The Indianapolis Colts might be the best team to miss the playoffs last year, at least on paper. Their defense is solid, and tailback Jonathan Taylor is one of the best in the NFL. The problems come at quarterback, where the Colts have had awful luck since the sudden retirement of Andrew Luck. Since then, the team tried a “game manager” approach with Jacoby Brissett for a season; they were handcuffed by the timing of Luck’s retirement just before the 2019 season. They brought in Philip Rivers from the Chargers in 2020; he got them to the playoffs, but the Colts bounced out in the first round as Rivers continued his career-long trend of big numbers…and back-breaking interceptions. Carson Wentz came to town in 2021, and Matt Ryan tried his hand in 2022, but both of those fizzled. The team has drafted Anthony Richardson out of Florida, and he joins Gardner Minshew and Sam Ehlinger on the depth chart. What will the Colts be able to accomplish this year? We have some insights for you to consider as you plan your NFL betting.
NFL Betting News: Indianapolis Colts 2023 Analysis
The Colts have their typical six games in the AFC South, and they also face the NFC South and AFC North this year. The NFC South is a division filled with teams in various stages of rebuilding, but the AFC North brings four difficult matchups. The Colts also have the Rams, Patriots and the Raiders – all winnable games, if the Colts can move the ball without turning it over.
How far can the Colts get in 2023 with Richardson, Minshew and Ehlinger in the quarterback room? It’s hard to say. The Cincinnati Bengals didn’t get transcendental change until Joe Burrow’s second season, and Burrow had a lot more success at the college level than Richardson did. Burrow was toiling behind a Swiss-cheese offensive line and ended up blowing out his knee a little past the halfway point of his rookie campaign.
Also, how quickly will Richardson start? Head coach Shane Steichen has not committed, one way or another, but he did say, “When you play more, that’s how you develop.” Gardner Minshew is familiar with Steichen’s offense from the time Minshew spent with Steichen in Philadelphia in 2022. Minshew has been a starting quarterback in the past, so the Colts have someone to run the offense while Richardson gets ready to play at the pro level. At 6’4”, 244, Richardson brings a unique combination of size, strength and speed to the NFL, and the combine showed Richardson’s cannon of an arm.
The Colts also drafted cornerback Julius Brents out of Kansas State. He has nice length at 6’3” and has experience playing in a zone scheme similar to what the Colts operate. He did have wrist surgery recently and may not be cleared until just before the start of training camp. Brents grew up in Indianapolis and went to the same high school as Jeff George, the quarterback that the Colts took with the top overall pick in 1990.
Another player who should come out of the draft with immediate impact is wide receiver Josh Downs out of North Carolina. After Alec Pierce and Michael Pittman Jr, the Colts had negligible depth at best at receiver. He is just 5’9” and 171 pounds, but he could emerge as a slippery target in the slot. The Colts also added Isaiah McKenzie via free agency, but Downs has a much higher ceiling.
With the Titans rebuilding, the Texans thinking about rebuilding someday and the Jaguars just a bit ahead of the Colts in terms of finding a franchise quarterback, the Colts could go 4-2 in the division. I’m going to predict a 1-3 finish against the AFC North and a 3-1 finish against the NFC South, leaving them at 8-6. With a 3-0 record against the Patriots, Raiders and Rams, that would leave the Colts 11-6, which should give them at least a wild card, if not a division title.
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