Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor have been the best tandem in football through 3 weeks

The Indianapolis Colts are 3-0 and playing some of the best football in the league. They own the NFL’s top point differential, and it all starts with an offense that has been dynamic both through the air and on the ground. The pairing of Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor may have seemed unusual on paper before the season, but three weeks in, no duo has been more effective.

Daniel Jones

Last week, I wrote about Daniel Jones’ clutch play on third downs — but that’s only part of what’s made him so effective this season. Jones has been on time, accurate, and decisive. He hits his primary read in rhythm, but when it’s taken away, he’s calmly working through progressions and finding his second or third option with confidence. He doesn’t waste movement in the pocket, and that efficiency is a tremendous trait to possess.

Each week has revealed a new layer of his strong play. Against the Dolphins, it was his rhythm throws to primary reads. Against the Broncos, it was his composure under pressure and in critical downs. This past weekend against the Titans, it was his execution on bootlegs and rollouts. The Colts leaned heavily on those concepts, and Jones thrived — whether it was hitting a quick dump-off to Pittman or Warren, or creating off script and pushing the ball downfield. One clip shows his legs on display — an underrated part of his game, as he’s as capable as most QBs in the league when he tucks it and runs. Another shows his accuracy on a timing throw to Pittman, who found soft space under the safety. The final example highlights how poised he’s been under duress, ranking among the eight most heavily pressured quarterbacks through three games.

Taken together, the four clips above showcase the best of Jones this season. And honestly, there hasn’t been much bad to balance them with — finding a negative play from him has been nearly impossible. He hasn’t thrown an interception, or even one that came close. Shane Steichen’s scheming deserves credit for creating open looks, but Jones and his receivers have been perfectly in sync. The wideouts are sitting in the right windows, and Jones is consistently delivering on time.

Jonathan Taylor

Jonathan Taylor has been the anchor of the Colts’ offense — not just this season, but for the last four years. When fully healthy, he’s one of the three best running backs in the NFL. While he was quiet against the Dolphins, he’s been dominant over the past two weeks, and you could argue he’s been the league’s best player in that span. Taylor’s combination of vision, explosiveness, and balance has been on full display, with at least two of those three traits showing up on nearly every snap — including the five clips above.

What makes Taylor special is his ability to get stronger as the game goes on. Take today’s game: he had just 28 yards in the first half but finished with 102, capped by one of the best rushing touchdowns you’ll see — a late third-quarter dagger that sealed the win. Like Mariano Rivera, he’s the ultimate closer. When the fourth quarter hits, you know his best football is still to come.

Through three games, Taylor is averaging 8.46 yards per carry in the second half with three touchdowns. Those are staggering numbers — the kind that win you games outright. With a running back who dominates late, all the Colts need to do is build a lead or keep it close through two quarters, and they’ll have the ultimate trump card waiting. If he sustains this pace, Taylor isn’t just on track for another All-Pro season — he’ll be in the conversation for much more.

Jones and Taylor have combined for 1,209 yards, the most in the NFL through the first three weeks for a quarterback and running back. The Colts offense has scored 107 points — 36 per game — with zero turnovers. That turnover number alone is incredible, as only the Buffalo Bills have matched it so far this season. The Colts rank at or near the top of the league in nearly every major category, fueled by the stellar, mistake-free play of Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor’s explosiveness in the 2nd half. The other skill players have done their part, but Jones has been on time and accurate while Taylor has worn defenses down as the games go on. When they’re humming like that, they complement each other beautifully and make the Colts offense look unstoppable. Even when you blitz Jones, he’s making plays — and he’s been among the most blitzed quarterbacks in the league through three weeks. If Jones continues to play this clean and Taylor keeps closing out games, the Colts won’t just stay atop the AFC South — they’ll be in the AFC playoff conversation all year.