Wednesday, December 17, 2014
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
8:30PM ET - October 26th, 2015
Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN
| Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts | |||||
| Oct 26, 2015 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Buffalo Bills (3-5, 2-2 Away) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| Indianapolis Colts (7-1, 4-0 Home) | 14 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 45 |
Top Performers
Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 260YDS, 3TD
Rushing : T. Richardson (IND) - 22CAR, 142YDS, 2TD
Receiving : T.Y. Hilton (IND) - 10REC, 133YDS, TD
INDIANAPOLIS - After a long layoff the Colts welcomed the Buffalo Bills for yet another home game, and the Bills did their best to lay down and boost team confidence going into a game against Houston next week. E.J. Manuel got the start for Buffalo, just the kind of QB that gives Indianapolis trouble, but his passing was more than subpar.
Manuel opened the game with a pick to Prince Amukamara who ran the ball down to the 9, giving Andrew Luck an opening to hit Reggie Wayne on a 9 yard TD pass. Indianapolis went on a 21-0 run before Dan Carpenter hit a 50 yard FG to finally put Buffalo on the board. The Bills offense was completely ineffective, failing to total 100 yards of passing offense, and Manuel led the team in rushing with 26 yards.
Richardson continues to look like Cleveland made a mistake trading him.
The Colts, dominant as ever, rolled over the Bills and just kept scoring in an attempt to frighten Houston. Indianapolis is really starting to look like potential Superbowl Champions, it is early but if they continue playing like this nobody will be able to beat them.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
8:20PM ET - October 15th, 2015
Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN
| Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts | |||||
| Oct 15, 2015 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Houston Texans (4-2, 3-1 Away) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Indianapolis Colts (6-1, 3-0 Home) | 10 | 7 | 2 | 3 | |
Top Performers
Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 219YDS, TD
Rushing : T. Richardson (IND) - 25CAR, 130YDS, TD
Receiving : T.Y. Hilton (IND) - 15REC, 137YDS, TD
INDIANAPOLIS - The Colts coaching staff is thankful they had an easy game against Jacksonville last week, and it was at home, because they faced a short turnaround and a visit from Houston this week. A win tonight would be a great boost heading into a Week 8 BYE, but they would have to face the Texans first.
As it turned out, the Texans had about as much fight in them as the Jaguars. To be fair, they lost Matt Flynn in the first quarter after a crushing sack by Donavon Browning. Ryan Fitzpatrick came in for Flynn, but he was a serious downgrade and struggled to do anything through the air.
Hilton caught 15 of Luck's 30 completions.
Andrew Luck had a poor game, barely passing the 200 yard mark and throwing a pick, but the Colts running game let him off the hook. Trent Richardson had huge holes to run through and made it look easy against one of the best fronts in the NFL.
One of the biggest reasons for Indianapolis' easy win were all of the Texans mistakes. Andrew Johnson fumbled a ball on their own 23 to give the Colts a short field, and a 3rd quarter safety didn't help either. The Colts went into the 2nd half up only 17-3, but with the Texans struggling to do anything it was more than enough to walk away 6-1. The Colts head into their BYE week looking at another home game, this time against Buffalo, before a Week 6 rematch in Houston.
Monday, December 1, 2014
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
1:00PM ET - October 11th, 2015
Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN
| Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts | |||||
| Oct 11, 2015 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Jacksonville Jaguars (2-3, 2-1 Away) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| Indianapolis Colts (5-1, 2-0 Home) | 3 | 21 | 0 | 7 | 31 |
Top Performers
Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 200YDS, 2TD
Rushing : T. Richardson (IND) - 35CAR, 156YDS, TD
Receiving : T.Y. Hilton (IND) - 10REC, 117YDS, TD
INDIANAPOLIS - After a tough loss at New England the Colts looked like potential champions once again, it was the Jaguars, but they handled a lesser team like a champion should. Jacksonville came into this game at 2-2, a good start for them, but Indianapolis basically ran them over and didn't need to work all that hard on offense to win this one.
Andrew Luck wasn't all that sharp, finishing the day 22/33 for only 200 yards, but the Colts did just enough to win. Indianapolis went up 17-0 on two passing touchdowns in the first half before bringing out the running game to crush Jacksonville. The Colts ran the ball 51 times between Trent Richardson (35) and Vick Ballard (16) for a whopping 235 yards.
