If you walked onto that practice field Wednesday and didn’t know Daniel Jones was coming off an Achilles tear, there’s absolutely no way you would’ve guessed it. That’s the biggest takeaway from watching the Colts quarterback go through a joint practice against the Atlanta Falcons. Jones looked completely normal, whether he was dropping back in individual drills or taking snaps from under center or in the shotgun during team periods. It’s wild.
Back From The Brink, Better Than Ever?
For any quarterback battling back from an Achilles tear, the real gut check comes when you have to scramble, throw on the move, or evade pressure. Jones’s game thrives on running the ball, too. Guess what? He checked every single one of those boxes. He might not have needed to move around a ton against what’s expected to be a rough Falcons pass rush, especially with Jalon Walker out for the season and James Pearce Jr. suspended for eight games. But when Jones needed to move, he did, with zero issues. This confirms all the buzz out of the team about Jones. He’s been impressive throughout training camp, picking up right where he left off from a spectacular 2025 season before that devastating right Achilles tear on December 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. As Jones himself put it, “I think with any major rehab process, you’re always kind of progressing and getting back and getting used to doing everything, building up the reps on it, building up just your conditioning level.” The best part? He finished by saying, “I feel really good and there’s nothing I don’t feel good doing.” You love to hear that after such a brutal injury.
Colts Offense Looks Lethal Again
The Colts struggled a bit on the ground Wednesday, but Jones and the passing game were just lights out against an above-average Falcons secondary in team drills. He was absolutely feasting in the intermediate areas of the field, hitting receivers Josh Downs and Ashton Dulin consistently. Think about what this means for 2026. This team was flying high in 2025 with a healthy Jones. Through 10 weeks, the Indianapolis offense led the entire league in yards, scoring, EPA per play, success rate, and DVOA. They boasted a plus-115 point differential and racked up four wins by 21 or more points. That’s absurd. Jones talked about their playbook, saying, “I think the offense is very versatile. There’s a lot of different components to it. I think we’re able to run the ball well. I think we’re good in the RPO game. We’re good throwing it quick. We can throw the ball down the field.” That kind of versatility with Jones at the helm? Dangerous.
Oh, and on the Falcons side, receiver Drake London made one of the best plays of the day. On quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s longest completion, London Mossed Colts cornerback Justin Walley down the left sideline with an insane grab, stretching over Walley’s shoulders for an underthrown ball. Not to be outdone, running back Robinson had an insane one-handed catch with his left hand in stride during the full team period, too. That’s some serious talent all around, but man, Jones is the story.
So, what’s at stake here? Jones is back and looking like the 2025 version that had the Colts offense leading the league in basically everything. If he can maintain this early form, then Indianapolis is looking at building off that incredible start from last season. Get ready for some fireworks, because Daniel Jones is clearly ready to ball out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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