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NFL Week 3: One offense and one defense to watch
Week 2 of the NFL was entertaining. It featured more offense than Week 1, and the league’s best defenses shut opponents down.
Thursday night marks the start of Week 3 as the NFL schedule heads to the back half of September.
Offense: Indianapolis Colts
The Colts exploding out of the blocks offensively wasn’t a common take in the preseason, yet they are a top-five team in both yardage and points per game. Not only is Indianapolis' offense productive, it's efficient, gaining six-and-a-half yards per play. That's tied for the NFL’s best mark with the Ravens. In the first two weeks, the Colts had yardage totals of 418 and 473.
So far, so good for Daniel Jones in Indy. The Colts’ quarterback leads the league in yards per attempt (9.3) and is second overall in passing yardage (588). His offensive line has been excellent in pass protection, allowing only two sacks while facing the highest blitz rate of any team.
Jones’ completion rate is 71.4%. He has shown, so far, that he can throw while facing limited pressure. Every dropback from Jones has helped the Colts score points in these two games, and he has the support of an excellent running game.
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Nearly 53% of the Colts’ plays have been on the ground. Jonathan Taylor leads the NFL in rushing yardage (236) and attempts (43) through Week 2. He accounted for 215 yards from scrimmage on Sunday with a receiving touchdown.
Taylor has been dynamic creating yards after contact. 202 of his yards have come after being hit. The next best in the category is Josh Jacobs with 144.
Rookie tight end Tyler Warren leads the receiving group in targets (16), and is averaging 14 yards per reception. The receiving yardage has been balanced between Warren,Taylor, Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, and Josh Downs. Jones has not thrown the ball deep much thus far. He may not need to with this running game and deep receiving corps.
This offense has not turned the ball over and made all nine of its field goal attempts. This scheme will dominate time of possession with this type of efficiency.
The Colts face the Titans in Week 3, who are fourth in rushing yardage allowed (150.0).
Defense: Atlanta Falcons
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Improvement from the Falcons’ defense is imperative for this team to succeed in 2025. The unit has been outstanding to start, allowing only 29 total points and the second fewest total yards per game (229.0).
Atlanta is bringing pressure. The Falcons are tied for third overall in sacks (7), with third-year interior lineman Zach Harrison off to a great start.
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Atlanta is blitzing at the seventh-highest rate in the NFL (34.3%). The team is bringing Kaden Elliss and Divine Deablo from the second level. The two linebackers are creating pressure at the highest rate on the team.
There is a young core emerging up front between Harrison, Brandon Dorlus, James Pearce, Ruke Orhohoro, and Jalon Walker. Dorlus and Orhohoro missed much of last season, making them additions to this group.
If veteran Leonard Floyd gets going, Atlanta will bring relentless pressure throughout a game with this depth, along with the linebackers rushing the passer.
The play up front is being reflected in the secondary. The Falcons are second overall in passing yardage allowed (139.5), and lead the NFL in limiting yards after the catch. This can be credited to excellent tackling on passing downs. Atlanta has missed only three tackles on those plays.
The Falcons have stopped the run without stacking the box. Arnold Ebiketie and David Onyemata have been excellent in the run game on the defensive line, another nod to that group’s versatility.
Playing offenses without overloading the box or secondary, while bringing pressure, is what the Falcons’ defense put on tape against two good offenses. This type of scheme does not leave an offense with many options.
They face an inefficient, pass-happy, Carolina Panthers offense in Week 3.
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