Hilton was Luck's favorite target today.
Even though the Jaguars knew what was coming, the much improved Colts line pushed them out of the way to make room for Richardson and Ballard. The Jaguars are hardly a great defense, but the Colts were able to show that they could run the ball when needed. Indianapolis stays home for a Week 7 match up against division rival Houston.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
1:00 PM ET - October 4th, 2015
Gillette Stadium - Foxborough, MA
| Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots | |||||
| Oct 4, 2015 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Indianapolis Colts (4-1, 3-1 Away) | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| New England Patriots (2-3, 2-1 Home) | 3 | 14 | 9 | 0 | 26 |
Top Performers
Passing : T. Brady (NE) - 305YDS, 2TD
Rushing : T.Richardson (IND) - 21CAR, 105YDS, 2TD
Receiving : C. Shorts III (IND) - 11REC, 109YDS, TD
FOXBOROUGH - The 1976 Miami Dophins have one less team to worry about after the Colts dropped a game they seemed to dominate. The Colts defense held the Patriots to a measly 7 rushing yards, but turnovers and defensive touchdowns would wipe out the statistical advantage. In the end, only points matter and Indianapolis didn't have enough.
DE Arthur Jones returned from injury today, and his presence helped the Colts crush the Patriots running game. Bill Belichick isn't one to be discouraged, and neither is Tom Brady, both had no trouble converting turnovers into points.
The Colts were up 7-3 after a 42 yard bomb to Cecil Shorts III, but a Jerod Mayo hit to Andrew Luck caused him to throw a terrible pass that was caught by Jaylen Sam and taken back for a TD. The Patriots kept things close and took the lead 26-14 going into the 4th quarter. Indianapolis, as usual, made a strong push to win the game but came up short, literally. A short Trent Richardson TD run pulled Indianapolis within 5 points, but the kicker came as the clock passed 0:20 left in the game. Indianapolis drove the down to the 9 yard line and ended up facing a 4th and goal, a situation that they were sure to make good on. Luck hit Da'Rick Rogers on a short slant that looked like a sure TD, but he was tripped up from behind and called down at the 2 to end the game.
This bizarre Pick-Six decided the game.
It's only Week 5, so the Colts didn't seem to upset, but losing to the Patriots again never feels good. It's hard to tell what went wrong outside of the pick-six, the Colts racked up 6 sacks and ran the ball well. Despite containing New England's explosive attack, they just couldn't get it done. Indianapolis heads home for an easy match up against the Jaguars next week. The Colts go into an odd stretch of the season with four of the next five games against AFC South opponents.
Friday, November 28, 2014
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
1:00 PM ET - September 27th, 2015
LP Field - Nashville, TN
| Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans | |||||
| Sep 27, 2015 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Indianapolis Colts (4-0, 3-0 Away) | 0 | 10 | 0 | 21 | 31 |
| Tennessee Titans (1-3, 1-2 Home) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Top Performers
Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 198YDS, TD
Rushing : T.Richardson (IND) - 35CAR, 153YDS, 3TD
Receiving : T.Y. Hilton (IND) - 9REC, 65YDS
NASHVILLE - Lovers of offense were not happy today, but if you get excited about a bruising running game you might have come away with something. The Titans defense played extremely well, which isn't a surprise considering it is their only strength, but their offense was so bad it didn't make much of a difference.
The Titans started this game off with a serious disadvantage under center, with Jake Locker out after an early season shoulder injury Kase Keenum would get the start. Keenum was terrible, going 11/18 for only 101 yards and 2INT. Andrew Luck wasn't much better, getting picked off in the 3rd quarter to set up a Titans FG, but he was able to guide the offense thanks to the running game.
Richardson won the game with 3TD.
Not much happened during the game as Trent Richardson shouldered the load with 35 carries. The Titans just didn't have an answer for the Colts running game and found themselves flat on their backs. Both of Keenum's INT came in the 4th quarter and both resulted in game killing touchdowns by Indianapolis.
The Colts finish up their three game stretch of road games at New England next week. They will definitely need to be better on offense if they expect to come away with a win at Foxborough even though the Patriots have started the season 1-3.
