The Colts finally got the win they had been chasing, but Daniel Jones made sure it did not feel like a clean answer at quarterback.
Indianapolis entered Week 3 still looking for its first victory, and Jones was the biggest variable in a game against a talented Houston defense. He opened with enough to give the Colts a lead, then spent much of the afternoon making that lead feel far less secure than it should have been.
Jones helped Indianapolis score on its next three drives, a stretch that included two field goals and a touchdown pass to Keenan Allen. For a team that had been waiting for any kind of early rhythm, that start mattered. It also showed why the Colts keep seeing both sides of him: the flashes are real, but they arrive alongside the mistakes.
That pattern was on display again in the 19-17 win over the Texans. Jones made plenty of errors, and the Colts’ offense was held under 20 points. He accounted for three turnovers in the game, part of a season total that now sits at five turnovers against just three passing touchdowns.
The result was a victory, but not a tidy one. Jones was sacked four times, and his chaotic performance turned what could have been an easier win into a much closer game. The Colts’ defense had to do the heavy lifting after Jones’ early work, and the margin stayed tight all the way to the finish.
Still, there were moments that explained why the Colts have not been able to close the book on him. Jones connected with Laquon Treadwell on a 20-yard completion that set up the game-winning field goal. Earlier, he showed improved mobility for the first time since his Achilles injury with a diving third-down conversion. Those plays did not erase the turnovers, but they did keep Indianapolis in position to escape with a win.
His rushing numbers also told part of the story. Against Houston, Jones ran for five yards on three carries, a drop from the 10 yards on three rushes he posted against Kansas City. The Colts have now opened games strongly against Baltimore and Kansas City as well, but sustaining that start has been a different issue.
That is why the first win did not settle the quarterback question. Jones gave the Colts enough to beat Houston, and enough to leave fans with both hope and frustration. The performance offered a little of everything — early scoring, a key late completion, turnovers, sacks, and a defense that had to rescue the afternoon.
The bad news, as the coverage put it, is that “we're not sure what's wrong with Jones, and that's a massive problem.” After Week 3, Indianapolis has a win. It still does not have a clear answer at quarterback.