INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Indianapolis Colts have their first 3-0 start since the days of Peyton Manning; 2009, to be exact. While prolonged winning streaks were the expectation in those days, the Colts have oftentimes found it difficult just to maintain being above .500 in the years that have followed.

This year's edition of the Indianapolis Colts feels different.

“I think it's a feel thing," Colts' head coach Shane Steichen answered on Monday when asked why his team is different this year. "I think the guys are just playing together at a high level and the execution is at a high level. That's where I think it's different for our football team this year.

"I think it all started back in spring and into training camp, you could feel it coming all together. Then obviously, to have the success we've had through three weeks has been great. We know as a football team, and I said it last week, and I’m going to say it again this week, is we’ve got to stay disciplined in our approach, in our process every single day because this league can humble you in a hurry. We’ve got to be all over it in everything we do to sustain the success right now.”

The expectations for the Colts aren't just rising internally, either. This week, in ESPN's NFL power rankings, the Colts are up to No. 12. That's up from No. 16 last week, No. 23 the week before, and No. 26 when the season began.

While the Colts' three wins are against teams with a combined 1-8 record, their method of winning has been exactly as it should be. The Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans are widely considered among the worst teams in the league, and the Colts beat them by a combined 46 points. The Denver Broncos, however, were a playoff team last year and tote one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Colts hung 29 points and nearly 500 yards of offense on them in a one-point win.

Indy boasts the No. 2 offense in the NFL in yardage and is tied for third in scoring. Their 103 points are their most through the first three games in the Indianapolis era. They are also home to the NFL's leading rusher, Jonathan Taylor.

Quarterback Daniel Jones, who is easily playing the best football of his career, has only been sacked twice and is leading an offense that has yet to turn the ball over and has only punted once.

Defensively, they're seventh in yardage and tied for ninth in points allowed.

Up next for the Colts this Sunday is their stiffest test yet, on the road on the west coast against the Los Angeles Rams (2-1) at SoFi Stadium. The game can be seen on FOX at 4:05 p.m. ET.

Jake Arthur has been covering the Indianapolis Colts for over a dozen years and is a member of the PFWA. He's one half of the Locked On Colts podcast and has worked for the Colts' official website, On SI, and more. You can follow him on X @JakeArthurNFL.