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
4:15 PM ET - September 20th, 2015
Qualcomm Stadium - San Diego, CA
| Indianapolis Colts at San Diego Chargers | |||||
| Sep 20, 2015 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Indianapolis Colts (3-0, 0-2 Away) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 31 |
| San Diego Chargers (2-1, 0-1 Home) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
Top Performers
Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 284YDS, 4TD
Rushing : T.Richardson (IND) - 21CAR, 89YDS
Receiving : R. Wayne (IND) - 12REC, 113YDS
SAN DIEGO - Indianapolis traveled across the country to sunny San Diego, and the Colts coaching staff made a big decision. Branch Daniels, their 1st round pick in the 2015 Draft, has now replaced LaRon Landry as the starting FS. Everyone knew it was coming, and Daniels took over the first team snaps in practice this week. Facing Philip Rivers and a Mike McCoy offense pushed Pagano to give the speedy rookie a shot, few think he will reliquish his roster spot any time soon.
As things turned out, Daniels wouldn't have all that much to do until the end of the game. The Colts defense was excellent and basically shut down the Chargers offense. As expected, the biggest issue was covering receicing HB Danny Woodhead. Woodhead was muted on the ground, going 10/24 with San Diego's only TD, but his 3 receptions for 33 yards were all for 1st downs.
Hilton's 2TD were key.
The Chargers defense played well, holding Andrew Luck to 284 yards on a 37/40 day, but the praise stops at his 4TD passes. Reggie Wayne (12) and TY Hilton (13) both caught double digit passes and made the Chargers secondary look unprepared at best.
The Colts, despite the long flight, didn't appear all that troubled. Pagano was happy with the win, but pointed out that the team would need to play better as a whole going forward. This team is more capable than the 31-10 final score, and they will need to execute more effectively.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
1:00PM ET - September 13th, 2015
Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN
| Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts | |||||
| Sep 13, 2015 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Miami Dolphins (0-2, 0-1 Away) | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Indianapolis Colts (2-0, 1-0 Home) | 7 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 29 |
Top Performers
Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 347YDS, 2TD
Rushing : T. Richardson (IND) - 19CAR, 100YDS, TD
Receiving : R.Wayne (IND) - 14REC, 127YDS, 2TD
INDIANAPOLIS - The Colts took the field today for their home opener, and despite the win there were some red flags for the future. Indianapolis OC Pep Hamilton has been openly dedicated to the run, but at times they seem to rely on Andrew Luck throwing the ball more than planned. Today was one of those days, with Luck throwing the ball 50 times, it's hard to tell if this is going to be an issue.
The Dolphins came into this game with a decent defense, but they didn't seem to plan for Reggie Wayne. Luck is spoiled for receiving options, and the Dolphins looked like they wanted to stop the running game and passing over the middle. This plan worked, slowing Dwayne Allen and Trent Richardson, but Luck just decided to hit Wayne and TY Hilton over and over and over.
Indianapolis was enjoying a 17-0 lead in the 2nd quarter before allowing a Lamar Miller TD run, and then an officiating gaffe gave the Dolphins amazing field position. Allen came across the field on a drag route and with the ball in the air OLB Jelani Jenkins blocked him off. The pass sailed into the secondary and Cortland Finnegan snatch the ball out of the air. The refs called it an interception, even with Pagano complaining to the officials, they failed to make the call. With the ball on the 31 it wasn't hard for Ryan Tannehill to find Brian Hartline in the endzone to make it 17-14 before halftime.
Wayne makes his way into the endzone.
Defensively the Colts came up big time in the second half, shutting out the Dolphins. The only problem was something the team has struggled with over the past few seasons; HB receivers. Miller had a terrible day on the ground, only 30 yards on 11 carries, but he racked up 95 yards on 3 receptions. The Dolphins couldn't take advantage, but there will be teams that can. The high point of the game for the Colts defense was a massive goal line stand from the 4. The Colts turned a Miami 1st and goal in four straight sacks to knock them back 24 yards and seal their shutout.
Indianapolis will need to keep rolling with a tough West Coast road game at San Diego next week. The two teams faced off in the pre-season, and you can bet the Chargers haven't forgotten the 48-27 beating handed down by the Colts.
