Were the Indianapolis Colts Healthy Last Year?
Finishing up the AFC South we turn our attention to the Indianapolis Colts. A team whose health seems to match everyone’s view of them…middle of the pack. You never tend to see die hard Colts haters like you do the Patriots, Green Bay or Dallas haters, and I have to think it’s because nobody can find it in themselves to have a deep hatred for a team who runs middle of the pack year in and year out. An occasional good year and a few bad ones but most of the time they are in it just enough to know but not enough to worry.
Many felt that would change last year. After Jonathan Taylors previous year and with Matt Ryan at the helm, the Indy faithful were primed for a big year. That all changed week four following an ankle sprain to Taylor. A sprain that would give him problems all year and eventually be re-injured suffering a high ankle sprain. Their star QB dealt with a shoulder injury and struggled throwing 13 interceptions and being benched twice eventually leading to his release after just one season. The Colts hopes for a big year ended with seven straight losses and a bottom ten finish in both passing and rushing yards per game.
HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 11: Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) carries the ball in the second quarter during the NFL game between the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans on September 11, 2022 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire)
Who was injured for the Indianapolis Colts?
On defense their pass defense was strong enough finishing just outside the top ten. However, a struggling rush defense and an inability to stop teams from putting points on the board left them tied for the third worst team in points per game. Their most disturbing statistic however was their turnover differential, finishing dead last in the NFL at -13. AS every football fan knows, the turnover game is deadly to your chances of winning.
One of the biggest health stories to come out of the Indianapolis camp happened prior to seasons start. A back surgery to LB Shaquille Leonard kept him out the first three games of the season. He gutted through pain after returning and even suffering a concussion and fracturing his nose week 4 but ultimately had to be moved to IR after his back caused continued issues shutting him down for the remainder of the season.
From an injury standpoint, ankle injuries seemed to haunt the Colts this past season. I bet the NFL doesn’t want to hear that considering Indy also plays on slit film turf but with players like Jonathan Taylor, Julian Blackmon, Kenny Moore and Kwity Paye all suffering ankle injuries it is something that can’t be ignored. The Colts however from a broader view ended this season as they seem to do with everything, middle of the pack in terms of overall health. Finishing 12th with an average weekly Banged Up Score position of 13/32 and an average Banged Up Score of 74.36. Their trend was relatively flat through the season with a big decline in the front end of the season and a decline on the backend of the season.
What do the Indianapolis Colts have to do to be successful next season?
The Colts finished the season with a 4-12-1 record. A record that to be honest really wasn’t all that indicative of health as much as just bad play. The Colts did finish third out of the four teams in their division and had a defensive and offensive star struggle with health this past season but it didn’t seem that even had they had those two guys healthy they would have been able to make any sort of playoff push. They just didn’t seem to have the discipline needed to do so.
This coming season with new additions QB Anthony Richardson, CB Julius Brents, WR Josh Downs and a host of others in the later rounds they look to try and turn it around. Whether they can or not is yet to be determined but we can certainly look to understand their draft and what it means. That is exactly what we will do as our NFL draft expert Ryan “The Ghost” Berger gives you the insights you are looking for in his “Final Draft” article coming soon.
