(QB Antonio Richardson – USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Anthony Richardson, RB Jonathan Taylor, WR/RS Josh Downs, WR Alec Pierce, WR Michael Pittman Jr., OC Ryan Kelly, OG Will Fries, OG Quenton Nelson, OT Bernhard Raimann, OT Braden Smith, DE Samson Ebukam, DE Tyquan Lewis, DE Dayo Odeyingbo, DE Kwity Paye, DT Tavon Bryan, DT DeForest Buckner, NT Grover Stewart, LB Zaire Franklin, LB EJ Speed, CB Darrell Baker Jr., CB JuJu Brents, CB Jaylon Jones, NB Kenny Moore II, FS Nick Cross, FS Rodney Thomas II, SS Juliam Blackmon, PK Matt Gay, and PT Rigoberto Sanchez.
Key Players Departing:
QB Garrett Minshew (Raiders), RB Zach Moss (Bengals), LB Shaquille Leonard (Eagles), and KR/PR Isaiah McKenzie (Giants).
Key Players Added:
QB Joe Flacco (Browns), and DT Raekwon Davis (Dolphins).
(DE Laiatu Latu – AP Photo)
Draft Picks:
Round 1: Pick 015 – EDGE Laiatu Latu (UCLA)
Round 2: Pick 052 – WR Adonai Mitchell (Texas)
Round 3: Pick 079 – OT Matt Goncalves (Pittsburgh)
Round 4: Pick 117 – OG Tonor Bortolini (Wisconsin)
Round 5: Pick 142 –WR Anthony Gould (Oregon State)
Round 5: Pick 151 – LB Jaylon Carlies (Missouri)
Round 5: Pick 164 – CB Jaylin Simpson (Auburn)
Round 6: Pick 201 – CB Micah Abraham (Marshall)
Round 7: Pick 234 –DT Jonah Laulu (Oklahoma)
2023 Results:
W01 JAGUARS L 21-31
W02 @ Texans W 31-29
W03 @ Ravens W (OT) W 22-19
W04 RAMS L (OT) 23-29
W05 TITANS W 23-16
W06 @ Jaguars L 20-37
W07 BROWNS L 38-39
W08 SAINTS L 27-38
W09 @ Panthers W 27-13
W10 PATRIOTS W 10-6
Bye Week
W12 BUCCANEERS W 27-20
W13 @ Titans W (OT) 31-28
W14 @ Bengals L 14-34
W15 STEELERS W 30-13
W16 @ Falcons L 10-29
W17 RAIDERS W 23-20
W18 HOUSTON L 19-23
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 9-8 (3rd in AFC South)
Home: 4-5
Road: 5-3
South: 3-3
AFC: 7-5
NFC: 2-3
Head Coach: Shane Steichen
Indianapolis: 9-8
Career: 9-8
Playoffs: 0-0
(RB Jonathan Taylor – AP Photo)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Anthony Richardson (50-84, 577 yards, 59.5%, 6.9 avg., 3 TD, 1 INT)
Rushing: Jonathan Taylor (169 car., 741 yards, 4.4 avg., 7 TD)
Receiving: Michael Pittman Jr. (109 rec., 1152 yards, 10.6 avg., 4 TD)
Yard After Catch: Michael Pittman Jr. (513)
TD’s Scored: Jonathan Taylor (8)
Sacks: Samson Ebukam (9.5)
Tackles: Zaire Franklin (179)
Interceptions: Julian Blackmon (4)
Pass Deflections: Julian Blackmon (8)
Tackles For Loss: EJ Speed (12)
Forced Fumbles: Samson Ebukam/EJ Speed (3)
Kick Returns: Josh Downs (2 ret., 24 yards, 12.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Josh Downs (6 ret., 63 yards, 10.5 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Matt Gay (33-41 fg/fga., 81%, 35-36 xp/xpa., 134 pts.)