Saturday, November 22, 2014
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
4:15 PM ET - September 6th, 2015
Bank Of America Stadium - Charlotte, NC
| Indianapolis Colts at Carolina Panthers | |||||
| Sep 6, 2015 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Indianapolis Colts (1-0, 1-0 Away) | 7 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
| Carolina Panthers (0-1, 0-1 Home) | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
Top Performers
Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 334YDS, 3TD
Rushing : T.Richardson (IND) - 19CAR, 95YDS, TD
Receiving : R. Wayne (IND) - 12REC, 98YDS, TD
CHARLOTTE - The Colts were very excited to get started with the 2015 season, mostly to forget about 2014, but to also prove they had a Superbowl run in them. There were some bumps in the road before the game even started with starting RE Arthur Jones set to miss 4 weeks with a groin injury. Losing Jones would cause Chuck Pagano heartburn, Cam Newtown would represent a serious issue for the Colts defense as they struggle with mobile QB's.
Indianapolis started off on the wrong foot, with Reggie Wayne losing a fumble on the opening drive that resulted in a Graham Gano 51 yard FG, but after that is was all Colts. Andrew Luck, now endowed with an embarassment of offensive riches, looked about as sharp as everyone expected. Trent Richardson ran well to keep the aggressive Panthers defense honest, but it didn't seem to matter if they knew what was coming.
The Colts would enjoy a 17-3 after the first half, and it wasn't until Luck made his only mistake of the game that Carolina showed some life. Luck tried to hit Dwayne Allen on a drag route and Luke Keuchly jumped in to pick it off and run in for a Panthers score.
Wayne looked like he was 27 against the Panthers secondary.
Luck wasn't all that phased and went on to throw another TD pass, this time to Coby Fleener, and lead a final scoring drive that ended with a Richardson TD run. Luck finished his day 39/44, finding six different receivers over the course of the game. The Colts revamped defense did it's job as well, shutting down the Panthers' running game. Carolina's 1st round draft pick, HB Zeke Phillips out of USC, was held to a sorry 28 rushing yards on 10 attempts.
Indianapolis heads home to face a floundering Dolphins team that should net them a 2-0 start to the season.
Monday, November 17, 2014
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
AFC SOUTH PROJECTIONS
Indianapolis Colts (12-4) : The Colts look good on offense, really really good, and it's going to be really hard for the rest of this division to stop them. Thanks to two of the worst teams in football they can pencil in a 4-0 record against the Titans and Jaguars. After the changes made to the defensive roster it's doubtful this team is going to choke away victories in the waging seconds again, look for the Colts to put away opponents early and often.
Luck could win his second MVP Award.
Houston Texans (9-7) : This team is difficult to read, but they will definitely continue to be a dominant force on defense. Their issue now is the offense, and it's hard to think they can hang with the better teams in the NFL. A spot in the playoffs isn't out of the question, but they will likely need some things to break their way. They will probably need to win 10 games to make it to the playoffs, but an 8-8 season is more likely.
Houston still has the best defensive line in the division.
Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11) : Jacksonville showed some promise last year, but they just couldn't come through. All of their young talent seems to be stagnant, Blake Bortles did not take a leap forward, and they are bereft of talent at key positions. They do have a few decent offensive linemen, but their best weapon on offense is Justin Blackmon and he can't do it all himself. They have just enough on the roster that they could win 6 games, but 5 is more likely. Experts call for them to finish in the bottom 5 for DVOA thanks to the likelihood that their offensive DVOA may be one of the worst in all of football.
Bortles and Blackmon need to step up.
Tennessee Titans (5-11) : Unfortunately for everyone involved, the Titans are not very good. They could be in the running for the worst team in the league at this rate, and there is nothing Ken Wisenhunt can do about it. Jake Locker has looked terrible and at this point probably will not become a replacement level NFL QB, the running game isn't present, and the defense lost most of it's veteran via free agency and retirement. They will be lucky to win 5 games, it's more likely they will be drafting in the Top 5 for 2016.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
The pre-season is over, and the Colts look like the odds on favorite to make it to the Superbowl if not win it all. The rich get richer as Phil Emery swooped in on a few choice free agents who failed to find homes, adding CB Prince Amukamara and MLB Brandon Spikes on 1-year contracts really filled in some holes. The Colts have a few warts, but as a whole they look like the most complete team in football. The team finished 3-1 by thrashing the Chargers, Vikings, and Panthers before losing their final game to the Browns.
