The Indianapolis Colts didn’t give Daniel Jones a two-year, $88 million deal to bench him in October. That’s the short answer heading into Sunday’s AFC South meeting with the Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium, even after a 34-22 loss in Pittsburgh dropped Indianapolis to 2-3.
The longer answer depends on what happens down the field. Jones is just 9 of 28 with a 50.9 passer rating on deep attempts, per Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon, and Anthony Richardson is sitting behind him in a contract year.
Daniel Jones’ deep ball has gone missing
Through five starts, Jones has completed 108 of 176 passes for 1,021 yards with three touchdown passes, four interceptions and a 73.6 rating. PFF credits him with nine turnover-worthy plays against four big-time throws, and his 57.4 overall grade ranks 28th among 34 quarterbacks.
Part of the problem sat out Sunday. Alec Pierce was unavailable in Pittsburgh, and Jones didn’t hide what that meant. “He’s one of the best in the league getting the ball down the field,” Jones said after the loss.
Head coach Shane Steichen pointed at himself after a day in the red zone that produced one touchdown on three trips. “I’ve got to do a better job of calling plays,” he said. The lone touchdown came on a 1-yard Tyler Warren run, and all nine second-half points came on Spencer Shrader field goals.
Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in 2023, asked to be traded in the offseason, and his agent told The Athletic he doesn’t expect a deal this season. ESPN’s Ben Solak has already argued the Colts should play him. Still, Richardson didn’t play last season after fracturing an orbital bone, and he is 8-7 as a starter with a 50.6 completion percentage, a big reason Indianapolis has been patient.
Gagnon projects the switch for Week 17 at Cleveland, with the Colts likely out of the playoff race and the first-place Jaguars well ahead in the division. That timeline makes sense. The Colts paid Jones to be the guy, and a home game against a winless Tennessee team with the league’s lowest-scoring offense is his best chance yet to quiet the noise before it gets louder.
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