NFL
By: Monte Perez
Head Coach, Frank Reich, heads into his 5th season in Indianapolis. He has compiled a record of, 37-28 and his team has made the post-season 2 out of his first 4 years. In 2021, the Colts lost their final game of the season to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 26-11. That loss effectively knocked them out of the playoffs and forced Carson Wentz to be traded to Washington. The pressure is on Reich to not only win the division but make a deep playoff run.
Colts Offense:
Veteran quarterback Matt Ryan (37 years old) will take over under center. Last season, Ryan threw for 3,968 yards and had 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The hope is that Ryan still has something left in the tank and can be revitalized in a new system. This offensive line is ranked in the top 10 by Pro Football Focus. Their productivity is the key to the Colts’ success. This team is built on running the football. Jonathan Taylor became the youngest player ever to have 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 20 touchdowns. He tied an NFL record with eight straight games with 100 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown. Michael Pittman had a very good 2nd season. He had 1,082 receiving yards. The question for this offense will be the no.2 option in the receiving game. If they can find someone to step up and be reliable they could be very successful.
Defense:
Losing defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus will be a huge adjustment. Eberflus is now the head coach of the Chicago Bears. The Colts have some solid building blocks in Pro Bowl linebacker Darius Leonard and Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. In 4 seasons, Leonard has 535 tackles and is one of the best linebackers in the NFL. Stephon Gilmore is a reliable No. 1 cornerback and Yannick Ngakoue, Buckner, Kwity Paye, and Dayo Odeyingbo should help the Colts be amongst the league leaders in team sacks or quarterback pressures.
Prediction:
The AFC South is a bad division. The Jacksonville Jaguars are rebuilding and the Houston Texans could be one of the worst teams in the NFL. The only competition for Indianapolis is the Tennessee Titans. I like the Colts to win their division and win a first-round playoff game. Get ready for the season and grab some new gear here.
Indianapolis projected record, 12-5.
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