PROJECTED DEPTH CHART
| Indianapolis Colts Depth Chart - 2015 | ||||
| Regular Offense | ||||
| STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
| WR | T.Y. Hilton | D. Rogers | ||
| TE | D. Allen | C. Fleener | ||
| LT | A. Castonzo | C. Hairston | ||
| LG | J. Mewhort | E. Looney (R) | ||
| C | K. Holmes | L. Louis | ||
| RG | D. Thomas | H. Thornton | ||
| RT | B. Fusco | C. Hairston | ||
| WR | R. Wayne | C. Shorts III | D. Moncrief | |
| QB | A. Luck | J. Palmer | ||
| FB | S. Havili | |||
| HB | T. Richardson | V. Ballard | J. Forsett | |
| Base 3-4 Defense | ||||
| STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
| LDE | D. Browning (R) | R. Jean-Francois | Landon Stone (R) | |
| NT | M. Hughes | J. Chapman | ||
| RDE | A. Jones | R. Jean-Francois | R. Duncan (R) | |
| LOLB | B. Werner | E. Walden | ||
| LILB | B. Spikes | A. Dent | ||
| RILB | D. Jackson | K. Sheppard | ||
| ROLB | V. Burfict | E. Walden | ||
| CB | V. Davis | D. Butler | A. Kilgore (R) | |
| SS | W. Moore | B. Daniels (R) | ||
| FS | L. Landry | B. Daniels (R) | ||
| CB | P. Amukamara | G. Toler | D. Odom (R) | |
| Special Teams | ||||
| STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
| K | A. Devito | |||
| P | P. McAfee | |||
| PR | D. Odom | T.Y. Hilton | ||
| KR | D. Odom | T.Y. Hilton | ||
| LS | K. Holmes | D. Thomas | ||
OTA / PRE-SEASON ANSWERS
Quarterback (Again) : After taking home his first MVP award, is there any question that Andrew Luck is the heart of this team? Everyone knows he will be good, and now he has the pieces around him to be even better. There is no excuse for the Colts offense to be anything but the best, and based on the pre-season results they should be the best if not one of the best offenses in football.
Can Luck add a Superbowl ring to his MVP award?
Offensive Line : After looking a little frail going into the 2014 season this could be one of the better units in the NFL thanks to free agency and LeCharles Bentley. Brandon Fusco and Chris Hairston were added to the mix, although Hairston has struggled in his transition to RT and looks like he might be a back-up at best, but Phil Emery stepped in to help develop their players. Emery sent the entire Colts offensive line to train with LeCharles Bentley at his O-Line Performance training center after he was impressed by Khaled Holmes' development, already a client of Bentley's, and it looks like it has paid off. The starting line looks solid, and this should help keep Luck upright and Trent Richardson rolling.
Richardson's Rebirth : Richardson, once a heralded prospect, fell from grace after the 2013 season. The trade for Richardson which cost Indianapolis their 2014 1st round pick looked like a real loser coming into the season, but after rushing for 1391 yards and 12 TD it looks like the Colts have a star HB. Richardson is going to see a lot of the ball in 2015, OC Pep Hamilton continues to be dedicated to the running game and with Ahmad Bradshaw gone it's Richardson's show.
FALL QUESTIONS
Defensive Line : The front office really failed to do much for the defensive line aside from drafting DE Donavon Browning, but even he doesn't look like the next Robert Quinn. The depth isn't great, and most of the starters are aging. It looks like the group is basically just going to get in the way so the linebackers can step up and make tackles, which could be an issue. Vontaze Burfict, who has been nothing short of amazing coming off the edge, could bring some pass rush relief but that will just be papering over the problem.
Spikes is going to have a lot to do if the Colts' defensive line struggles.
Pagano's Future : Coach Chuck Pagano has done well with the Colts over the years, but 2014 was a real misstep on his part. Yes, important players were traded away, but they blew games they should have won and wasted an MVP season from Luck. New GM Phil Emery has loaded this team with free agents and a few choice draft picks, so Pagano will not have any excuses. A return to the playoffs will help him keep his job, but how far will they have to go for Pagano to avoid being replaced? Pagano is well liked by players and management, but another down season might be too much.
Is it Superbowl or bust for Pagano?
