2015 Colts - Week 5

1:00 PM ET - October 4th, 2015
Gillette Stadium - Foxborough, MA

Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots
Oct 4, 2015	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Indianapolis Colts (4-1, 3-1 Away)	0	14	0	7	21
New England Patriots (2-3, 2-1 Home)	3	14	9	0	26

Top Performers

Passing : T. Brady (NE) - 305YDS, 2TD
Rushing : T.Richardson (IND) - 21CAR, 105YDS, 2TD
Receiving : C. Shorts III (IND) - 11REC, 109YDS, TD

FOXBOROUGH - The 1976 Miami Dophins have one less team to worry about after the Colts dropped a game they seemed to dominate. The Colts defense held the Patriots to a measly 7 rushing yards, but turnovers and defensive touchdowns would wipe out the statistical advantage. In the end, only points matter and Indianapolis didn't have enough.

DE Arthur Jones returned from injury today, and his presence helped the Colts crush the Patriots running game. Bill Belichick isn't one to be discouraged, and neither is Tom Brady, both had no trouble converting turnovers into points.

The Colts were up 7-3 after a 42 yard bomb to Cecil Shorts III, but a Jerod Mayo hit to Andrew Luck caused him to throw a terrible pass that was caught by Jaylen Sam and taken back for a TD.  The Patriots kept things close and took the lead 26-14 going into the 4th quarter. Indianapolis, as usual, made a strong push to win the game but came up short, literally. A short Trent Richardson TD run pulled Indianapolis within 5 points, but the kicker came as the clock passed 0:20 left in the game. Indianapolis drove the down to the 9 yard line and ended up facing a 4th and goal, a situation that they were sure to make good on. Luck hit Da'Rick Rogers on a short slant that looked like a sure TD, but he was tripped up from behind and called down at the 2 to end the game.

This bizarre Pick-Six decided the game.

It's only Week 5, so the Colts didn't seem to upset, but losing to the Patriots again never feels good. It's hard to tell what went wrong outside of the pick-six, the Colts racked up 6 sacks and ran the ball well. Despite containing New England's explosive attack, they just couldn't get it done. Indianapolis heads home for an easy match up against the Jaguars next week. The Colts go into an odd stretch of the season with four of the next five games against AFC South opponents.

2015 Colts - Week 4

1:00 PM ET - September 27th, 2015
LP Field  - Nashville, TN

Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans
Sep 27, 2015	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Indianapolis Colts (4-0, 3-0 Away)	0	10	0	21	31
Tennessee Titans (1-3, 1-2 Home)	0	0	3	0	3

Top Performers

Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 198YDS, TD
Rushing : T.Richardson (IND) - 35CAR, 153YDS, 3TD
Receiving : T.Y. Hilton (IND) - 9REC, 65YDS

NASHVILLE - Lovers of offense were not happy today, but if you get excited about a bruising running game you might have come away with something. The Titans defense played extremely well, which isn't a surprise considering it is their only strength, but their offense was so bad it didn't make much of a difference.

The Titans started this game off with a serious disadvantage under center, with Jake Locker out after an early season shoulder injury Kase Keenum would get the start. Keenum was terrible, going 11/18 for only 101 yards and 2INT. Andrew Luck wasn't much better, getting picked off in the 3rd quarter to set up a Titans FG, but he was able to guide the offense thanks to the running game.

Richardson won the game with 3TD.

Not much happened during the game as Trent Richardson shouldered the load with 35 carries. The Titans just didn't have an answer for the Colts running game and found themselves flat on their backs. Both of Keenum's INT came in the 4th quarter and both resulted in game killing touchdowns by Indianapolis.

The Colts finish up their three game stretch of road games at New England next week. They will definitely need to be better on offense if they expect to come away with a win at Foxborough even though the Patriots have started the season 1-3.

2015 Colts - Week 3

4:15 PM ET - September 20th, 2015
Qualcomm Stadium  - San Diego, CA

Indianapolis Colts at San Diego Chargers
Sep 20, 2015	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Indianapolis Colts (3-0, 0-2 Away)	7	7	7	10	31
San Diego Chargers (2-1, 0-1 Home)	0	3	0	7	10

Top Performers

Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 284YDS, 4TD
Rushing : T.Richardson (IND) - 21CAR, 89YDS
Receiving : R. Wayne (IND) - 12REC, 113YDS

SAN DIEGO - Indianapolis traveled across the country to sunny San Diego, and the Colts coaching staff made a big decision. Branch Daniels, their 1st round pick in the 2015 Draft, has now replaced LaRon Landry as the starting FS. Everyone knew it was coming, and Daniels took over the first team snaps in practice this week. Facing Philip Rivers and a Mike McCoy offense pushed Pagano to give the speedy rookie a shot, few think he will reliquish his roster spot any time soon.

