Indianapolis Colts
Head Coach: Chuck Pagano (22-10 all-time in Indianapolis)
Last Year's Results: 11-5, eliminated by the New England Patriots in the Divsional Round
Projected Starters:
(My Player Rankings Guide:
E - Elite Starter: Franchise changing player at his position
HQ - High Quality Starter: One of the best in the game at his position
GS - Good Starter: If this guy's on your team, he's likely starting and you should be perfectly fine with it
AS - Average Starter: This guy is OK, but if possible, I'd be looking for an upgrade
BAS - Below Average Starer: This guy should not be starting, but he will because he's the best option
??? - Not enough information regarding this guy and the jury is still out on him
R - Rookie: Pretty self-explanatory
PS - Poor Starter: This guy shouldn't be starting for your football team. NO EXCUSES!)
OFFENSE:
QB: Andrew Luck (E)
RB: Trent Richardson (BAS)
FB: Stanley Havili (AS)
WR: Reggie Wayne (HQ)
WR: T.Y. Hilton (HQ)
TE: Coby Fleener (AS)
C: Khaled Holmes (???)
RG: Hugh Thornton (PS)
LG: Jack Mewhort (R)
RT: Gosder Cherilus (GS)
LT: Anthony Castonzo (GS)
DEFENSE:
DE: Arthur Jones (GS)
DE: Ricky Jean Francois (GS)
DT: Josh Chapman (AS)
LOLB: Erik Walden (BAS)
ROLB: Robert Mathis (E)
ILB: D'Qwell Jackson (BAS)
ILB: Jerrell Freeman (AS)
CB: Greg Toler (BAS)
CB: Vontae Davis (GS)
SS: Delano Howell (???)
FS: LaRon Landry (GS)
SPECIAL TEAMS:
K: Adam Vinatieri
P: Pat McAfee
Schedule:
vs. @ Denver
vs. Philadelphia
vs. @ Jacksonville
vs. Tennessee
vs. Baltimore
vs. @ Houston
vs. Cincinnati
vs. @ Pittsburgh
vs. @ New York Giants
BYE WEEK
vs. New England
vs. Jacksonville
vs. Washington
vs. @ Cleveland
vs. Houston
vs. @ Dallas
vs. @ Tennessee
Predicted Results: 13-3 (5-1 in division)
Team Analysis: Surprise, surprise. I'm high once again on the Indianapolis Colts. Just call it the "Andrew Luck Effect". If I was an NFL general manager and I got to start my team with any player I wanted in the league, I'm taking Luck. Barring some kind of serious injury, this guy is Hall-of-Fame bound and will have multiple Super Bowl titles when it's all said and done. I've been watching him and drooling over him since he was a freshman in college and the kid hasn't disappointed in anyway. I should hate the guy for what he did against the Kansas City Chiefs (my favorite team) in the playoffs last season, but I could only sit back and admire at what this guy is able to do at his age. He's a true student of the game and is already one of the best players in the NFL.
This year's Colt's offense will easily be the best one that Luck has had yet. There are still plenty of questions along the offensive line and at running back (that Trent Richardson trade still makes me scratch my head), but Luck has some serious pieces in guys like Reggie Wayne, T.Y. Hilton, Hakeem Nicks, Coby Fleener, and others. The Colts offense will continue to soar as long as Luck is behind center and the team surrounds him with the pieces that they do. There really isn't much to be concerned with here.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Colts should be better than they were last year. They still have holes at linebacker, corner back, and safety, but this unit continues to improve. You have to give the Colts props for the steps that they have taken with this defense as it wasn't that long ago this team was the worst in the NFL and these guys (and an injury to Peyton Manning) were a big reason why. As long as the offense continues to roll, the defense should continue to roll as well. When you also got a guy like Chuck Pagano to help make all the pieces work, you have the makings of a serious Super Bowl sleeper. I'm not brave enough to call the Colts good enough to win the Super Bowl yet, but a trip to the Super Bowl isn't out the realm of possibility. That's what happens when you have a guy like Andrew Luck as the savior of your franchise. Yes, I have a man-crush and it's well deserved in this case.
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