NFL Giant Casts Shadow on Colts' Hope to Defeat 49ers

As expected, nobody is giving the Indianapolis Colts a chance against the San Francisco 49ers.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) fends off San Francisco 49ers cornerback Josh Norman (26) during the first half of the game Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Indianapolis Colts Visit The San Francisco 49ers For Nfl Week 7 At Levi S Stadium In Santa Clara Calif Sunday Oct 24 2021 | Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Indianapolis Colts will be underdogs for the rest of the 2025 season, mostly due to the season-ending Achilles injury to quarterback Daniel Jones.

Now, the formerly retired Philip Rivers has taken over as the man to lead Shane Steichen's offense. He's limited, but the injuries to cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward, as well as offensive tackle Braden Smith, don't help.

The trio of pros at ESPN (Seth Walder, Pamela Maldonado, Eric Moody) all believe Indy falls to the San Francisco 49ers - and this feels like the general thought process around the entire league.

• Maldonado's pick: 49ers 22, Colts 21
• Moody's pick:49ers 31, Colts 24
• Walder's pick:49ers 26, Colts 16

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) carries the ball as San Francisco 49ers linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (51) and middle linebacker Fred Warner (54) defend during the first half of the game Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Indianapolis Colts Visit The San Francisco 49ers For Nfl Week 7 At Levi S Stadium In Santa Clara Calif Sunday Oct 24 2021 | Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Since the NFL world has talked nonstop about Rivers, I'd like to focus on two things that are critical for the Colts to emerge victorious: Jonathan Taylor and the pass rush.

We'll start with the defensive trenches.

Pash Rush Has Been Barren

Nov 23, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Indianapolis Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu (97) runs after an interception against the Kansas City Chiefs in the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Indy's pass rush has generated one sack and five QB hits over the last two matchups. Outside of Laiatu Latu (one sack, two QB hits), the rest has been ghostly.

Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner is trending toward a much-needed return, which will help boost the defensive trenches. However, the concern is the defensive ends minus Latu.

Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam have had boring seasons, and J.T. Tuimoloau is still finding his football, appearing not to be ready for a large portion of meaningful snaps.

If the Colts can't pressure Brock Purdy, he'll cook Lou Anarumo's coverage with tight end George Kittle and wide receiver Jauan Jennings.

Jauan Jennings : 3 catches for 37 yards & 2 TD's on 5 targets pic.twitter.com/9CkHoCXDsT

— Lee Harvey (@Sayian_Warrior) December 15, 2025

The defense will need to do heavy lifting as long as Rivers is the starter. It's all about winning up front, and this could hold the crown as the most important goal for Indianapolis to accomplish.

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Dominant Jonathan Taylor Performance on Primetime

Dec 14, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) rushes against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Taylor was ruining defenses for the first 10 games of Indy's season. Below are the metrics he displayed in that span of Indy's 8-2 start.

• Attempts | 189
• Rushing Yards | 1,139
• Rushing Average Per Carry | 6.0
• Rushing TDs | 15
• Receiving TDs | 2

But, during Indy's four-game slide, he's substantially dipped, essentially ending his name among the top of the MVP conversation.

• Attempts | 83
• Rushing Yards | 304
• Rushing Average Per Carry | 3.7
• Rushing TDs | 1
• Receiving TDs | 0

As the numbers indicate, Taylor's incredible 2025 season has taken a nosedive into an endless abyss.

Jonathan Taylor on the Colts offensive game plan last week with Philip Rivers and what that looks like going forward. pic.twitter.com/Nxw3XFlOE6

— Matt Taylor (@MayTayColts) December 19, 2025

It's one-dimensional, but there isn't really any other way to run the offense with Rivers in charge of things under center.

Rivers is a cerebral quarterback, but his physical attributes are worn, meaning that Taylor has to have great performances for the remaining three games, starting with San Francisco at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Defenses know exactly what to expect, and that includes the 49ers defense led by Robert Saleh. However, if one back can absolutely destroy an expecting defense, it's Taylor.

The Bottom Line

Dec 14, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) watches from the sideline during the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven-Imagn Images

The Colts' playoff hopes are falling apart, and currently lie on life support. This game is nearly do-or-die for Indianapolis.

Luckily, Rivers is so mentally sound that the offense won't be put in situations to make critical mistakes. On the flipside, the defense must pressure Purdy and make him uncomfortable.

We'll see if the Colts can muster up a good enough showing to make the experts at ESPN look ridiculous for their predictions.