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Other articles in the 2026 preview series: Wk 1 Eagles – Wk 2 Cowboys – Wk 3 Seahawks
Previewing Washington’s 14 opponents of the ‘26 season — one at a time
In 2026, the Commanders will, like every other team in the NFL, play 17 games against 14 opponents. With the amount of roster change that NFL teams undergo
annually along with the unusually large number of head coach and coordinator changes in 2026, it seems useful to spend some time to review each of Washington’s regular season opponents.
Week 4 will see the Commanders travel to London for one of its 9 “home” games, this one against the first AFC opponent of the season, the Indianapolis Colts.
Week 4 Preview: Indianapolis Colts at Washington Commanders (in London)
Date: October 4, 2026, 9:30 a.m. ET
Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England
Washington played a pair of division rivals on the road to open the season, traveling to Philadelphia and Dallas. The Commanders played at home against the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks in Week 3, and now take the next step in the grueling first quarter of the 2026 regular season by flying to London to play host to the Colts.
The All-Time Series Numbers
The history of this AFC-NFC rivalry is a bit more intense than other inter-conference rivalries because the two teams played each other pretty much annually from 1955 to 1969. The bad news is that the Colts dominated the Redskins during that stretch, winning 14 of 16 games played from 1956 to 1978.
The ‘Skins went 5-2 against Indy over the next two decades, but Washington lost the final four games played with the Redskins logo on the helmet, going 0-4 from ‘06 to ‘18.
The Commanders are undefeated, having beaten the Colts 17-16 on the road in October 2022 in the only game played between the two teams since the name change. In that game, Taylor Heinicke led the team in both passing & rushing yards with a combined 308 yards, 2 TDs & 1 INT; he also ran in the winning touchdown with 00:22 on the clock. Terry McLaurin had 6 catches for 108 yards in his hometown, while Antonio Gibson ran for 19 yards, but added 58 receiving yards and a touchdown, catching all 7 targets.
Dan Quinn will be hoping to log his first win as Commanders head coach against the Colts to extend the current win streak to 2 games. His Falcons lost by 3 points in his only other head coaching matchup with Indianapolis, which took place in 2019.
The Colts quarterback situation
Indy’s starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, suffered a season-ending, non-contact torn right Achilles tendon in December 2025 during a Week 14 loss to the Jaguars. Before the Achilles tear ended his season, Jones had been enjoying a successful career renaissance in Indianapolis, guiding the team to an 8–5 record while completing over 67% of his passes for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions.
Despite the injury, the Colts signed Jones to a 2-year, $88 million contract extension during the 2026 offseason.
By June 2026, roughly 6 months post-surgery, Jones’ is reported to be ahead of the traditional timeline for an Achilles recovery, leading the starting offense in non-contact 7-on-7 drills during OTAs. He confidently stated he “absolutely” expects to be fully cleared as the starting quarterback for the Colts’ September 13 regular-season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, but it is common for NFL players to be bullish on their recovery timelines during the offseason.
Colts fans will be hoping that Jones is ready for the season since he is backed up by Anthony Richardson, who has shown very limited propensity for winning NFL games in his 3 NFL seasons, compiling an 8-7 record as a starter while completing 50.6% of his passes, with 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. His rushing stats are more impressive, having compiled 634 rushing yards and 10 rushing TDs with an average per rush of 5.5 yards.
Last year’s 6th-round pick Riley Leonard, formerly of Duke and Notre Dame, appears to be 3rd on the depth chart.
Commanders fans may be hoping that Jones opens the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list. As the QB of the NY Giants, Jones notoriously had many of the best games of his career against the burgundy & gold.
Daniel Jones has a 5–3–1 all-time career record against the Washington franchise, which he accumulated during his six seasons with the New York Giants. Historically, Washington has been one of Jones’ least successful opponents, highlighted by the QB’s dominant 100.3 career passer rating against them, along with 14 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions.
Things have been trending Washington’s way over time, however. The Redskins were 0-2 against Jones in 2019; the Washington Football Team was 1-3, losing both games in 2020, but winning the sole matchup against Jones in 2021.
The Commanders had a 2-1-1 record against Daniel Jones, including a win in 2024 in the final game against him before he left the NFC East.
Washington has had some notable players who came from Indianapolis
When I was a young man, just graduated from university, running back Joe Washington, who played for the Colts from 1978 to 1980, was traded to the Redskins, where he played for 4 seasons and served as a key offensive weapon for the squad that won Super Bowl XVII.
In a different era of Washington football, Marcus Washington, a linebacker who began his career with 4 productive seasons in Indianapolis (2000–03), before signing with Washington as a free agent in 2004. As a Redskin, he made the Pro Bowl in 2004 (and alternate in ‘05 & ‘06) and became a defensive captain.
Current Commanders fans of most ages are likely to remember Pierre Garçon very well and very fondly. Despite having been drafted by the Colts, Garçon remains a Washington supporter these days. After helping the Colts reach Super Bowl XLIV, he signed in free agency with Washington in 2012 (RG3’s rookie season), and led the NFL in receptions in 2013 with 113 catches.
Commanders fans will be hoping that safety Nick Cross is the latest addition to the list of Indianapolis-to-Washington success stories.
Colts 2026 coaching stability
The Colts maintained coaching continuity for the 2026 season by retaining head coach Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, and defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. The only really notable change to the coaching staff was the hiring of Marion Hobby as the defensive line coach.