Defensive Backs : Outside of Vontae Davis, Prince Amukamara and super-rookie Branch Daniels, this is Indianapolis' weakest area. William Moore has been decent during the pre-season, but he certainly hasn't wowed anyone. LaRon Landry is slated to start at FS, but he spends more time looking over his shoulder at Daniels than he does defending passes. After Davis and Amukamara it gets really thin, so depth and dime/nickel situations will be an issue. They drafted some depth, but they are hardly more than dime coverage options at the moment. It's a good thing the Colts have a high powered offense because teams are going to be passing all over them.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
CHICAGO - Following a busy free agency period the Colts hit Chicago with a long list of needs, but luckily for new GM Phil Emery he came in with a few extra picks. The draft opened with a little bit of drama, two teams traded into the Top 3 (Cincinnati and Dallas) while Oakland took the concensus #1 pick.
Oakland made Texas OT Julian Branch the #1 overall pick, a definite need for the struggling Raiders. They spent well in free agency and don't seem set to pick high again in 2015. The Bengals traded up to #2 to take Alabama FS Kadeem Orr, an Indianapolis target, and Dallas jumped to #3 to take LSU DT Dan Estes.
| 2015 NFL Draft - Indianapolis Colts | |||||
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | Ht | Wt |
| 1 (17) | Branch Daniels | LSU | FS | 6'-1" | 207 |
| 2 (49) | Donavon Browning | Pitt | LE | 6'-5" | 306 |
| 3 (65) | Erik Looney | Wisconsin | RG | 6'-3" | 309 |
| 3 (81) | Landon Stone | Delaware State | LE | 6'-5" | 250 |
| 4 (113) | Don Walters | Florida | ROLB | 6'-2" | 235 |
| 4 (120) | Artez Kilgore | California | CB | 6'-1" | 183 |
| 5 (145) | Daryll Odom | Northern Illinois | CB | 6'-2" | 186 |
| 7 (203) | Venson Patterson | Eastern Michigan | DT | 6'-3" | 275 |
| 7 (209) | Rasheem Duncan | Baylor | LE | 6'-3" | 280 |
DRAFT ANALYSIS
Best Pick(s) : FS Branch Daniels, DE Donavon Browning.
Daniels and Browning fill some serious needs and represented the best player available. The Colts were trying to trade up, having additional picks, and get FS Kadeem Orr so having Daniels fall to them was a real blessing. Daniels was a two-year starter at LSU and showed good coverage skills with loose hips and a fluid backpedal, but his biggest strength is his ability to make tackles in the open field. Daniels has a shot at making the starting roster, but it's more likely he will learn behind fellow LSU grad LaRon Landry. Browning went under the radar a little, but he's a solid 3-4 DE with a good frame who holds up well against the run. He didn't register too many sacks at Pitt, but film seems to indicate he was double teamed regularly as the Panthers' best defensive lineman.
Worst Pick(s) : OLB Don Walters, DE Rasheem Duncan.
Walters entered the draft process with a 1st round grade but found himself plummeting as the draft went on. Walters didn't run well at the combine, showed up overweight, and struggled to bench press anywhere near his peers. He interviewed well and looked good on tape, showed the production teams want at OLB, but teams were seriously turned off by his combine performance. The Colts didn't seem to care and saw a bargain, but they needed an immediate starter and he will be a long term project. It's hard to say the 209th pick in the draft is a "bad" pick, but Duncan came out of nowhere. Duncan came into the draft essentially unranked, only started 10 games for Baylor in 2014, and didn't really impress scouts. Maybe the Colts coaching staff saw something, hard to tell.
Sleeper Pick(s) : CB Artez Kilgore, CB Daryll Odom
Both Kilgore and Odom went a little under the radar, unless it's a radar gun. Kilgore and Odom both ran 4.29 40-yard dashes at the combine, showed loose hips and impressive acceleration. Neither of them show much in terms of zone coverage, but they have the speed to develop into decent man-coverage corners. They will definitely see some work on special teams, and both might prove to be decent additions to Indianapolis' ailing Dime and Quarters coverage.
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
INDIANAPOLIS - The Colts dove into free agency and became one of the most active teams this year. New GM Phil Emery did his best to throw a hay maker at all of their roster problems, mostly focusing on the defense that let the team down so often last season.
PRE-FREE AGENCY NEGOTIATIONS
The Colts declined to re-sign a few starters and contributors, letting Corey Redding, Jurrell Freeman, and Ahmad Bradshaw test free agency. The team opted to bring back Reggie Wayne and Darius Butler on one-year contracts and focus the bulk of their spending on LT Anthony Castonzo. Castonzo agreed to a 5-year $32.5 million deal which will keep him protecting Andrew Luck's blindside for some time. Emery also inked FB Stanley Havili, P Pat McAfee, and MLB Kelvin Sheppard to multi-year deals.
