At least one of the 2025 NFL season simulations run by ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) is very bullish on the Indianapolis Colts.
Typically, when the FPI model is building out its projections, it uses 10,000 simulations to do so. But in a recent article by Seth Walder, he chose to highlight how the 2025 NFL season unfolded from just one of those 10,000 projections.
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And when it came to how things turned out for the Colts, well, they made the playoffs and did so by winning the AFC South for the first time since 2014.
“Somehow, Colts coach Shane Steichen unlocked the 2022 version of Daniel Jones, leaning on the legs of the former Giants quarterback while Lou Anarumo and the new-look secondary turned around the defense,” Walder wrote. “The result was a 10-7 record and playoff berth.”
Now, whether or not 10-7 wins the division remains to be seen, but 10-7 is certainly within reach of the Colts this season.
Despite the unknowns at quarterback with Daniel Jones, there is a well put-together roster around him. This includes what should be a stout offensive line, a backfield with Jonathan Taylor, and Tyler Warren at tight end.
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At receiver, the Colts have a deep and wide-ranging group of skill sets for Steichen to build his game plans around. In fact, the Colts were the only team in 2024 to have three wideouts each eclipse 800 receiving yards.
Then on defense, the secondary has been reshaped, while Lou Anarumo’s more aggressive and disguise-heavy scheme should help elevate the play of that entire defensive unit–not to mention that, again, the Colts have a lot of talent up front.
Great play from the quarterback position isn’t a requirement for the Colts to win games. They need steady play, and Steichen believes Jones can provide that consistency.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 2025 NFL season: Colts win AFC South in simulation