2013 NFL Preview: Indianapolis Colts
Last Season: The Indianapolis Colts shocked a lot of people in 2012 by rallying behind a rookie quarterback and interim head coach Bruce Arians, who stepped in when Chuck Pagano was diagnosed and receiving treatment for leukemia. Chuck Strong became, not only a slogan, but an inspiration for the team and its city. After a 2-3 start, they finished on a 9-2 run, making the playoffs as a wild card, and captured the hearts of many people along the way. Andrew Luck showed he was as advertised, making some rookie mistakes, but also making plays that were simply breathtaking. He also proved to be a master of the 4th quarter, leading the league in come-from-behind victories. Statistically, they were pretty average, ranking 18th in scoring offense and 21st in scoring defense. They also had a -12 turnover ratio. Their playoff trip might be difficult to explain, but it was fun to watch.
Offense: The Colts offense will succeed for fail on the back of Andrew Luck. Detractors could point to his stats as sub-par, but when it mattered, he was as good as anybody. He showed why he was so highly touted and the number one pick of the draft. All indications are that the Colts will have an elite QB for the next decade or so. The questions surround his supporting cast. Reggie Wayne is back, though a little older, but showed last season that he has something left in the tank. There is speed at WR though, with T.Y. Hilton and the addition of Darrius Heyward-Bey. They also have a nice TE pair with Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener. Ahmad Bradshaw joins Vick Ballard at RB, and the pair could be very effective if healthy. The offensive line will be key for the Colts, needing to give Luck time to work. He was 4th in NFL in times sacked, at 41. They'll have to do better than that.
Defense: The defense continues to adapt to the change to a 3-4 defense, and is without Dwight Freeney for the first time since the 2002 season. The pass rush will be an area of emphasis for the team, and Bjoern Werner was drafted with that in mind. They also signed Erik Walden through free agency, controversial because Walden was one of the worst linebackers in the NFL last season. Indianapolis will need somebody on the front seven to step up beyond long-time Colt Robert Mathis, who returns, and continues to play well. In the secondary, new signee LaRon Landry joins Vontae Davis and Antoine Bethea. They will need to force some turnovers and give the front seven time to get pressure on opposing QBs. Davis played well after joining the team last season, but they will need more. Overall, there is concern about the defense, and maybe for good reason.
Why the Colts Will Win the AFC South: Andrew Luck really is that good. He has all the makings of a great QB and will only get better. The rest of the offense has real potential as well, and having the steady presence of Reggie Wayne is a huge plus. Ballard and Bradshaw are both talented RBs and if they are healthy, will open things up for Luck and the receivers. Wayne could have another big year and the TEs could both be big. The defense continues to evolve, and the addition of Werner gives them more speed from the edge. If the pass rush improves, then more turnovers can be generated and Luck gets the ball with more chances to score.
Why the Colts Will Be Under .500: The defense is still trying to fill out the new 3-4 look, and they could continue to struggle. There's a good chance that adding Walden provides little to no benefit, while guys like Werner and Mathis will have to have big seasons. The secondary still doesn't have a guy that shuts his man down week in and week out, and Landry has a history of injuries. They need a lot to go right to have an above average defense. The offensive line could also hurt them. They added a new RT in Gosder Cherilus, but they have to be much better than last year. If Luck takes to many hits or has to play under constant pressure, it will begin to take a toll.
Instant Impact: Luck took a lot of hits last season. Besides the 41 sacks that placed him fourth in the NFL, he absorbed an innumerable number of other hits. The Colts addressed that by signing Gosder Cherilus to play at RT. Cherilus was great as a pass blocker in 2012 for the Lions and will be asked to give the Indy QB more time to find his WRs. It might be the most important move the Colts made this offseason.
Questions I Have: Did the Colts improve the defense enough, or at all? Can Darrius Heyward-Bey be an effective #2 WR? Can the Colts possibly duplicate the emotion and sense of destiny that propelled them last year?