As things turned out, Daniels wouldn't have all that much to do until the end of the game. The Colts defense was excellent and basically shut down the Chargers offense. As expected, the biggest issue was covering receicing HB Danny Woodhead. Woodhead was muted on the ground, going 10/24 with San Diego's only TD, but his 3 receptions for 33 yards were all for 1st downs.

Hilton's 2TD were key.

The Chargers defense played well, holding Andrew Luck to 284 yards on a 37/40 day, but the praise stops at his 4TD passes. Reggie Wayne (12) and TY Hilton (13) both caught double digit passes and made the Chargers secondary look unprepared at best.

The Colts, despite the long flight, didn't appear all that troubled. Pagano was happy with the win, but pointed out that the team would need to play better as a whole going forward. This team is more capable than the 31-10 final score, and they will need to execute more effectively.

2015 Colts - Week 2

1:00PM ET - September 13th, 2015
Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN

Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts
Sep 13, 2015	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Miami Dolphins (0-2, 0-1 Away)	0	14	0	0	14
Indianapolis Colts (2-0, 1-0 Home)	7	10	3	9	29

Top Performers

Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 347YDS, 2TD
Rushing : T. Richardson (IND) - 19CAR, 100YDS, TD
Receiving : R.Wayne (IND) - 14REC, 127YDS, 2TD

INDIANAPOLIS - The Colts took the field today for their home opener, and despite the win there were some red flags for the future. Indianapolis OC Pep Hamilton has been openly dedicated to the run, but at times they seem to rely on Andrew Luck throwing the ball more than planned. Today was one of those days, with Luck throwing the ball 50 times, it's hard to tell if this is going to be an issue.

The Dolphins came into this game with a decent defense, but they didn't seem to plan for Reggie Wayne. Luck is spoiled for receiving options, and the Dolphins looked like they wanted to stop the running game and passing over the middle. This plan worked, slowing Dwayne Allen and Trent Richardson, but Luck just decided to hit Wayne and TY Hilton over and over and over.

Indianapolis was enjoying a 17-0 lead in the 2nd quarter before allowing a Lamar Miller TD run, and then an officiating gaffe gave the Dolphins amazing field position. Allen came across the field on a drag route and with the ball in the air OLB Jelani Jenkins blocked him off. The pass sailed into the secondary and Cortland Finnegan snatch the ball out of the air. The refs called it an interception, even with Pagano complaining to the officials, they failed to make the call. With the ball on the 31 it wasn't hard for Ryan Tannehill to find Brian Hartline in the endzone to make it 17-14 before halftime.

Wayne makes his way into the endzone.

Defensively the Colts came up big time in the second half, shutting out the Dolphins. The only problem was something the team has struggled with over the past few seasons; HB receivers. Miller had a terrible day on the ground, only 30 yards on 11 carries, but he racked up 95 yards on 3 receptions. The Dolphins couldn't take advantage, but there will be teams that can. The high point of the game for the Colts defense was a massive goal line stand from the 4. The Colts turned a Miami 1st and goal in four straight sacks to knock them back 24 yards and seal their shutout.

Indianapolis will need to keep rolling with a tough West Coast road game at San Diego next week. The two teams faced off in the pre-season, and you can bet the Chargers haven't forgotten the 48-27 beating handed down by the Colts.

2015 Colts - Week 1

4:15 PM ET - September 6th, 2015
Bank Of America Stadium - Charlotte, NC

Indianapolis Colts at Carolina Panthers
Sep 6, 2015	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Indianapolis Colts (1-0, 1-0 Away)	7	10	7	7	31
Carolina Panthers (0-1, 0-1 Home)	3	0	7	0	10

Top Performers

Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 334YDS, 3TD
Rushing : T.Richardson (IND) - 19CAR, 95YDS, TD
Receiving : R. Wayne (IND) - 12REC, 98YDS, TD

CHARLOTTE - The Colts were very excited to get started with the 2015 season, mostly to forget about 2014, but to also prove they had a Superbowl run in them. There were some bumps in the road before the game even started with starting RE Arthur Jones set to miss 4 weeks with a groin injury. Losing Jones would cause Chuck Pagano heartburn, Cam Newtown would represent a serious issue for the Colts defense as they struggle with mobile QB's.

