Shane Steichen’s Brilliant Strategy: Daniel Jones Thrives in Colts’ High-Octane Offense
The Indianapolis Colts have made a huge statement early in the 2025 NFL season, and a major reason for their explosive start is the performance of veteran quarterback Daniel Jones. After being acquired in the offseason, Jones has seamlessly integrated into head coach Shane Steichen’s offense, and the results speak for themselves. Through two weeks, the Colts have emerged as the best offense in the league, and the team is off to a promising 2-0 start. But what’s behind this early success? Steichen’s innovative offensive system, which is designed to maximize Jones’ strengths, has proven to be a game-changer.
Jones, who was once a top 10 draft pick for the New York Giants, had faced his fair share of struggles in recent seasons. After being benched and ultimately released by the Giants, many questioned his future in the league. But in Indianapolis, with Steichen at the helm, Jones has been reborn. Under Steichen’s guidance, Jones has regained his confidence and looks more poised than ever. It’s clear that the change of scenery has worked wonders for the veteran quarterback, but it’s the strategic tweaks in the Colts’ offense that have truly unlocked his potential.
Steichen’s “Easy Button” for Jones: Pre-Snap Motion
One of the key elements in Jones’ revival has been Steichen’s use of pre-snap motion, which has simplified the game for the quarterback and allowed him to make quick, confident decisions. According to Steichen, “We’ve put Daniel in a position to succeed by giving him the tools he needs to excel. The motion before the snap is a simple yet effective way to make things easier for him. It’s about creating opportunities, diagnosing defenses quickly, and executing when it matters. We’re focused on making sure our offense works for him, and so far, he’s been everything we expected and more.”
Pre-snap motion is not a new concept—coaches like Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan have used it to great success for years. However, the Colts have taken it to another level. Through just two weeks, the Colts have used motion on nearly 61% of their pass plays with Jones, compared to only 37.8% with Anthony Richardson last season. This uptick in motion has been a huge advantage for Jones, allowing him to identify defensive alignments and make quick reads. Essentially, Steichen is providing Jones with a “cheat sheet” before the snap, giving him the confidence to attack the defense with precision.
How Motion Creates Advantages for Jones
Pre-snap motion serves a few key purposes. It can help create leverage for pass catchers on specific routes, confuse defenses trying to disguise their coverages, and—perhaps most importantly—it gives the quarterback a clearer picture of what the defense is doing. In Jones’ case, it allows him to read the defense more easily and know exactly where to go with the ball.
Take, for example, a key third-down conversion against the Denver Broncos. Wide receiver Josh Downs motions into a trips formation, and the motion helps Jones identify that the Broncos are in man coverage. From there, it’s a simple pitch and catch between Jones and Downs for a first down. The motion gave Jones an easy read of the defense, and he capitalized on it quickly. While Jones deserves credit for his quick processing, it’s the motion that created the favorable matchup in the first place.
Big Plays Created by Pre-Snap Motion
The Colts’ offense has been generating big plays by using motion to identify defensive schemes. One of the most notable examples came with a pass to Jonathan Taylor, where a slight motion by the running back helped Jones identify man coverage. This allowed Jones to hit Taylor on a wheel route for a big gain. The motion shifted the defense, providing the necessary leverage for Taylor to gain separation, and Jones delivered a precise pass down the sideline.
Another example came on a critical third-down play in the red zone, where motion across the formation helped Jones identify the coverage and exploit it. Downs motioned across the field, and Jones quickly recognized that the slot corner was in man coverage. Without hesitation, he delivered a perfect pass to Downs for another conversion. This is the kind of quick, confident decision-making that Steichen’s system has allowed Jones to execute.
Jones’ Mental Growth in Steichen’s System
The key to Jones’ improvement has been his ability to diagnose defenses quickly, and that’s where Steichen’s offense shines. Jones is no longer bogged down by confusion or hesitation. He’s confident in his reads and knows exactly what he’s looking for before the snap. As a result, his first-read target rate in week two was a staggering 97%, which speaks to his ability to process information pre-snap and attack defenses efficiently.
While Jones may still have some physical limitations, his mental growth has been the standout aspect of his game this season. He’s executing Steichen’s system with confidence, and his ability to read defenses and make quick decisions has elevated the entire Colts’ offense.
Looking Ahead: Can Jones Keep It Going?
