Injuries have limited Greg Toler to 308 snaps over the last 2 seasons, but the Colts gave him 15 million over 3 years anyway. He’s always played pretty well when healthy and graded out above average on ProFootballFocus this season, on the strength of a game against Detroit in which he didn’t allow a completion [...]
Donald Thomas proved that he deserved a starting job in 2013 after playing very well for the Patriots in 7 spot starts in 2012. Despite his limited playing time, he still finished the year as ProFootballFocus’ 17th rated guard. He was a better run blocker than pass protector, but allowed just 1 sack, 2 hits, [...]
It’s not often I hate a contract that isn’t worth a ton of money, but I hate this 16 million dollar deal the Colts gave to Erik Walden, over 4 years. They apparently view Walden as a cost effective option at rush linebacker opposite Robert Mathis, but he’s not a starting caliber player at all. [...]
The Colts did an amazing job going from 2 wins in 2011 to 11 in 2012, the 2nd biggest turnaround in NFL history. Even more impressive, they did it in the face of, as Chuck Pagano would call it, “circumstances,” as Head Coach Pagano had to leave 3 games into the season after being diagnosed [...]
For analysis on Indianapolis click here For analysis on Baltimore click here The public is all over the dog on this one and it’s not just the public. I can’t tell you how many media people I’ve seen make the Colts their upset pick. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, whenever everyone is predicting the [...]
The Colts shocked the world this year, going from 2 wins to 11 wins and the 5 seed in the AFC. However, they haven’t been as good as their record. They enter the postseason at -30 in points differential (the worst ever by an 11+ win team). This because they have just 2 wins by [...]
Houston Texans (12-3) at Indianapolis Colts (10-5) The Texans need this win to lock up not only the #1 seed, but also a first round bye. If they lose, they’ll need Denver or New England to lose as double digit favorites or they’ll be the #3 seed. The Colts, meanwhile, are locked into the #5 [...]
Last week: 11 (+0) Record: 10-5 Net points per drive: -0.30 (23rd) DVOA: -20.8% (28th) Weighted DVOA: -19.3% (26th) Studs LG Joe Reitz: Did not allow a pressure on 43 pass block snaps, run blocked for 13 yards on 2 attempts ROLB Dwight Freeney: 1 sack, 2 quarterback hits, and 5 quarterback hurries on 23 [...]
Indianapolis Colts (9-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (2-12) The Colts lost to the Texans last week and still only have one impressive win on their schedule and by impressive win I mean a win over a playoff team or a blowout of a bad team. They beat the Packers in that first ChuckStrong game and [...]
Last week: 12 (+1) Record: 9-5 Net points per drive: -0.32 (24th) DVOA: -21.0% (28th) Weighted DVOA: -18.8% (26th) The Colts lost to the Texans last week and still only have one impressive win on their schedule and by impressive win I mean a win over a playoff team or a blowout of a bad [...]
Indianapolis Colts (9-4) at Houston Texans (11-2) The Texans were calling last week’s game in New England their biggest game in franchise history and rightfully so. This is a very young franchise that has played just 2 playoff games in its history and going to New England as an 11-1 #1 seed in week 14 [...]
Last week: 12 (+0) Record: 9-4 Net points per drive: -0.30 (22nd) DVOA: -20.1% (28th) Weighted DVOA: -19.0% (26th) This is a team that is not nearly as good as their record, but record is all that will matter when the season ends and the playoffs start. They have 9 wins right now and an [...]
Tennessee Titans (4-8) at Indianapolis Colts (8-4) Last week, I bet against the Colts because I felt they were an overrated team and the Lions were an underrated team. I felt the Colts were overrated because they’ve had a very easy schedule and they’ve actually had a -43 points differential despite their then 7-4 record. [...]
Last week: 12 (+0) Record: 8-4 Net points per drive: -0.34 (23rd) DVOA: -19.6% (28th) Weighted DVOA: -19.2% (27th) Studs ROLB Dwight Freeney: 1 quarterback hit and 5 quarterback hurries on 35 pass block snaps, 1 solo tackle, 1 assist, 1 stop SS Antoine Bethea: Allowed 3 catches for 50 yards on 5 attempts, 2 [...]
Indianapolis Colts (7-4) at Detroit Lions (4-7) The Lions are in a bad spot and normally this is the type of team I like to stay away from. They are favorites after a loss as dogs and will next be dogs. Last week, they lost to the Texans and next week they have to go [...]
Last week: 9 (-3) Record: 7-4 Net points per drive: -0.4 (23rd) DVOA: -22.0% (28th) Weighted DVOA: -22.1% (27th) Tier 4: Young teams that could make the playoffs, but won’t do much once they get there Studs LT Anthony Castonzo: Allowed 1 quarterback hurry on 47 pass block snaps, run blocked for 6 yards on [...]
Buffalo Bills (4-6) at Indianapolis Colts (6-4) I’ve called Indianapolis a perpetually underrated team all year. Starting week 2, they were home dogs for Minnesota, 3 point home favorites for Jacksonville, touchdown home dogs for the Packers, 3.5 point road dogs against the Jets, 1 point home favorites for Cleveland, 3.5 point road dogs against [...]
Last week: 9 (-1) Record: 6-4 The Colts’ loss to the Patriots last week was a definite sign they haven’t quite arrived yet. They’ve beaten up on a bunch of bad teams and only have 1 win by more than a touchdown and that was against a 1-win Jacksonville team (who beat them earlier in [...]
Indianapolis Colts (6-3) at New England Patriots (6-3) The Colts have been underrated all year. From being home dogs against Minnesota and Miami to being just -3 at home for Jacksonville (though they did lose) and -1 at home for Cleveland to being +3.5 against the Jets in New York (another loss) and +3 against [...]
Last week: 9 (+1) Record: 6-3 I’ve never seen anything like this ChuckStrong movement in the NFL. It’s spread from the team shaving their heads to citizens of the city of Indianapolis and the surrounding area shaving their heads to even one of the cheerleaders agreeing to shave her head if they can raise $10,000 [...]
Last week: 9 (+2) Record: 5-3 If the playoffs were to start today, Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts would travel to the Denver Broncos to play Peyton Manning, who through 8 games, has exactly the same amount of passing yards as his replacement Luck, 2404. The Colts are 4-1 in their last 5, since [...]
Indianapolis Colts (5-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-7) Every once in a while I kick myself for not taking a line the week before. I’ve never put money on an early line, but here’s one instance I wish I had. Jacksonville was -1 last week. Even if Indianapolis had lost to Miami, I would have put [...]
Miami Dolphins (4-3) at Indianapolis Colts (4-3) Both of these teams sit at 4-3, meaning this game could easily have playoff implications and one or both of these teams could make the playoffs. I bet you didn’t see that coming. I would say these teams are pretty equal. I had Miami ranked 10th in my [...]
Last week: 18 (+7) Record: 4-3 Every year one team goes from 5 wins or fewer into the playoffs. The Vikings are an obvious candidate this year, but why not the Colts, who sit at 4-3. They would be in the playoffs in the crappy AFC if they started today. Their defense is finally getting [...]
Indianapolis Colts (3-3) at Tennessee Titans (3-4) The winner of this game between the Colts and Titans will either be over .500 or at .500 and well in contention for a playoff spot in the AFC. I told you the AFC sucks. The Titans, however, will be hurt in this quest to do so this [...]