Let’s get this party started. We continue the never too early season preview series with the Indianapolis Colts.
Overview:
Last year’s AFC South title was won without any real competition, and the Colts are the favorite in the AFC NASCAR division this year. Houston is their biggest threat; they won it in ’11 and ’12 and they’ll rebound from last year’s disaster faster than you think. Tennessee has been running on a treadmill as a franchise for awhile, and Jacksonville is well, Jacksonville.
Andrew Luck is THE TRUTH. He’s a bonafide franchise QB and more. Luck won both the most hyped up game of the regular season (PEYTON IS COMING BACK OMG!) and the most exciting, best to watch game (the epic come back from that deep hole they were in versus Kansas City in the wild card round. But he needs help. Getting Reggie Wayne back healthy will make a huge difference.
And cornerback Vontae Davis is one of the best at his position in the game. They also have D’Qwell Jackson coming in, and he’s more than just a real life name in a Key & Peele comedy sketch- he’s exactly what the Colts need to strengthen their very weak run defense.
Offense:
Remember when laughed at the Cleveland Browns for the Trent Richardson trade with the Colts? Well, who’s laughing now? Already it seems pretty clear that the Indianapolis Colts got pantsed in that one. Of course, you have to ask Cleveland what they were doing drafting a running back so high to begin with in today’s NFL. The Colts are a pass-first attack that does not turn the ball over. They were first in the NFL when it comes to giveaways. I like the Hakeen Nicks addition.
I do hate their draft though. They didn’t have a first round pick, and their second pick, Ohio State OL Jack Mewhort was a horrible selection. he has bust written all over him. So essentially their draft didn’t even begin until round 3. So while the Colts had probably the worst draft in the NFL, their offseason itself was okay. It’s really more a matter of getting everyone back healthy.
Defense:
To win the AFC South again, they don’t have to be world beaters. The competition isn’t all that fierce, and the Colts have the league’s easiest schedule. However, this year is about so much more than the AFC NASCAR division. This season is about elevating to the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots level. The key will be stopping the run. Indy ranked 26th last year and 29th the year before against the run.
OLB Robert Mathis is a big time player- leading the NFL in sacks. Florida State product Bjoern Warner needs to learn from his example and step up. We’ve covered Vontae, and he covers most everybody. But who will help him? The unit as a whole is very uninspiring. They truly made Alex Smith look like Joe Montana.
Special Teams/Odds and Ends:
Vinatieri and McAfee are as good as ever and as good as anyone in the league. The return game is weak though.
Bottom Line: 12-4 looks about right. Let’s see if the Indianapolis Colts can take the next step up in the playoffs.
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports and Yahoo! He’s been a guest on news talk shows all across the world. He’s also a special contributor to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Banks has been featured in numerous media outlets including NFL.com, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Deadspin, ESPN, NBC, CBS, the History Channel and more. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)