Indianapolis started off on the wrong foot, with Reggie Wayne losing a fumble on the opening drive that resulted in a Graham Gano 51 yard FG, but after that is was all Colts. Andrew Luck, now endowed with an embarassment of offensive riches, looked about as sharp as everyone expected. Trent Richardson ran well to keep the aggressive Panthers defense honest, but it didn't seem to matter if they knew what was coming.

The Colts would enjoy a 17-3 after the first half, and it wasn't until Luck made his only mistake of the game that Carolina showed some life. Luck tried to hit Dwayne Allen on a drag route and Luke Keuchly jumped in to pick it off and run in for a Panthers score.

Wayne looked like he was 27 against the Panthers secondary.

Luck wasn't all that phased and went on to throw another TD pass, this time to Coby Fleener, and lead a final scoring drive that ended with a Richardson TD run. Luck finished his day 39/44, finding six different receivers over the course of the game. The Colts revamped defense did it's job as well, shutting down the Panthers' running game. Carolina's 1st round draft pick, HB Zeke Phillips out of USC, was held to a sorry 28 rushing yards on 10 attempts.

Indianapolis heads home to face a floundering Dolphins team that should net them a 2-0 start to the season.

2015 Colts - AFC South Projections

AFC SOUTH PROJECTIONS

Indianapolis Colts (12-4) : The Colts look good on offense, really really good, and it's going to be really hard for the rest of this division to stop them. Thanks to two of the worst teams in football they can pencil in a 4-0 record against the Titans and Jaguars. After the changes made to the defensive roster it's doubtful this team is going to choke away victories in the waging seconds again, look for the Colts to put away opponents early and often.

Luck could win his second MVP Award.

Houston Texans (9-7) : This team is difficult to read, but they will definitely continue to be a dominant force on defense. Their issue now is the offense, and it's hard to think they can hang with the better teams in the NFL. A spot in the playoffs isn't out of the question, but they will likely need some things to break their way. They will probably need to win 10 games to make it to the playoffs, but an 8-8 season is more likely.

Houston still has the best defensive line in the division.

Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11) : Jacksonville showed some promise last year, but they just couldn't come through. All of their young talent seems to be stagnant, Blake Bortles did not take a leap forward, and they are bereft of talent at key positions. They do have a few decent offensive linemen, but their best weapon on offense is Justin Blackmon and he can't do it all himself. They have just enough on the roster that they could win 6 games, but 5 is more likely. Experts call for them to finish in the bottom 5 for DVOA thanks to the likelihood that their offensive DVOA may be one of the worst in all of football.

Bortles and Blackmon need to step up.

Tennessee Titans (5-11) : Unfortunately for everyone involved, the Titans are not very good. They could be in the running for the worst team in the league at this rate, and there is nothing Ken Wisenhunt can do about it. Jake Locker has looked terrible and at this point probably will not become a replacement level NFL QB, the running game isn't present, and the defense lost most of it's veteran via free agency and retirement. They will be lucky to win 5 games, it's more likely they will be drafting in the Top 5 for 2016.

2015 Colts - Preseason

The pre-season is over, and the Colts look like the odds on favorite to make it to the Superbowl if not win it all. The rich get richer as Phil Emery swooped in on a few choice free agents who failed to find homes, adding CB Prince Amukamara and MLB Brandon Spikes on 1-year contracts really filled in some holes. The Colts have a few warts, but as a whole they look like the most complete team in football. The team finished 3-1 by thrashing the Chargers, Vikings, and Panthers before losing their final game to the Browns. 