The Colts on offense
Built on West Coast offense principles, the foundation of the 2026 playbook relies heavily on RPO and play-action concepts. By utilizing heavy formations and tight split wide receivers, the Colts force defenses to commit defenders to the box. The scheme uses a mix of inside zone runs and pulling guard counters. If Jones is fully recovered from his Achilles injury, the playbook features designed quarterback read-options and sweeps, but Anthony Richardson should excel at these plays as well. This constant threat of a mobile quarterback opens clean rushing lanes for the running backs and forces linebackers to play horizontally.
The Colts will frequently deploy 11-personnel to spread the field. However, they will also mix in two-tight end sets to disguise deep shots out of run-heavy looks. Indy uses a no-huddle, up-tempo pace at times, allowing a healthy Daniel Jones to exploit mismatches at the line of scrimmage.
The Colts on defense
The defining trait of Anarumo’s unit is pre-snap deception. The Colts heavily utilize post-snap safety rotations and “creeper” pressures—blitzing a linebacker or defensive back while dropping an elite defensive lineman into coverage. By showing identical pre-snap looks before dropping into completely different coverages, the defense forces opposing quarterbacks into post-snap hesitation and turnovers.
Up front, the Colts alternate between traditional even (4-3) and odd (3-4) fronts to create unfavorable matchups. The arrival of new defensive line coach Marion Hobby reinforces a heavy rotation system to keep players fresh. Anarumo relies on complex line stunts, interior twists, and simulated pressures to generate a pass rush without having to sacrifice defenders in secondary coverage.
Key statistical 2025 rankings
In 2025, the Colts were a bit like the Cowboys, with a highly-ranked offense but a porous defense. With no significant change in coaching aside from DL coach, the team will likely be relying primarily on roster changes to improve the defensive effectiveness.
Offensive Rankings
- Points Per Game: 8th overall (27.4 points/game)
- Total Yards Per Game: 9th overall (345.6 yards/game)
- Passing Yards: 9th overall
- DVOA Offense: 4th overall
- Passing DVOA: 8th overall
- Rushing DVOA: 5th overall
Defensive Rankings
- Points Allowed Per Game: 21st overall (24.2 points/game)
- Total Yards Allowed Per Game: 23rd overall (348.8 yards/game)
- Passing Yards Allowed: 31st overall
- DVOA Defense: 14th overall
- Defensive Passing DVOA: 14th overall
- Defensive Rushing DVOA: 17th overall
Roster Moves: Free Agency and the Draft
Key Free Agent Signings/Departures
Signings:
The Colts were not highly active in 2026 free agency, primarily signing 9 veteran players to league minimum contracts. The key additions were both pass rushers:
- Edge Arden Key (from the Titans)
- Edge Michael Clemons (from the Jets)
The Colts did retain some potential free agents, most notably WR Alec Pierce, whom the Commanders front office reportedly had hoped to sign. Pierce had foot surgery recently, but is expected to be ready for the season. Of course, Daniel Jones was signed to a 2-year extension, discussed above. TE Andrew Ogletree also got a 1-year extension at $2.2m.
Departures:
A very significant free agency move from the Commanders standpoint was the decision of safety Nick Cross to leave the Colts and return to the DMV as Washington’s projected starting strong safety. Other significant Colts losses in free agency include:
- DL Neville Gallimore
- Edge Kwity Paye
- WR Michael Pittman Jr. (Traded to Steelers)
- RT Braden Smith
- LB Zaire Franklin (Traded to the Packers)
The Indianapolis Colts’ 2026 free agency period can be summed up in one word: passive. While rival teams aggressively spent to upgrade their rosters, general manager Chris Ballard stuck rigidly to his traditional, conservative script, prioritizing internal retention over external star power.
When it came to mining the open market for outside help, the Colts mostly stood pat aside from a pair of edge rusher signings. The team didn’t really land an impact, blue-chip free agent to address needs at safety or boundary cornerback, while losing Nick Cross. By relying almost entirely on the upcoming draft (in which they had no 1st-round pick) and the return of injured players to fill starting voids, the Colts are banking heavily on internal development.
The 2026 NFL Draft
Round 2
- CJ Allen, LB, Georgia (No. 53 overall): Expected to compete as a Day 1 starter at middle linebacker to replace traded veteran captain Zaire Franklin.
Round 3
- A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU (No. 78 overall): A versatile, ball-hawking safety with 8 INTs over the past 2 seasons. Projects as a potential starter at strong safety after the departure of Nick Cross to Washington.
Round 4
- Jalen Farmer, OG, Kentucky (No. 113 overall): Powerful, yet nimble interior OL who provides quality depth. 0.2% pressure rate on pass blocks in 2025.
- Bryce Boettcher, LB, Oregon (No. 135 overall): Physical, high-production player. Led all major conference FBS players with 131 tackles.
Round 5
- George Gumbs Jr., DE, Florida (No. 156 overall): Edge rusher with explosive RAS. Physical traits but raw college production.
Round 6
- Caden Curry, DE, Ohio State (No. 214 overall): Highly productive DE from Indianapolis suburbs. High-effort motor and scheme-flexibility along DL.
Round 7
- Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma (No. 254 overall): Undersized, but speedy WR who can play both slot and outside.
- Seth McGowan, RB, Kentucky (No. 237 overall): Will compete for depth behind Jonathan Taylor. Scored 12 touchdowns in 2025.
Betting Lines
Oddsmakers have established the Commanders as the slight favorite in early odds for this matchup.
- Point Spread: Washington -1.5
- Game Total (Over/Under): 48.5 points
A 1.5-point spread represents a lot of uncertainty for this international NFL game in which Washington is the designated home team. The point total is set at 48.5, reflecting expectations of solid offensive output from both sides.
