Poor Rigoberto Sanchez.
He's the Forgotten Punter, a Pro Bowl-quality specialist who hasn't had a chance to punt in either of his team's first two games. The Colts, a team that has emerged as one of the league's top offensive outfits these first two weeks, became the first team in NFL history to score on 10 straight possessions to begin a season. They've gone two straight games without a punt, the first team in the Super Bowl era to not punt in their first two games.
Sanchez is thrilled he isn't paid by the punt.
And yes, teammates have noticed and have given him grief for his lack of activity, although he is the holder on field goals and extra points.
As reporters surrounded Sanchez Wednesday, linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. sat nearby and smiled.
"They're saying he's overpaid," he said with a laugh.
Said Sanchez: "I mean, it's everywhere (the fact he hasn't punted yet this season). I was watching the game, Houston and Tampa, and the punter was about to go out and the commentators were like, `Oh, speaking of punters...' and I'm like, ```There's no way they're gonna mention my name." And they did.
"But hey, it's fine by me. Keep it rolling. It's absolutely fine."
I asked Sanchez if he's ever gone two games without punting, in high school or college and certainly the pros, and he said no.
"I'm actually punting (into the net) the entire game, getting ready on third down, fourth down," he said. "So I'm warming up into the net and mentally preparing going out there. It's kind of wild I haven't gone out there.
"There were a couple of times, we were at midfield, we were ready to punt and then we went for it."
Don't get the wrong impression: Sanchez is perfectly happy about his lack of action. The less he punts, the better the offense is operating. And right now, the offense is both surgical and explosive, sitting fourth in the league while averaging 31 points per game. Who expected this kind of production from the Colts? Not me, for sure.
Daniel Jones, the league MVP after two weeks -- yeah, I said it -- is leading the league in passing yards per attempt (9.4), an outrageous number given his reputation as a short, accurate thrower. He is sixth in completion percentage, second in passing yards, averaging 294 yards per game along with three rushing TD's and no interceptions. Just as the New York Giants were cast as dopes for letting Saquon Barkley walk, it looks like they may have erred again in giving up on Jones (but again, it's just two games, so we're not getting crazy yet).
More impressive, Jones excelled against two of the heaviest-blitzing teams in the league, Miami and Denver. His reputation was he was shaky against pressure -- the stats bear it out -- but so far in Indy, he looks settled and confident regardless of the rush. And it helps to have an offensive line that is playing well, and receivers who seem to have grown several sets of hands during the offseason.
“I think the consistency that he brings, his preparation, and it’s coming to life on the field on Sundays. He works at it,” Steichen said Monday. I think he’s doing a really nice job of going through his reads. If the first read is not there, he’s getting to his second, third reads.
"The offensive line is doing a hell of a job for him. I think he’s communicating well with the receivers throughout the week — different looks that could come up, route adjustments, all those different things throughout the course of a week of preparation. Then to see it happen on Sundays has been good, so we’ve got to continue that."
It's helped immensely that Jonathan Taylor, who was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week after amassing 215 scrimmage yards last Sunday, is off to a white-hot start this season, and is leading the league in rushing (236 yards). The Colts have generally won on first down, passing on first downs more frequently than you might expect. And Jones, who largely has been kept out of third-and-long situations, has benefitted.
If there's been a downside, it's been red-zone execution, but yards and points have been no problem in victories over Miami (33-8) and Denver (29-28).
Right now, Jones and the Colts are the most unlikely story of this young NFL year. Maybe Shane Steichen saw this coming -- maybe -- but he is living on a lonely island. The rest of us are eating crow, although it's not recommended on my diet. It's very fatty, I'm told.
Steichen, meanwhile, is bolstering his reputation as a quarterback whisperer. He helped develop Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts and now he's resurrecting Jones, who was suspected to be a washout. It's no coincidence that Steichen was a quarterback at UNLV, so he understands the position and the mentality.
Meanwhile, Rigo Sanchez punts into his net, a lonely man doing a lonely job, only to be summarily ignored by Steichen when fourth down rolls around.
I joked this would cut into his Pro Bowl candidacy. Two games, no stats. It's a shock to learn he showers after games.
"I'm not worried whether I punt or not," he said. "I just want to keep winning. That's all I care about."
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.