Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams led the all running backs with 888 snaps, per Pro Football Focus. It's been four years since a running back played over 900 snaps (the Pittsburgh Steelers' Najee Harris in 2021 at 978) so it wouldn't be unprecedented for Taylor to go over 900, but it would be rare.
Taylor, too, is playing some of the best complete football we've ever seen him play – in addition to his running ability, he's been outstanding in pass protection and has made a few plays as a pass-catcher, too. It's tough to take someone playing at his level off the field right now, and Steichen was asked about managing Taylor's workload after Week 2.
"We'll work through that," Steichen said. "Obviously, he's feeling good right now. When he needs a breather, we'll give him a breather, but he's feeling good right now. So, we'll see how it goes."
Both Giddens and Goodson have some juice as ball-carriers, so the Colts do have options. This is more about how well Taylor's playing, though, than anything else.
Korey Lee (Indianapolis): With Alec Pierce being out, in what ways could they start using AD Mitchell more in the passing game?
Harold Miller (Bedford, Ind): Do you see a expanded role for Adonai Mitchell in our current passing scheme?
JJ Stankevitz: You'll probably see more of Mitchell this weekend if Pierce indeed is out (we'll see on Friday's final practice report of the week, but he didn't practice Wednesday and Thursday with a concussion). Against the Titans, Mitchell played 42 percent of the Colts' offensive snaps, his highest percentage of the season – not surprising given Pierce exited late in the third quarter. Of Mitchell's 24 snaps against the Titans, 14 came after Pierce came out of the game.
One thing to keep in mind here: Mitchell had a fantastic training camp, which Steichen brought up when discussing the second-year Texas product this week. Steichen specifically mentioned Mitchell made strides in making plays over the middle of the field and on contested catches leading up to the 2025 season.
"He's always been able to win one-on-ones and create that separation, and that hasn't changed," Steichen said. "But I think going into Year Two, he's always been a worker. He's an 'in here early morning' guy. But I think as you just get older and you kind of see the NFL and how it works and everything and how you go about your business, I think that level of standard just continues to raise. So, we really like where he's at right now."
As for if Mitchell could expand his role in the Colts' passing attack, he very well could – though prior to Pierce's concussion, the Colts were utilizing him to get open against one-on-one coverage. He made a tough catch against cornerback Pat Surtain II in Week 2, and early in the second quarter of the Colts' season opener, he and quarterback Daniel Jones had an impressive link-up on a 17-yard out-breaker to the sideline that looked borderline unguardable with the way it was executed. The Colts can and will tap into plays like that as the season goes on, as a baseline here.
"I've kind of sat in this chair at this table about 10 different times and said I am betting on AD Mitchell," offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said. "So, if AD is called to play a very large role in a game plan one week, I'm betting on success for him. He's a young player. He's learning. It's probably not going to be a perfect game. We'll have some plus grades and some minus grades on our coaching sheet, but AD is really coming along as a young receiver. We're excited about him. Look for him to attack his role each week and try to make the most of it. If the role is bigger then make the most of a bigger role. If the role is smaller, make the most of what your role is. That's what we've all got to do on this offense, on this team, to be a part of a good Colts team. AD is going about his business the right way.
Williams Marrs (West Terre Haute, Ind.): What adjustments do you think the Colts will make defensively now that Kenny Moore II is out for multiple weeks, and how confident are you in Mike Hilton stepping into that role?
JJ Stankevitz: We'll see how long Moore is out for, but that Steichen has said he doesn't anticipate the veteran cornerback going on injured reserve was good to hear this week. Moore is, as you know, a tremendous player – replacing what he can do in coverage, as a run defender and as a blitzer is not going to be easy.
How the Colts handle their slot corner position for however long they're without Moore will be interesting here. In training camp, when Moore missed time with an injury, it was rookie Justin Walley who shifted inside to the slot. Walley, of course, sustained a torn ACL in a joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens in August that ended what looked to be a promising rookie season before it could begin.
The Colts signed Hilton, as you mentioned, to their practice squad and could elevate him to their active roster for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams. If he plays, we'll see if he can take on a full load of snaps (Hilton did go through the preseason with the Miami Dolphins, so he's not completely cold off the street). Hilton's experience playing for Lou Anarumo with the Cincinnati Bengals should benefit him in getting up to speed quickly, too; he had a dozen tackles for a loss in each of the last two seasons and totaled 13 pass break-ups in that span, too.
The Colts, too, could look to Mekhi Blackmon to slide inside to the slot if he's not spelling Xavien Howard on the outside.
Timothy Head (Pittsford, N.Y.): I am very encouraged by what I see. I only have one concern: sacks of opposing QBs. Also draft choice number 2 last year has been a healthy scratch...
Josh Smith (Jasper, Ind.): Do you have any concerns that Latu has not made his presence and his ability known per expectation at the beginning of the season?
JJ Stankevitz: The Colts do have seven sacks this season (T-15th), but I get where these questions are coming from, because the Colts are 28th in the NFL in pressure rate (28.7 percent) entering Week 3.
I'll say this about Latu and the Colts' pass rush in general: Let's be patient. The Colts' first two opponents – the Dolphins and Broncos – each finished 2024 among the top five teams at preventing their quarterback from being under pressure, per Pro Football Focus, with Miami's scheme designed to protect its QB and Denver having one of the NFL's best offensive lines. The Colts pressured Titans quarterback Cam Ward on 40 percent of his dropbacks in Week 3; Latu accounted for five pressures against Tennessee.
Sunday's game might be a decent barometer here; the Rams through three weeks are 15th in the NFL in pressure rate allowed (36 percent).
As for Tuimoloau, Anarumo on Tuesday addressed the 2025 second-round pick being inactive for two of the Colts' three games.
"Each week is a little bit different in terms of what we think we need and what the offense is going to present, whether we're heavy at tackle or heavy at end," Anarumo said. "So, it's certainly not a knock on JT at all. As I mentioned a few times already, we've got a great group of veteran players at his position. He's doing a fine job. (Defensive line coach) Charlie Partridge and (senior assistant defensive line coach) Matt Raich are doing a great job with that whole group, but I'm not worried about JT one bit. His time will come."