PROJECTED DEPTH CHART

Indianapolis Colts Depth Chart - 2015
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	T.Y. Hilton	D. Rogers
TE	D. Allen	C. Fleener
LT	A. Castonzo	C. Hairston
LG	J. Mewhort	E. Looney (R)
C	K. Holmes	L. Louis
RG	D. Thomas	H. Thornton
RT	B. Fusco	C. Hairston
WR	R. Wayne	C. Shorts III	D. Moncrief
QB	A. Luck	J. Palmer
FB	S. Havili
HB	T. Richardson	V. Ballard	J. Forsett
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	D. Browning (R)	R. Jean-Francois	Landon Stone (R)
NT	M. Hughes	J. Chapman
RDE	A. Jones	R. Jean-Francois	R. Duncan (R)
LOLB	B. Werner	E. Walden
LILB	B. Spikes	A. Dent
RILB	D. Jackson	K. Sheppard
ROLB	V. Burfict	E. Walden
CB	V. Davis	D. Butler	A. Kilgore (R)
SS	W. Moore	B. Daniels (R)
FS	L. Landry	B. Daniels (R)
CB	P. Amukamara	G. Toler	D. Odom (R)
Special Teams
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
K	A. Devito
P	P. McAfee
PR	D. Odom	T.Y. Hilton
KR	D. Odom	T.Y. Hilton
LS	K. Holmes	D. Thomas

OTA / PRE-SEASON ANSWERS

Quarterback (Again) : After taking home his first MVP award, is there any question that Andrew Luck is the heart of this team? Everyone knows he will be good, and now he has the pieces around him to be even better. There is no excuse for the Colts offense to be anything but the best, and based on the pre-season results they should be the best if not one of the best offenses in football.

Can Luck add a Superbowl ring to his MVP award?

Offensive Line : After looking a little frail going into the 2014 season this could be one of the better units in the NFL thanks to free agency and LeCharles Bentley. Brandon Fusco and Chris Hairston were added to the mix, although Hairston has struggled in his transition to RT and looks like he might be a back-up at best, but Phil Emery stepped in to help develop their players. Emery sent the entire Colts offensive line to train with LeCharles Bentley at his O-Line Performance training center after he was impressed by Khaled Holmes' development, already a client of Bentley's, and it looks like it has paid off. The starting line looks solid, and this should help keep Luck upright and Trent Richardson rolling.

Richardson's Rebirth : Richardson, once a heralded prospect, fell from grace after the 2013 season. The trade for Richardson which cost Indianapolis their 2014 1st round pick looked like a real loser coming into the season, but after rushing for 1391 yards and 12 TD it looks like the Colts have a star HB. Richardson is going to see a lot of the ball in 2015, OC Pep Hamilton continues to be dedicated to the running game and with Ahmad Bradshaw gone it's Richardson's show.

FALL QUESTIONS

Defensive Line : The front office really failed to do much for the defensive line aside from drafting DE Donavon Browning, but even he doesn't look like the next Robert Quinn. The depth isn't great, and most of the starters are aging. It looks like the group is basically just going to get in the way so the linebackers can step up and make tackles, which could be an issue. Vontaze Burfict, who has been nothing short of amazing coming off the edge, could bring some pass rush relief but that will just be papering over the problem.

Spikes is going to have a lot to do if the Colts' defensive line struggles.

Pagano's Future : Coach Chuck Pagano has done well with the Colts over the years, but 2014 was a real misstep on his part. Yes, important players were traded away, but they blew games they should have won and wasted an MVP season from Luck. New GM Phil Emery has loaded this team with free agents and a few choice draft picks, so Pagano will not have any excuses. A return to the playoffs will help him keep his job, but how far will they have to go for Pagano to avoid being replaced? Pagano is well liked by players and management, but another down season might be too much.

Is it Superbowl or bust for Pagano?

Defensive Backs : Outside of Vontae Davis, Prince Amukamara and super-rookie Branch Daniels, this is Indianapolis' weakest area. William Moore has been decent during the pre-season, but he certainly hasn't wowed anyone. LaRon Landry is slated to start at FS, but he spends more time looking over his shoulder at Daniels than he does defending passes. After Davis and Amukamara it gets really thin, so depth and dime/nickel situations will be an issue. They drafted some depth, but they are hardly more than dime coverage options at the moment. It's a good thing the Colts have a high powered offense because teams are going to be passing all over them.

2015 Colts - NFL Draft

CHICAGO - Following a busy free agency period the Colts hit Chicago with a long list of needs, but luckily for new GM Phil Emery he came in with a few extra picks. The draft opened with a little bit of drama, two teams traded into the Top 3 (Cincinnati and Dallas) while Oakland took the concensus #1 pick.

Oakland made Texas OT Julian Branch the #1 overall pick, a definite need for the struggling Raiders. They spent well in free agency and don't seem set to pick high again in 2015. The Bengals traded up to #2 to take Alabama FS Kadeem Orr, an Indianapolis target, and Dallas jumped to #3 to take LSU DT Dan Estes.

