3 keys to victory for Colts in Week 1 matchup vs. Dolphins

In the ultimate team game, there are often going to be numerous paths to victory. But as we take a closer look at the Colts vs. Dolphins Week 1 matchup, what are the three areas where Indianapolis has to find success?

The big unknown around this Colts team is, of course, at the quarterback position, specifically, can Daniel Jones provide that steady presence that the team has been searching for?

If he can, with the roster around, there is certainly a path for the Colts to be able to stack some wins this season. But if he can’t, overcoming inconsistent quarterback play is always going to be a challenge.

Let’s examine this Colts vs. Dolphins game, with the three keys to victory for Indianapolis.

Get Jonathan Taylor and the run game going

I might sound like a broken record having said this throughout the offseason, but this is the key to the Colts’ offense–not only in Week 1 but throughout the season.

If Taylor can find success, that will keep the offense ahead of the sticks and out of predictable passing situations. This creates manageable down and distances for Jones, along with opening up opportunities in the passing game, whether that be off play-action or the defense honing in on stopping the run.

We can focus on Jones’ play all we want, but without a run game, if he has to regularly operate from second and third-and-longs, it’s likely going to be a long day for the Colts.

Get creative to generate quick pressure on Tua Tagovailoa

We all know how important pressuring the quarterback is, but that is a difficult task against Tagovailoa and the Miami offense.

Last season, Tagovailoa got the ball out of his hands at the quickest rate in football at 2.31 seconds, according to PFF. For just about any pass rusher, that makes getting home regularly extremely difficult. So not surprisingly, Tagovailoa also had to lowest pressure rate among quarterbacks in 2024 as well.

Relying solely on the four-man rush to get home may not end well for the Colts, so this is where Lou Anarumo’s “Mad Scientist” nickname enters the equation. He can’t blitz every down–although that may have to be a factor at times–so stunts, simulated pressures, and movement up front to create mismatches will all have to be regular parts of the game plan.

Challenge the Miami cornerbacks

As we mentioned initially, running the ball will be important. However, that doesn’t mean that this needs to be a 30-plus carry game either for Taylor–just that when he does touch the ball, he picks up positive gains.

On paper, if we look at the strengths and unknowns of this Dolphins team, they have a stout defensive front, but question marks at the cornerback position. A lot of turnover took place there this offseason, with this unit now consisting of Rasul Douglas, Ashtyn Davis, and Jack Jones on one-year deals.

The Colts boast a talented group of pass catchers who possess a variety of skill sets. This was the only receiver room in football last season to have three separate players all eclipse 800 receiving yards. The Colts also added Tyler Warren to the mix this offseason.

This doesn’t mean that Jones needs to throw the ball 40 times either, but they shouldn’t be playing scared. Challenge the Miami cornerbacks and see what comes of it.

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts vs. Dolphins: 3 keys to victory for Indianapolis

3 keys to victory for Colts in Week 1 matchup vs. Dolphins

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