The Indianapolis Colts will enter the Week 7 game with the league’s best record (5-1). But Shane Steichen isn’t smiling with what’s waiting on Sunday. They will go to the Los Angeles Chargers’ home, SoFi Stadium, and Steichen knows it won’t be a walk in the park.

“I think, the line of scrimmage is going to be big in this game.., that’s part of it,” Steichen said. “Obviously eliminating penalties and taking care of the football and getting the takeaways. A lot of that this game comes down to that every week. There’s so much parity in this league. You go up against opponents that are really good every week. And you got to be at your best and play clean football.”

The message is clear: no room for sloppiness. Meanwhile, the Chargers are starting to find a groove. Even without Quentin Johnston last week, their offense didn’t skip a beat in the 29-27 road win at Miami.

They leaned on quick throws, spreading the ball to Tre’ Harris and Ladd McConkey. That approach kept pressure off their banged-up offensive line, which is still limping into Sunday. Only Joe Alt has a real shot to return, meaning the rest might be running it back. Still, they made it work, and that’s what worries Indy.

Now with Johnston possibly back, that quick-hitting attack gets even faster. Keeping it short and letting the playmakers work after the catch has been the Chargers’ ticket. It masks their protection issues and keeps Justin Herbert upright. Steichen knows it too.

He feels the Chargers “are effective doing it and they’re aggressive in everything they do and so it’ll be hell of a challenge” for them.

However, Steichen’s not just focused on Herbert’s arm.

The Chargers’ defense is another beast. Ranked fourth against the run at 76.9 yards allowed per game, per Pro Football Focus, they don’t give up easy ground. And that might force Steichen to get creative.

Shane Steichen’s potential game plan in Week 7

The Chargers’ defense may bring energy, but their pass rush isn’t exactly striking fear right now. Ranked 21th in the league at 124.2 rushing yards per game, that’s a weakness Shane Steichen can’t ignore.

It opens a door for Colts quarterback Daniel Jones to settle in and control the tempo. And with that much time in the pocket, Jones could slice through the defense with ease. In the last 10 game Jones had 209 completions, and in eight of those 10 games, he had 20 or more. So, might see another good game from him.

And the Colts’ offense is also in good form. They sit atop the NFL in scoring with 194 points, that’s not by accident.

Yet, Steichen knows it’s not just about putting up yards; it’s about finishing drives. Even though Indy holds the No. 3 offensive grade via PFF (81.0), the Chargers’ defense still sits 5th overall at 72.4. So yes, Indy will move the ball, but converting on third downs might still be a grind.

Still, when the Colts reach the red zone, everyone in Indy knows it’s Jonathan Taylor time. The star back has been nearly automatic, finding the end zone 13 times in his last 11 games. And with the Chargers’ tackling unit ranked 26th at 44.8, it’s hard to see that streak slowing down.

So, if history’s any hint, Taylor might just add another to his highlight reel. Week 7 could be a showcase for Steichen’s play-calling, Jones’s poise, and Taylor’s power. So let’s see what happens.