2015 NFL Draft - Indianapolis Colts
Pick	Player	College	Pos	Ht	Wt
1 (17)	Branch Daniels	LSU	FS	6'-1"	207
2 (49)	Donavon Browning	Pitt	LE	6'-5"	306
3 (65)	Erik Looney	Wisconsin	RG	6'-3"	309
3 (81)	Landon Stone	Delaware State	LE	6'-5"	250
4 (113)	Don Walters	Florida	ROLB	6'-2"	235
4 (120)	Artez Kilgore	California	CB	6'-1"	183
5 (145)	Daryll Odom	Northern Illinois	CB	6'-2"	186
7 (203)	Venson Patterson	Eastern Michigan	DT	6'-3"	275
7 (209)	Rasheem Duncan	Baylor	LE	6'-3"	280

DRAFT ANALYSIS

Best Pick(s) : FS Branch Daniels, DE Donavon Browning.

Daniels and Browning fill some serious needs and represented the best player available. The Colts were trying to trade up, having additional picks, and get FS Kadeem Orr so having Daniels fall to them was a real blessing. Daniels was a two-year starter at LSU and showed good coverage skills with loose hips and a fluid backpedal, but his biggest strength is his ability to make tackles in the open field. Daniels has a shot at making the starting roster, but it's more likely he will learn behind fellow LSU grad LaRon Landry. Browning went under the radar a little, but he's a solid 3-4 DE with a good frame who holds up well against the run. He didn't register too many sacks at Pitt, but film seems to indicate he was double teamed regularly as the Panthers' best defensive lineman.

Worst Pick(s) : OLB Don Walters, DE Rasheem Duncan.

Walters entered the draft process with a 1st round grade but found himself plummeting as the draft went on. Walters didn't run well at the combine, showed up overweight, and struggled to bench press anywhere near his peers. He interviewed well and looked good on tape, showed the production teams want at OLB, but teams were seriously turned off by his combine performance. The Colts didn't seem to care and saw a bargain, but they needed an immediate starter and he will be a long term project. It's hard to say the 209th pick in the draft is a "bad" pick, but Duncan came out of nowhere. Duncan came into the draft essentially unranked, only started 10 games for Baylor in 2014, and didn't really impress scouts. Maybe the Colts coaching staff saw something, hard to tell.

Sleeper Pick(s) : CB Artez Kilgore, CB Daryll Odom

Both Kilgore and Odom went a little under the radar, unless it's a radar gun. Kilgore and Odom both ran 4.29 40-yard dashes at the combine, showed loose hips and impressive acceleration. Neither of them show much in terms of zone coverage, but they have the speed to develop into decent man-coverage corners. They will definitely see some work on special teams, and both might prove to be decent additions to Indianapolis' ailing Dime and Quarters coverage.

2015 Colts - Free Agency

INDIANAPOLIS - The Colts dove into free agency and became one of the most active teams this year. New GM Phil Emery did his best to throw a hay maker at all of their roster problems, mostly focusing on the defense that let the team down so often last season.

PRE-FREE AGENCY NEGOTIATIONS

The Colts declined to re-sign a few starters and contributors, letting Corey Redding, Jurrell Freeman, and Ahmad Bradshaw test free agency. The team opted to bring back Reggie Wayne and Darius Butler on one-year contracts and focus the bulk of their spending on LT Anthony Castonzo. Castonzo agreed to a 5-year $32.5 million deal which will keep him protecting Andrew Luck's blindside for some time. Emery also inked FB Stanley Havili, P Pat McAfee, and MLB Kelvin Sheppard to multi-year deals.

Castonzo should finish his career in Indianapolis.

It wouldn't be free agency without a little drama as WR Da'Rick Rogers rejected the Colts' initial offer and decided to test the market. Rogers, who was seen as a key replacement for the aging Wayne, put the Colts in a bad position regarding WR depth. The Colts were then forced to look at free agent receivers with only three on the current roster.

FREE AGENCY

Indianapolis went into free agency with numerous positions of need; WR, FS, SS, RG, RT, LE, DT, and LB. Emery basically managed to nail all of these with some bargain deals and one blockbuster. Surprised to see the 24 year old OLB Vontaze Burfict hit the market, the Colts threw the kitchen sink at him and landed a potential superstar. The Colts were missing a powerful pass rusher after the trade of Robert Mathis, and inking Burfict to a 7-year $100 million deal filling that need for quite some time.

Burfict hitting the market was a huge surprise.

