RUN OFFENSE
Don't look now, but Jonathan Taylor has become a three-down back. It used to be that he would be pulled on third-and-passing situations due to his lack of pass-catching ability and his ability/willingness to block in pass protection. Taylor has added to his repertoire, and he's done so relatively late in his career. Good for him. Bad for backup backs who don't get much run. Taylor's 46-yard touchdown run was Beastquake Junior, breaking four, five tackles on the way to the end zone. Just as notable, Tyler Warren made the key block out of the fullback position, springing Taylor into the defensive backfield. Taylor finished with 17 rushes and 102 yards, plus three touchdowns. He also had three receptions. He has run for the most rushing yards through the first three games in team history since at least 1970. Nice job by the offensive line -- again.
GRADE: B-
RUN DEFENSE
It must be quite a relief to go into Tennessee and not have to deal with running back Derrick Henry any longer. The Colts allowed just 86 yards on the ground and got the best of the line of scrimmage. Indy had eight tackles for loss by six different players. DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart have been tremendous through the first three games. Safety Nick Cross, who's having a fine year so far, had seven tackles (five solo) and one tackle for loss. Zaire Franklin also had seven tackles and a pass defensed. A year ago, the rush defense was a problem. Not so far this year.
GRADE: B+
PASS OFFENSE
Well, here's all you really need to know: The Colts have scored 103 points in the first three games, the most in the Indianapolis Era. Peyton Manning didn't do it. Andrew Luck didn't do it. Daniel Jones...he's done it, along with a solid running game, sure-handed work from the receivers and excellence from the O-line, which didn't allow a single sack. They haven't committed a turnover and poor, lonely Rigo Sanchez, he finally had a single punt in Sunday's game, his first of the year. They went 19 consecutive drives without a punt, the second longest streak in team history.
GRADE: A-
PASS DEFENSE
Kenny Moore II got things rolling with an easy pick-six on the third play of the game and the Colts never looked back. That was his fourth pick-six, which is tied for second most in franchise history. The Colts managed four sacks, not a bad number, but I'm growing concerned about the edge pass rush, where they haven't gotten the production they need. At some point, I'd like to see Chris Ballard bolster that position, which is no easy task. Edge rushers are valuable commodities, and nobody is giving them away.
GRADE: B
SPECIAL TEAMS
Hello, Rigo. After two games of sitting and waiting for punting situations that never came, Sanchez had his first and only punt of the season Sunday. As for placekicking, I have a little concern. Spencer Shrader missed from 51 yards after missing from 60 against Denver -- only to have the Broncos whistled for a leveraging call, giving him a second chance from 45 yards, which he made for the game winner.
GRADE: B-
COACHING
Shane Steichen is re-gaining his hard-won reputation as a quarterback whisperer. He's thus far failed to develop Anthony Richardson into the type of player they can stick behind center, but his work with Jones has been nothing short of masterful. His play-calling has been equally impressive. Sunday, Steichen used the bootleg time and again, and it worked, time and again. Jones finished 18-of-25 for 228 yards and one touchdown. Is there an award for Comeback Coach of the Year? No?
GRADE: A-
INTANGIBLES
This could have been a dangerous game. Tennessee almost always plays the Colts close, especially in Nashville. But the Colts took care of business without appearing to work up a sweat. That's the sign of a team with maturity. Back in the day, they'd trip on these kinds of games. Now comes the Rams, in LA, in one of the best matchups of the early season.
GRADE: A
Bob Kravitz is an award-winning columnist who has been in the sports journalism business for 43 years. He's worked at Sports Illustrated, the Indianapolis Star, The Athletic and other publications, and is now an Indiana-based publisher at Roundtable Sports. You can follow him on X @bkravitz.