Castonzo should finish his career in Indianapolis.
It wouldn't be free agency without a little drama as WR Da'Rick Rogers rejected the Colts' initial offer and decided to test the market. Rogers, who was seen as a key replacement for the aging Wayne, put the Colts in a bad position regarding WR depth. The Colts were then forced to look at free agent receivers with only three on the current roster.
FREE AGENCY
Indianapolis went into free agency with numerous positions of need; WR, FS, SS, RG, RT, LE, DT, and LB. Emery basically managed to nail all of these with some bargain deals and one blockbuster. Surprised to see the 24 year old OLB Vontaze Burfict hit the market, the Colts threw the kitchen sink at him and landed a potential superstar. The Colts were missing a powerful pass rusher after the trade of Robert Mathis, and inking Burfict to a 7-year $100 million deal filling that need for quite some time.
Burfict hitting the market was a huge surprise.
The Colts loaded up on reasonable 4-year offers to strengthen the offensive line, WR corps, and defense. WR Cecil Shorts III ($12 million), RG Brandon Fusco ($36 million), RT Chris Hairston ($25 million), and MLB Akeem Dent ($15 million) fill some serious roster holes. Da'Rick Rogers, probably wishing he had accepted the Colts initial offer of 4-years for $20 million agreed to the same length at $16 million after failing to generate much interest.
Free Agency did not go well for Rogers.
Shorter term deals for SS William Moore and HB Justin Forsett made preparing for the draft even easier. With 9 picks in the draft thanks to trades, the team would have plenty of opportunities to paper over the roster cracks.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
INDIANAPOLIS - The Colts ended their season on a very sour note, but despite failing to make the playoffs there were numerous signs of improvement and growth. The name of the game for 2014 was regression, massive amounts of regression, as a team that performed well according to advanced metrics failed to live up to it's win potential. Previous seasons saw a flawed Colts team go 11-5 and defy the projections, but this season was different.
Offensively, the Colts were amazing. They finished ranked 2nd in Offensive DVOA thanks to finishing 1st in total yards, 1st downs, and 4th in points per game. Despite surrendering back breaking scores and finishing 8-8 they actually improved their Defensive DVOA to 10th thanks to leading the league in yards allowed, rushing yards allowed, and sacks. They finished 4th in passing yards allowed and 9th in points per game, but they were one of the worst (30th) in turn over differential at -10. The lack of turnovers could be attributed to bad luck, but the Colts failed to force fumbles and relied heavily on interceptions.
Finishing 8-8 is hardly good news, but there is a silver lining for the 2014 Colts when it comes to awards. The biggest news was the announcement that Andrew Luck was names the NFL MVP, his first such award and probably not his last. Even with various injuries to his receiving core Luck managed to lead the NFL in passing yards (4686) and TD passes (31).
Luck's first MVP award shouldn't be his last.
Luck was also named to the Pro Bowl roster along with two other Colts players. Trent Richardson managed to prove doubters wrong with a solid season, finishing 4th in rushing yards (1391) with 12TD. Dwayne Allen, Luck's favorite target, was also named to the Pro Bowl with the 3rd most receiving yards in the NFL (1185) and a whopping 102 receptions to lead the Colts and the league.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Posted on November 10, 2014 at 10:51 PM.
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
INDIANAPOLIS - The 2014 NFL season came to a close last night, and Colts fans have a few things to be happy about. After spending the bulk of his Hall of Fame career in Indianapolis it was not surprising that so many Colts fans would take pleasure in seeing Peyton Manning win his second Superbowl, this time with Denver. The Broncos defeated the Green Bay Packers 37-17 to cap off the 2014 season, Colts fans can only hope they will be there next year.
