Josh Downs’ chemistry with Daniel Jones shines,…

2. All the work Josh Downs did in the offseason showed up Sunday.

With Alec Pierce (heel) exiting last week’s game and landing on injured reserve ahead of Week 3, Downs’ chemistry with Jones has shined over the Colts’ last two games: He has 12 catches on 20 targets for 149 yards, with his ability to get open on time and quickly pick up yards after the catch making him a favorite of his quarterback.

Downs and Jones spent plenty of time building on their rapport during OTAs (when Jones was in seven-on-seven) and then training camp while Pierce was not practicing. So with Pierce out, it wasn’t like Downs had to take on additional responsibilities he and Jones hadn’t worked on before – Downs had been working for months to make an impact without Pierce, and it’s shown up the last few weeks.

“We started in the spring,” Downs said. “Alec wasn’t out there, so I was definitely getting the ball a lot more and then camp as well, and then being able to do it against different teams is also very important. Just gotta keep building week to week.”

3. Let’s break down Laquon Treadwell’s huge catch.

Facing a second and 10 from their own 35-yard line while down by a point with 1:43 left in the game, Jones for the second consecutive week ripped an explosive completion to Treadwell in a key moment. This one went for 20 yards over the middle, and this time, Treadwell didn’t nearly lose a fumble on it.

“I just told myself,” Treadwell said, “I’m gonna stay down this time. I am not getting up.”

These are the types of plays the Texans’ defense is designed to not allow. Since the start of the 2025 season, Jones’ completion to Treadwell was only the seventh play of 20 or more yards allowed by Houston’s defense while holding a one-score lead in the final two minutes of a game – though, notably, three of those came in Week 1 on Josh Allen completions.

The point being: To get a 20-yard gain against the Texans’ defense with the game on the line, it took more than just Jones ripping a throw to Treadwell to get there.

First, credit the Colts’ pass protection for giving Jones an opportunity to step up in the pocket and drive his throw. The Texans showed a double mug look pre-snap (both linebackers were walked up over the A-gap) but bailed at the snap. The Colts’ interior trio of Quenton Nelson, Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves wadded up Houston’s defensive tackles; on the right, tight end Tyler Warren chipped defensive end Will Anderson Jr., with right tackle Jalen Travis controlling the all-universe player after. On the left, left tackle Bernhard Raimann strained to route defensive end Danielle Hunter past the back of Jones’ drop, and with the interior blocked, Jones was able to step up in a clean pocket.

The Texans’ pass rush, a group that’s ruined so many late-game drives for so many teams, didn’t hit home here.

Treadwell was lined up into the boundary outside the numbers, with Downs to his right in the slot. At the snap, Downs ran a vertical route to freeze safety Calen Bullock and carry cornerback Kamari Lassiter downfield. From the right side of the play, wide receiver Keenan Allen ran a drag route and stopped, turning toward Jones at the near hash, which froze linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for a beat.

Those two routes, against the Texans’ zone coverage, allowed Treadwell to scythe into space just past midfield. Jones then put velocity on his throw to get it to Treadwell for 20 yards.

Prior to Week 2, Treadwell’s last reception of 20 or more yards came in Week 17 of the 2021 season. He now has two such catches in consecutive weeks in massive moments – highlighting the remarkable perseverance the 31-year-old former first-round pick has put on display with the Colts.

“After the play, when we were lining up for the field goal, (Jones) turned and he was like, ‘I knew I could trust you in that moment,'” Treadwell said. “That meant the most — just that work showing up, being consistent, spending extra time watching film, it’s all paying off.”