Punting: Rigaberto Sanchez (68 punts, 3281 yards, 48.3 avg., 21 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 5 Anthony Richardson
RB: 28 Jonathan Taylor
WR: 11 Michael Pittman Jr.
WR: 10 Anonai Mitchell |R|
WR: 1 Josh Downs
TE: 80 Jelani Woods
LT: 79 Bernard Raimann
LG: 56 Quenton Nelson
OC: 78 Ryan Kelly
RG: 75 Will Fries
RT: 72 Braden Smith
KR: 1 Josh Downs
PK: 7 Matt Gay
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 51 Kwity Paye
DT: 90 Grover Stewart
DT: 99 DeForest Buckner
DE: 52 Samson Ebukam
LB: 45 EJ Speed
LB: 44 Zaire Franklin
NB: 23 Kenny Moore II
CB: 29 JuJu Brents
CB: 40 Jaylon Jones
FS: 20 Nick Cross
SS: 32 Julian Blackmon
PR: 1 Josh Downs
PT: 8 Rigaberto Sanchez
(LB Zaire Franklin – Getty Images)
Team Grades
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense:
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: A
Secondary: C
Special Teams:
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: B
Kicking: A
Punting: A
Schedule:
09/08 TEXANS | Indianapolis leads the series 33-11-1. The Colts are 14-7 since 2014, and their last series home win (31-3) was in 2021.
09/15 @ Packers | Indianapolis leads the series 11-6-1. The Colts won (34-31) the last meeting between teams in 2020, and their last series loss (14-34) was in 2008.
09/22 BEARS | Indianapolis Leads the series 11-7. The Colts won (19-11) the last meeting between teams in 2020, and their last series loss (21-41) dates back to 2012.
09/29 STEELERS | Indianapolis trails the series 7-25. The Colts are 1-7 since 2014, and their last series loss (17-24) was in 2022.
10/06 @ Jaguars | Indianapolis leads the series 27-19. The Colts are 9-11 since 2014, and their last series road win (44-17) was in 2014.
10/13 @ Titans | Indianapolis leads the series 37-22. The Colts are 12-8 since 2014, and their last series road loss (10-19) was in 2022.
10/20 DOLPHINS | Indianapolis trails the series 28-48. The Colts won (27-17) the last meeting between team in 2021, and their last series loss (12-16) was at the prior meeting in 2019.
10/27 @ Texans | The Colts last series road loss (17-20) was in 2019.
11/03 @ Vikings | Indianapolis leads the series 10-6-1. The Colts lost (36-39) the last meeting between teams in 2022, and their last series win (28-11) was at the prior meeting in 2020.
11/10 BILLS | Indianapolis trails the series 33-38-1. The Colts won (41-15) the last meeting between teams in 2021, and their last series loss (24-27) was at the prior meeting in 2020.
11/17 @ Jets | Indianapolis leads the series 44-32. The Colts won (45-38) the last meeting between teams in 2021, and their last series loss (34-42) was in 2018.
11/24 LIONS | Indianapolis leads the series 11-5-1. The Colts won (41-21) the last meeting between teams in 2020, and their last series loss (35-39) was at the prior meeting in 2016.
12/01 @ Patriots | Indianapolis trials the series 31-53. The Colts are 2-5 since 2014, and their last series loss (2-26) was in 2022.
12/15 @ Broncos | Indianapolis leads the series 15-14. The Colts are 4-3 since 2014, and their last series loss (13-25) was in 2017.
12/22 TITANS | The Colts last series home loss (17-24) was in 2022.
12/29 @ Giants | Indianapolis leads the series 9-4. The Colts lost (10-38) the last meeting between teams in 2022, and their last series win (28-27) was in 2018.
01/05 JAGUARS | and their last series home win (34-27) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 4-4
Road: 2-7
South: 2-4
AFC: 5-7
NFC: 1-4
Overall: 6-11 (3rd in AFC South)
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 2024, the game will be listed under the 2023 season.
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