| NFL Standings - Updated: Dec 28, 2014 | |||
| NFC EAST | W | L | T |
| Philadelphia Eagles - Y | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| NFC NORTH | W | L | T |
| Detroit Lions - Y | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| NFC SOUTH | W | L | T |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Z | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| NFC WEST | W | L | T |
| San Francisco 49ers - Y | 12 | 4 | 0 |
| NFC WILD CARD RACE | W | L | T |
| Seattle Seahawks - X | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| Green Bay Packers - X | 8 | 6 | 0 |
| AFC EAST | W | L | T |
| Buffalo Bills - Y | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| AFC NORTH | W | L | T |
| Baltimor Ravens - Y | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| AFC SOUTH | W | L | T |
| Houstan Texans - Y | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| AFC WEST | W | L | T |
| Denver Broncos - Z | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| AFC WILD CARD RACE | W | L | T |
| Cleveland Browns - X | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| San Diego Chargers - X | 9 | 7 | 0 |
Despite being happy for Manning, Colts fans were probably even happier to find out that MSMG hired Phil Emery away from the Chicago Bears to be General Manager. News leaked via Twitter, similar to the firing of Grigson, but this announcement was met with much applause.
Emery, who hired Marc Trestman, set Chicago in a different direction. He is well known for his no-nonsense press conferences and innovative approach to team management. He has already stated that the organization is due for an overhaul from the front office to the player's meals. It's likely that Emery, who plans to meet with Chuck Pagano immediately, will push for changes similar to those Chip Kelly brought to Philadelphia and guide their player management practices in a new direction. No word yet on whether smoothies will be involved even though a reporter asked Emery about it during his first press conference.
Emery addresses the media for the first time as Colts GM.
Emery takes over with free agency and the NFL Draft looming, it's hard to say what direction he will take the team in but it's clear that something needs to change to get over a disappointing 8-8 season. The Colts have a significant amount of cap space thanks to trades and expiring contracts, but there are so many roster needs it's doubtful that they will max out their payroll in an attempt to win immediately.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
1:00PM EST - December 28th, 2014
LP Field - Nashville, TN
| Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans | |||||
| Dec 28, 2014 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Indianapolis Colts (8-8, 4-4 Away) | 0 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Tennessee Titans (6-10, 3-5 Home) | 3 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
Top Performers
Passing : J. Locker (TEN) - 325YDS, 3TD
Rushing : T. Richardson (IND) - 22CAR, 136YDS, TD
Receiving : R. Wayne (IND) - 11REC, 138YDS, TD
NASHVILLE - The suffering has finally come to an end, and the finger pointing will probably begin. Colts fans cannot be happy with how the season has ended, a loss to the lowly Titans only adds to the insult. It's hard to believe that Indianapolis could waste a game in which they led in just about every major statistical category and held Tennessee to under 100 yards rushing.
The Colts took an early lead, mostly thanks to the Titans inability to stop Trent Richardson right from the opening kickoff. Richardson continued his campaign to show doubters that trading for him wasn't a mistake, and rumbling for 136 yards was a good closing act. Thanks to his efforts the Colts were able to control the clock and pick up short yardage 1st downs when needed.
Reggie Wayne would enjoy and impressive day.
Things really started to go south just before halftime when TY Hilton left the game with a knee injury and Jake Locker found Kendall Wright for a 9 yard TD pass to pull ahead 17-14. The Colts offense would feel the loss, and Reggie Wayne become a target monster on his way to 11 receptions for 138 yards. With the Titans focused on Dwayne Allen, Coby Fleener was given room to work, but the second half did not go well for the Colts offense. A long Richardson TD run would be their only score of the 2nd half, leaving the defense to try and hold a 21-17 lead.
Richardson's joy was short lived.
The Colts would muster an INT in the 4th, thanks to Mike Adams, but the offense couldn't get anything out of it and gave the ball back to Locker. Dexter McCluster, who had a decent day running the ball, was a nightmare outlet for Locker. If the Colts tried to contain the passing game they would leave McCluster open in the flats, and when they made an effort to cover him Locker found Derek Hagan for a back-breaking 27 yard TD with less than 1:00 left to play. Luck just couldn't get things going and the Colts season ended in a sour 24-21 defeat to a team closer to the top pick in the draft than the playoffs.
With a new GM on the horizon, there will be a lot of serious questions asked about this roster and the coaching staff. It's hard to tell if Pagano will be back for next season, but it doesn't seem like Colts fans will be too upset if he leaves. A win today would have put Indianapolis in the playoffs, thanks to a Patriots loss. Now the Chargers, at 9-7 with Cleveland, get a trip to Wild Card weekend. The Colts will be watching at home, if they can even stomach watching at all.
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