Biggest Takeaways From Colts Preseason Loss to Falcons: Depth Gets Questioned

The Indianapolis Colts were routed by the Atlanta Falcons 34-6 in their preseason matchup on Saturday.

It was the sloppiest, flattest performance of the preseason, and it has made me question whether their depth can hang if called upon during regular-season play in 2026.

The good news is that the Colts dominated the Falcons during their two-day joint practice at Grand Park earlier this week, which means their starting units definitely have some promise brewing for Week 1's arrival on September 13. However, if the Colts want to make any semblance of noise in the playoffs, their immediate depth will need to step up, and today's showing suggested otherwise.

Follow along as I break down my biggest takeaways from the Colts' uninspired preseason performance against the Falcons.

Defense Concerns, But Not Where You'd Expect

The Falcons were in complete control of today's game, totaling 461 yards of offense compared to Indy's 164. Lou Anarumo's defense isn't responsible for the offense's lack of production, but it didn't make matters easier.

Atlanta was 9-for-17 on third downs and averaged 6.7 yards per play against the Colts. Falcons QBs Cooper Rush and Jack Strand went a combined 22-28 for 297 passing yards, 1 passing touchdown, and 1 sack through the air.

The Colts entered the summer with a ton of unproven players at linebacker, but have since churned out a solid room from top to bottom. Rookie Bryce Boettcher and veteran Jaylon Carlies had some promising moments in Saturday's bout against the Falcons, and while the linebacker room as a whole didn't have many highlights, if any, they weren't the main reason for the defense's poor performance.

Lou Anarumo's second-team pass rush and secondary combined for a brutal day overall. Veterans CB Cam Taylor-Britt and DT Colby Wooden proved to be the strong backup options they've shown to be throughout training camp, but everyone else's performance said the opposite.

Second-year DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau and veteran CB Mekhi Balckmon were the biggest examples of this, as Saturday's showing made for back-to-back uninspired preseason performances.

The Colts have a ton to iron out before the regular season arrives, and determining the pecking order for their defensive depth chart now feels like a top priority.

Offensive Line Hinders

The Indianapolis Colts’ backup offensive line largely featured the same unit from start to finish against the Falcons on Saturday, and their uninspired showing reaffirms how dire things look outside of their starting five.

No Jalen Farmer or Luke Tenuta played a role in such negative play, and quarterbacks Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson struggled as a result. The pair of offensive signal callers had some lowlights on their own, but it was mainly the line’s poor play that caused such dysfunction.

Quality backup linemen are hard to come by in the NFL, but the Colts have been one of those teams in recent years with at least a couple of viable options available. Farmer and Tenuta have flashed as solid options, but outside of them, Indy is left praying that each of their starting five will start in all 17 games in 2026.

Kicking Competition Takes Fascinating Turn

The Colts' kicking battle throughout training camp has become Blake Grupe's job to lose, and after two preseason games, Spencer Shrader has rebounded, making it an impossible decision.

Grupe has nailed 90% of kicks during training camp, while Shrader has barely eclipsed the 70% mark, but the preseason showings suggest the opposite trajectory.

In the Colts' preseason matchup against the Falcons on Saturday, Shrader nailed both of his field goal attempts (48 and 53 yards), while Grupe missed a 37-yard attempt wide right.

Shrader is now 4-for-4 on field goal attempts (long of 61) during preseason play, whereas Grupe is now 0-for-2.

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