NFL Network’s Kurt Warner Talks Colts Concerns & Jayden Daniels’ Possible Return

Kurt Warner had a front-row seat for Washington's quarterback scramble and Indianapolis' quiet resurgence, and he came away believing in the Colts, with one big caveat.

Rich opened by floating a movie pitch. Rookie Athan Kaliakmanis, "Mr. Rutgers himself," nearly pulled off the New Brunswick underdog story after Marcus Mariota went down. Warner liked what he saw from the kid, even if the result didn't follow.

"Fun to see the rookie get an opportunity, and he wasn't afraid to sling it around and push it down the field," Warner said. "It obviously just didn't work out for him."

The bigger question for Washington is Jayden Daniels. Warner was with the team on Thursday, and what he saw pointed toward a return for Week 5 against the Giants. Daniels took team snaps that day, and the plan sounded firm.

"I got the impression that they were hopeful he was going to play next week anyways," Warner said. "That's what they were shooting for," as long as Daniels found the right comfort level with what he could and couldn't do in the brace. Warner was careful to add that nobody is going to rush him back if he isn't ready, but with what the team found out about Mariota, everyone is hoping Daniels is good to go.

Then the conversation turned to the team on the other sideline. The Colts, who face the Steelers this week, had lost nine straight games before beating Houston two weeks ago. They stacked another win on top of it against Washington.

"Obviously the Jags are playing really good football, but I think this is a good football team," Warner said.

His first worry is Daniel Jones and the turnovers. Two of them came early against Washington. One came when Jones got run into by his own tackle and dropped the football.

"If it's a sack, it's a sack, but you can't fumble the football," Warner said. He also flagged a late throw over the middle when Jones should have taken the sack and lived for another day. By Warner's count, the Colts have gone eight straight games without winning the turnover margin, and they lost it again on Sunday. They have found ways to win anyway. "That's got to get eliminated."

The second worry is a young defense. Indianapolis gave up over 1,000 yards in the first two weeks, then cut that in half against Houston and played well again this past week. Warner relayed what one of the team's coaches told him: the young players know their responsibilities, but they aren't yet at the point where they can adjust to what an offense is showing them, whether that's a certain look or pre-snap motion.

"When they get to that point," Warner said, and with Jonathan Taylor in the backfield and some of the offensive weapons getting healthy, "I definitely believe they're a team that's viable to make a playoff spot."

Clean up the turnovers, let the kids grow up, and the Colts are a problem. That's the Hall of Famer's read, and it's hard to argue with a nine-game skid turned into back-to-back wins.