Overall: There was scarcely a better story in sports in 2012 than the story of the Colts, who surprised everybody. But can they do it again? Andrew Luck is a rare talent who already finds himself mentioned among the game's best QBs. If he can improve on what he did last year, and gets the time in the pocket, he could do amazing things. The team's problem will be on the other side of the ball, where they have some work to do. They could score a ton of points, but might lose some 35-31 games. The team appears to be set up for success with some nice parts to build around, but they'll be hard-pressed to repeat what they did last season.
Offense: The Colts offense will succeed for fail on the back of Andrew Luck. Detractors could point to his stats as sub-par, but when it mattered, he was as good as anybody. He showed why he was so highly touted and the number one pick of the draft. All indications are that the Colts will have an elite QB for the next decade or so. The questions surround his supporting cast. Reggie Wayne is back, though a little older, but showed last season that he has something left in the tank. There is speed at WR though, with T.Y. Hilton and the addition of Darrius Heyward-Bey. They also have a nice TE pair with Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener. Ahmad Bradshaw joins Vick Ballard at RB, and the pair could be very effective if healthy. The offensive line will be key for the Colts, needing to give Luck time to work. He was 4th in NFL in times sacked, at 41. They'll have to do better than that.
Defense: The defense continues to adapt to the change to a 3-4 defense, and is without Dwight Freeney for the first time since the 2002 season. The pass rush will be an area of emphasis for the team, and Bjoern Werner was drafted with that in mind. They also signed Erik Walden through free agency, controversial because Walden was one of the worst linebackers in the NFL last season. Indianapolis will need somebody on the front seven to step up beyond long-time Colt Robert Mathis, who returns, and continues to play well. In the secondary, new signee LaRon Landry joins Vontae Davis and Antoine Bethea. They will need to force some turnovers and give the front seven time to get pressure on opposing QBs. Davis played well after joining the team last season, but they will need more. Overall, there is concern about the defense, and maybe for good reason.
Why the Colts Will Win the AFC South: Andrew Luck really is that good. He has all the makings of a great QB and will only get better. The rest of the offense has real potential as well, and having the steady presence of Reggie Wayne is a huge plus. Ballard and Bradshaw are both talented RBs and if they are healthy, will open things up for Luck and the receivers. Wayne could have another big year and the TEs could both be big. The defense continues to evolve, and the addition of Werner gives them more speed from the edge. If the pass rush improves, then more turnovers can be generated and Luck gets the ball with more chances to score.
Why the Colts Will Be Under .500: The defense is still trying to fill out the new 3-4 look, and they could continue to struggle. There's a good chance that adding Walden provides little to no benefit, while guys like Werner and Mathis will have to have big seasons. The secondary still doesn't have a guy that shuts his man down week in and week out, and Landry has a history of injuries. They need a lot to go right to have an above average defense. The offensive line could also hurt them. They added a new RT in Gosder Cherilus, but they have to be much better than last year. If Luck takes to many hits or has to play under constant pressure, it will begin to take a toll.
Instant Impact: Luck took a lot of hits last season. Besides the 41 sacks that placed him fourth in the NFL, he absorbed an innumerable number of other hits. The Colts addressed that by signing Gosder Cherilus to play at RT. Cherilus was great as a pass blocker in 2012 for the Lions and will be asked to give the Indy QB more time to find his WRs. It might be the most important move the Colts made this offseason.
Questions I Have: Did the Colts improve the defense enough, or at all? Can Darrius Heyward-Bey be an effective #2 WR? Can the Colts possibly duplicate the emotion and sense of destiny that propelled them last year?
Overall: There was scarcely a better story in sports in 2012 than the story of the Colts, who surprised everybody. But can they do it again? Andrew Luck is a rare talent who already finds himself mentioned among the game's best QBs. If he can improve on what he did last year, and gets the time in the pocket, he could do amazing things. The team's problem will be on the other side of the ball, where they have some work to do. They could score a ton of points, but might lose some 35-31 games. The team appears to be set up for success with some nice parts to build around, but they'll be hard-pressed to repeat what they did last season.
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