The Indianapolis Colts can make the playoffs either as the AFC South division champion or as a Wild Card entry. But for that result, they must not repeat the collapse they had last year. The team will need to play more heads-up football in 2022-23 to clinch a playoff spot without waiting for other results. Given that they entered the postseason in 2020, the Colts still have what it takes to make a comeback.
The Colts acquired Matt Ryan during the 2022 offseason to give more direction to their offense. However, their attack starts from the backfield with Jonathan Taylor, who won last season’s Triple Crown for running backs after leading the league in carries, rushing yards, and touchdowns.
Aside from Ryan and Taylor, they also have talented wide receivers in Parris Campbell and Michael Pittman Jr. Quenton Nelson and Ryan Kelly are also impenetrable forces on their offensive line.
Indianapolis has a solid roster on defense, starting with defensive ends Kwity Paye and Yannick Ngakoue. Meanwhile, DeForest Buckner leads their push in the middle to disrupt the other team’s offense. The Colts also have Bobby Okereke, Shaquille Leonard, Kenny Moore II, and former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore.
The Colts had two chances to clinch a playoff berth last season. Unfortunately, they dropped both games and missed the road to the Super Bowl despite having a 9-8 record. Still, they remain a formidable foe for every team they will face and will be worth looking at when betting on the NFL.
In 2022, the Colts started their season with a win, a loss, and a draw. However, they are trending in the right direction and gaining victories as their campaign progresses. Nearly making the playoffs in 2021 indicates that they will fight for a spot in the AFC’s final seven this year.
As for highlights, the Colts won Super Bowl XLI in 2007 when Peyton Manning was still their starting quarterback. They made another Super Bowl appearance three years later but lost to the New Orleans Saints.
The Colts were established in 1953 and played their first season in the same year. Back then, they still represented Baltimore, Maryland, and continued to do so until 1983. The team transferred to Indianapolis, Indiana starting the 1984 season, and it has been their home ever since. Aside from Super Bowl XLI, the Colts also won Super Bowl V during the 1970 season via a successful field goal try from Jim O’Brien.
The Colts currently play their home games at Lucas Oil Stadium, which opened in August 2008. It can seat up to 70,000 people during football games and features retractable roofs and windows. The game atmosphere is fantastic because Colts fans cheer and defend their squad. Still, Colts fans maintain a family-oriented ambiance despite making noise for their team.
Aside from its rivalries with its fellow AFC South squads, the Colts also had a competitive rivalry with the New England Patriots during the heyday of Manning and Tom Brady. Brady holds an 8-4 advantage on Manning while still with the Colts.
Meanwhile, the Colts and the Patriots were division rivals from 1970 to 2001. While New England holds a 52-30 edge in their all-time series record, the Colts won their faceoff last year. The Colts have also had a rivalry with the New York Jets since their defeat in Super Bowl III, which is regarded as one of the all time greatest NFL upsets.
