2021 Indianapolis Colts Preview and Predictions: Post Draft Edition

(Photo Credit: Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Key Players Returning:

RB/PR Nyheim Hines, RB Jonathan Taylor, WR T.Y. Hilton, WR/KR Zach Pascal, WR Michael Pittman, TE Mo Alie-Cox, TE Jack Doyle, OC Ryan Kelly, OG Quenton Nelson, OG Mark Glowinski, OT Braden Smith, DE Tyquan Lewis, DT DeForest Buckner, NT Denico Autry, NT Grover Stewart, LB Darius Leonard, LB Bobby Okereke, CB T.J. Carrie, CB Kenny Moore, CB Xavier Rhodes, CB Rock Ya-Sin, FS George Odum, SS Julian Blackmon, SS Khari Willis, KR Isaiah Rodgers, PK Rodrigo Blankenship, and PT Rigoberto Sanchez.

Key Players Departing:

QB Philip Rivers (retired), OT Anthony Castonzo (retired), DE Denico Autry (Titans), DE Justin Houston (UFA), and LB Anthony Walker (Browns).

Key Players Added:

QB Caron Wentz (Eagles), OT Julie’n Davenport (Dolphins), OT Eric Fisher (Chiefs), OT Sam Tevi (Chargers), and DE Isaac Rochell (Chargers).

Draft Picks:

Round 1: 
Pick 021 – DE Kwity Paye (Michigan)
Round 2:  Pick 054 – DE Dayo Odeyingbo (Vanderbilt)
Round 4:  Pick 127 – TE Kylen Granson (SMU)
Round 5:  Pick 165 – SS Shawn Davis (Florida)
Round 6:  Pick 218 – QB Sam Elhlinger (Texas)
Round 7:  Pick 229 – WR Mike Strachan (Charleston, WV)
Round 7:  Pick 248 – OT Will Fries (Penn State)

2020 Results:

W01  at Jacksonville Jaguars  L  20-27
W02  MINNESOTA VIKINGS  W  28-11
W03  NEW YORK JETS  W  36-7
W04  at Chicago Bears  W  19-11
W05  at Cleveland Browns  L  23-32
W06  CINCINNATI BENGALS  W  31-27
W08  at Detroit Lions  W  41-21
W09  BALTMORE RAVENS  L  10-24
W10  at Tennessee Titans  W  34-17
W11  GREEN BAY PACKERS  W|OT  34-31
W12  TENNESSEE TITANS  L  26-45
W13  at Houston Texans  W  26-20
W14  at Las Vegas Raiders  W  44-27
W15  HOUSTON TEXANS  W  27-20
W16  at Pittsburgh Steelers  L  24-28
W17  JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS  W  28-14
WC  at Buffalo Bills  L  24-27

Team Info:

2020 Overall:  11-5 (2nd in AFC South)

Home:  6-2
Road:  5-3
South:  4-2
AFC:  7-5
NFC:  4-0

Head Coach:  Frank Reich

Indianapolis:  38-27
Career:  39-28
Playoffs:  1-2

Returning Statistical Leaders:

Passing: 
None
Rushing:  Jonathan Taylor (232 car., 1169 yards, 5.0 avg., 11 TD)
Receiving:  Nyheim Hines (63 rec., 482 yards, 7.7 avg., 4 TD)
Yard After Catch:  Nyheim Hines (475)
TD’s Scored:  Jonathan Taylor (12)
Sacks:  DeForest Buckner (9.5)
Tackles:  Darius Leonard (132)
Interceptions:  Kenny Moore (4)
Pass Deflections:  Kenny Moore/Xavier Rhodes (12)
Tackles For Loss:  DeForest Buckner (13.5)
Forced Fumbles:  Darius Leonard (3)
Kick Returns:  Isaiah Rodgers (24 ret., 692 yards, 28.8 avg., 1 TD)
Punt Returns:  Nyheim Hines (30 ret., 300 yards, 10.0 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking:  Rodrigo Blankenship (32-37 fg/fga, 87%, 43-45 xp/xpa., 139 pts.)
Punting:  Rigoberto Sanchez (42 punts, 1940 yards, 46.2 avg., 18 in20)

Projected Offensive Starters:

QB:  2  Carson Wentz
RB:  28  Jonathan Taylor
WR:  13  T.Y. Hilton
WR:  11  Michael Pittman
WR:  15  Parris Campbell
TE:  81  Mo Alie-Cox
LT:  79  Eric Fisher
LG:  56  Quenton Nelson
OC:  78  Ryan Kelly
RG:  64  Mark Glowinski
RT:  72  Braden Smith
KR:  34  Isaiah Rodgers
PK:  3  Rodrigo Blankenship

Projected Defensive Starters:

DE:  94  Tyquan Lewis
NT:  90  Grover Stewart
DT:  99  DeForest Buckner
DE:  51  Kwity Paye  |R|
LB:  58  Bobby Okereke
LB:  44  Zaire Franklin
LB:  53  Darius Leonard
CB:  26  Rock Ya-Sin
CB:  27  Xavier Rhodes
FS:  30  George Odum
SS:  32  Julian Blackmon
PR:  21  Nyheim Hines
PT:  8  Rigoberto Sanchez

Team Grades

Offense

Quarterbacks:  B
Running Backs:  A
Wide Receivers:  C
Offensive Line:  A

Defense:

Defensive Line:  B
Linebackers:  B
Secondary:  B

Special Teams:

Kick Returners:  A
Punt Returners:  A
Kicking:  A
Punting:  A

Schedule:

09/12 
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS  |  Indianapolis leads the series 7-5.  The Colts lost (18-46) the last meeting between teams in 2017.

09/19  LOS ANGELES RAMS  |  Indianapolis trails the series 8-9-1.  The Colts lost (9-46) the last meeting between teams in 2017.

09/26  at Tennessee Titans  |  Indianapolis leads the series 35-18.  The Colts are 15-5 since 2011, and their last series road loss (22-36) was in 2017.

10/03  at Miami Dolphins  |  Indianapolis trails the series 27-48.  The Colts lost (12-16) the last meeting between teams in 2019, and their last series win (27-24) was in 2018.

10/11  at Baltimore Ravens  |  Indianapolis leads the series 10-6.  The Colts are 1-4 since 2011, and their last series win (20-13) was in 2014.

10/17  HOUSTON TEXANS  |  Indianapolis leads the series 30-9.  The Colts are 13-7 since 2011, and their last series home loss (34-37) was in 2018.

10/24  at San Francisco 49ers  |  Indianapolis leads the series 11-7.  The Colts won (26-23) the last meeting between teams in 2017.

10/31  TENNESSEE TITANS  |  The Colts last series home win (38-10) was in 2018.

11/04  NEW YORK JETS  |  Indianapolis leads the series 43-32.  The Colts won (36-7) last season’s meeting between teams, and their last series loss (34-42) was in 2018.

11/14  JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS  |  Indianapolis leads the series 25-15.  The Colts are 10-10 since 2011, and their last series home loss (0-27) was in 2017.

11/21  at Buffalo Bills  |  Indianapolis trails the series 32-38-1.  The Colts lost (24-27) last season’s meeting between teams, and their last series win (37-5) was in 2018.

11/28  TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS  |  Indianapolis leads the series 8-6.  The Colts lost (35-38) the last meeting between teams in 2019.

12/05  at Houston Texans  |  The Colts last series road loss (17-20) was in 2019.

12/19  NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS  |  Indianapolis trails the series 29-52.  The Colts lost (24-38) the last meeting between teams in 2018, and their last series win (35-34) was in 2009.

12/25  at Arizona Cardinals  |  Indianapolis trails the series 6-8.  The Colts lost (13-16) the last meeting between teams in 2017.

01/02  LAS VEGAS RAIDERS  |  Indianapolis trails the series 9-10.  The Colts won (44-27) last season’s meeting between teams, and their last series loss (24-31) was in 2019.

01/09  at Jacksonville Jaguars  |  The Colts last series road win (44-17) was in 2014.

Prediction:

Home:  8-1
Away:  6-2
DIV:  6-0
AFC:  11-1
NFC:  3-2

Overall:  14-3 (1st in AFC South – Eliminated in Conference by Browns)

UFA:  Unrestricted Free Agent

Series Histories:  Histories are from the inception of the first Super Bowl season through present day.  Meetings prior to 1966 are not included.  Playoff wins are included in the year the season took place.  For example, if a team won a wildcard game in January of 2016, the game will be listed under the 2015 season.