There is a lot of buzz surrounding the Indianapolis Colts at this point of the offseason. For the third straight year, they have added a veteran quarterback, and the general consensus is that this one will be a bigger success than either of the previous two signal callers. Indianapolis has mostly everything else in place to contend for a Super Bowl, so there has been some action on the Colts to lift the Lombardi Trophy at over 23-1.
Indianapolis Colts Season Win Total
Over 9.5 Wins -176
Under 9.5 Wins +143
2022 Indianapolis Colts Schedule
| WEEK | MATCHUP |
| 1 | @ Houston Texans |
| 2 | @ Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 3 | Vs. Kansas City Chiefs |
| 4 | Vs. Tennessee Titans |
| 5 | @ Denver Broncos |
| 6 | Vs. Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 7 | @ Tennessee Titans |
| 8 | Vs. Washington Commanders |
| 9 | @ New England Patriots |
| 10 | @ Las Vegas Raiders |
| 11 | Vs. Philadelphia Eagles |
| 12 | Vs. Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 13 | @ Dallas Cowboys |
| 14 | BYE WEEK |
| 15 | @ Minnesota Vikings |
| 16 | Vs. Los Angeles Chargers |
| 17 | @ New York Giants |
| 18 | Vs. Houston Texans |
Indianapolis Colts Offense
This fanbase is really hoping that the third time is the charm when it comes to bringing in a quarterback. The Colts had one of the most enviable quarterback situations in the NFL for two decades with Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck under center, but Luck’s surprise retirement just before the start of the 2019 season threw this team’s future a major curveball. Indianapolis signed Philip Rivers for his final season in 2020, and he had some success, but he was clearly not the same passer we saw in San Diego. After Rivers retired, the Colts talked themselves into Carson Wentz, yet they were happy to trade him to Washington this offseason after Wentz’s collapse at the end of the season cost the team a playoff berth.
The Colts may have finally found their man in Matt Ryan. The long-time Atlanta quarterback has been one of the NFL’s most underrated quarterbacks throughout his career, and Indianapolis is hoping that they can follow the same formula that led to a Super Bowl for the Los Angeles Rams with Matt Stafford last year. Ryan just turned 37 years old, but he still has a decent amount left in the tank.
Ryan will have the best offensive line in the NFL protecting him. Quenton Nelson is the best guard in the league, and Ryan Kelly and Braden Smith are both elite players. They do a great job opening holes for Jonathan Taylor, and that allowed Taylor to lead the NFL in rushing yards in 2021. Taylor ran for 1,811 yards (5.5 YPC) and 18 touchdowns last season.
There is only one solid receiver on the roster though. Michael Pittman Jr. is a quality option on the perimeter, catching 88 passes for 1,082 yards and six touchdowns last season. Indianapolis drafted Alec Pierce out of Cincinnati in the second round to help alleviate the issues at receiver, and the Colts are crossing their fingers that he can be an instant contributor in this offense.
Indianapolis Colts Defense
This defense ranked ninth in scoring and 16th in total defense last season. The Colts have the potential to be a top eight unit in both facets in 2022 though given the talent available on defense.
Opposing teams will find it tough to run on this front seven. DeForest Buckner is an excellent run stuffer, and Kwity Paye had a promising rookie season at defensive end. The Colts signed veteran defensive end Yannick Ngakoue too, and he is coming off a 10-sack season with the Las Vegas Raiders. Darius Leonard is one of the best weak side linebackers in the NFL, but there are concerns about the other two linebackers in this front seven.
The Colts signed Stephon Gilmore to be their top cornerback this offseason, and that should immediately improve this secondary by a significant amount. Khari Willis and Kenny Moore are quality players, so this should be one of the best pass defenses in the NFL.
Prediction
There are plenty of reasons to be excited about the Indianapolis Colts. If everything goes right, this team could upset Kansas City and Buffalo to win the AFC and get back to the Super Bowl. However, there are reasons to be concerned. There is no real depth at any position on the roster, so they cannot afford to be bit by the injury bug.
If the 9.5 wins was still at even money, the ‘Over’ would be the play. The strong push towards the ‘Over’ from the public makes the ‘Under’ a slightly better play right now though.
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