One: Raise your hand if you had the Indianapolis Colts at 6-1 seven games into the season.

Put your hand down, you’re lying.

Everything is turning up Indy right now. Running back Jonathan Taylor leads the NFL in almost every rushing statistic, including leading by over 100 yards over the second-place Javonte Williams. He’s up multiple touchdowns and has a 10+ yard advantage in yards per game.

To say that Daniel Jones has experienced a resurgence might be an understatement. He’s completing 71% of his passes, good for fourth best in the NFL. He has 1,790 passing yards so far, good for fifth in the league. Per ESPN, he’s second to only Dak Prescott in QBR.

Jones is leading the league in passing success rate and sack rate, which speaks to a strong offensive line in front of him.

Give any quarterback enough time, and he’ll make something happen. Give Indiana Jones enough time, and he’ll do more than just something.

Suddenly, they look like a team no one wants to play, and a force to be reckoned with in the AFC. Is there anyone who can leapfrog them right now?

Kansas City is back, like we all knew they would be. But they are still only 4-3 right now. Baltimore, even though they are getting quarterback Lamar Jackson back, is 1-5. Buffalo looks extremely vulnerable after their schedule has gotten tougher, and are now 4-2 after back-to-back losses. Pittsburgh wasn’t able to prove that they are for real on Thursday night, and are also 4-2.

All I’m saying is Indianapolis has a really strong chance here for a high seed in the AFC. They are still one of the NFL’s best surprise stories of 2025.

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Two: Sunday night is a season-deciding game for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

After a horrid defensive performance on Thursday, where 40-year-old Joe Flacco and the Cincinnati Bengals carved them up left and right in a high-scoring shootout, all eyes will be on the Steelers when host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football.

Aaron Rodgers will face the team he led for 15 years and called home for another three. It’s a pivotal game for both teams, and for far more than just the Rodgers storyline.

The Steelers’ defense needs to make up for their lapses last Thursday in Cincinnati. Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was targeted 23 times and caught 16 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown. Tee Higgins added another six catches, 96 yards, and a score. Chase Brown averaged 9.8 yards a carry

Nothing like that can happen again.

But don’t just look at the national stage, a future Hall of Famer, and a need for a bounce back as reasons why the Steelers need this one. Look at their immediate schedule:

• vs Indianapolis (Nov. 2)
• @ LA Chargers (Nov. 9, SNF)
• vs Cincinnati

I know the Chargers are coming off of a tough loss, and the Bengals still have next to no defense, but there’s a real chance the Steelers have a losing record in a few weeks if they don’t shore up their own defensive mistakes. They have to win this one.