The real question now is whether Jones can maintain this level of play throughout the entire season. While it’s still early, the early signs are extremely promising. Steichen’s use of pre-snap motion has allowed Jones to settle into a rhythm and maximize his strengths, and the offense as a whole has responded by playing at an elite level. If the Colts can continue to build on this success, they will have a real shot at breaking their playoff drought in 2025.
Jones’ turnaround story is a testament to the power of the right system and coaching. With Steichen pushing all the right buttons and Jones playing with confidence, the Colts’ offense could be one of the most dangerous units in the NFL this season. The duo is off to an incredible start, and if they can keep it up, the Colts could be a serious contender in the AFC.
Why Flyers moved on from Ivan Fedotov – and why Carter Hart isn’t in their plans
It is never quiet in Philadelphia when it comes to goaltending. The Flyers seem to be in a perpetual state of searching for it, but on Sunday GM Daniel Briere went down the road of “addition by subtraction.”
As first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Flyers unloaded goaltender Ivan Fedotov and his $3.275 million AAV to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a sixth-round Draft pick in 2026. The Jackets, who had reportedly been looking for a goaltender, are expected to waive Fedotov, per the Athletic’s Aaron Portzline. Fedotov, who came over to North America in the spring of 2024, sported a 3.15 GAA and a .880 save percentage in 26 contests for the Flyers last season.
The unloading of Fedotov’s contract allows the Flyers to not have to operate in off-season LTIR in the event of an untimely injury, a source told me on Monday. While the Flyers were cap-compliant – they were a little less than $300,000 under the salary cap – they wanted more flexibility and more breathing room under the cap, I’m told. They also wanted the cap space to account for any potential bonuses triggered on their entry-level deals and to avoid overages next season. The trade gives the Flyers a little less than $2.7 million in cap space, per puckpedia.com.
Speaking with a source on Monday, I was told that moving Fedotov is not the precursor to a subsequent move. Many have speculated on the future of goaltender Carter Hart, who was recently just reinstated by the NHL. According to a source, Hart is seeking a “fresh start,” and, he is expected to sign with a Western Conference team, per the Athletic’s Michael Russo. The Utah Mammoth are a team I’ve heard as one to keep an eye on in the Hart sweepstakes.
Though the Fedotov move affords the Flyers the ability to start the season outside of LTIR, it doesn’t mean the Flyers won’t explore that option in-season if need be. Speaking with a source, I’ve heard that the Flyers will entertain using LTIR if need be – i.e. moving defenseman Ryan Ellis, who hasn’t played in four years, onto LTIR – during the season. But for the time being, the team wanted a cushion to avoid it to start the season.
The Flyers’ goaltending situation is very much in flux from a long-term perspective, as there isn’t a clear-cut starter beyond this season. Samuel Ersson still has the confidence of the club, while 28-year-old Dan Vladar will get a chance to seize a starter’s gig for the first time in his career. Ersson, who will turn 26 in October, was given a vote of confidence by president of hockey operations Keith Jones last week during a media availability. While staying healthy has been a challenge of Ersson, he will have better insolation this season to realize his potential.
As for Vladar, the former Boston Bruins third-round pick and Calgary Flames goaltender will get arguably his best opportunity to be a starter. Sporting a career .895 SV%, Vladar, who signed a two-year deal at a $3.35 million AAV, will look to follow a similar path as Anthony Stolarz with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Samuel Montembeault with the Montreal Canadiens as a late-blooming goaltender.
Meanwhile, 2023 second-round selection Carson Bjarnason will cut his teeth in the AHL this season, while 2021 third round pick Aleksei Kolosov is now penciled in as the team’s third-string goaltender.
Kolosov, 23, had a contentious relationship with the Flyers last season, spending a lot of time in the NHL as the Flyers’ third goaltender as opposed to playing in the AHL, which may have hurt his development. According to a source, Kolosov is more accepting of his role this season as the team’s No .3 goaltender, which may be related to his KHL’s club, Minsk, not being an option, as they recently signed arguably the best goaltender in Russia, Zachary Fucale. The Flyers expect Kolosov and Bjarnason to pair as the tandem of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season, barring injury.
The Flyers are looking to turn a corner this season under new head coach Rick Tocchet this season, and figuring out who the long-term fixture between the pipes is will be a major factor.