The Colts loaded up on reasonable 4-year offers to strengthen the offensive line, WR corps, and defense. WR Cecil Shorts III ($12 million), RG Brandon Fusco ($36 million), RT Chris Hairston ($25 million), and MLB Akeem Dent ($15 million) fill some serious roster holes. Da'Rick Rogers, probably wishing he had accepted the Colts initial offer of 4-years for $20 million agreed to the same length at $16 million after failing to generate much interest.

Free Agency did not go well for Rogers.

Shorter term deals for SS William Moore and HB Justin Forsett made preparing for the draft even easier. With 9 picks in the draft thanks to trades, the team would have plenty of opportunities to paper over the roster cracks.

2014 Colts - Post Season / Awards

INDIANAPOLIS - The Colts ended their season on a very sour note, but despite failing to make the playoffs there were numerous signs of improvement and growth. The name of the game for 2014 was regression, massive amounts of regression, as a team that performed well according to advanced metrics failed to live up to it's win potential. Previous seasons saw a flawed Colts team go 11-5 and defy the projections, but this season was different.

Offensively, the Colts were amazing. They finished ranked 2nd in Offensive DVOA thanks to finishing 1st in total yards, 1st downs, and 4th in points per game. Despite surrendering back breaking scores and finishing 8-8 they actually improved their Defensive DVOA to 10th thanks to leading the league in yards allowed, rushing yards allowed, and sacks. They finished 4th in passing yards allowed and 9th in points per game, but they were one of the worst (30th) in turn over differential at -10. The lack of turnovers could be attributed to bad luck, but the Colts failed to force fumbles and relied heavily on interceptions.

Finishing 8-8 is hardly good news, but there is a silver lining for the 2014 Colts when it comes to awards. The biggest news was the announcement that Andrew Luck was names the NFL MVP, his first such award and probably not his last. Even with various injuries to his receiving core Luck managed to lead the NFL in passing yards (4686) and TD passes (31).

Luck's first MVP award shouldn't be his last.

Luck was also named to the Pro Bowl roster along with two other Colts players. Trent Richardson managed to prove doubters wrong with a solid season, finishing 4th in rushing yards (1391) with 12TD. Dwayne Allen, Luck's favorite target, was also named to the Pro Bowl with the 3rd most receiving yards in the NFL (1185) and a whopping 102 receptions to lead the Colts and the league.

2014 Colts - Playoff Results / Colts Hire Phil Emery As GM

INDIANAPOLIS - The 2014 NFL season came to a close last night, and Colts fans have a few things to be happy about. After spending the bulk of his Hall of Fame career in Indianapolis it was not surprising that so many Colts fans would take pleasure in seeing Peyton Manning win his second Superbowl, this time with Denver. The Broncos defeated the Green Bay Packers 37-17 to cap off the 2014 season, Colts fans can only hope they will be there next year.

NFL Standings - Updated: Dec 28, 2014
NFC EAST	W	L	T
Philadelphia Eagles - Y	11	5	0
NFC NORTH	W	L	T
Detroit Lions - Y	11	5	0
NFC SOUTH	W	L	T
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Z	15	1	0
NFC WEST	W	L	T
San Francisco 49ers - Y	12	4	0
NFC WILD CARD RACE	W	L	T
Seattle Seahawks - X	9	7	0
Green Bay Packers - X	8	6	0
AFC EAST	W	L	T
Buffalo Bills - Y	11	5	0
AFC NORTH	W	L	T
Baltimor Ravens - Y	11	5	0
AFC SOUTH	W	L	T
Houstan Texans - Y	11	5	0
AFC WEST	W	L	T
Denver Broncos - Z	14	2	0
AFC WILD CARD RACE	W	L	T
Cleveland Browns - X	9	7	0
San Diego Chargers - X	9	7	0

Despite being happy for Manning, Colts fans were probably even happier to find out that MSMG hired Phil Emery away from the Chicago Bears to be General Manager. News leaked via Twitter, similar to the firing of Grigson, but this announcement was met with much applause.

Emery, who hired Marc Trestman, set Chicago in a different direction. He is well known for his no-nonsense press conferences and innovative approach to team management. He has already stated that the organization is due for an overhaul from the front office to the player's meals. It's likely that Emery, who plans to meet with Chuck Pagano immediately, will push for changes similar to those Chip Kelly brought to Philadelphia and guide their player management practices in a new direction. No word yet on whether smoothies will be involved even though a reporter asked Emery about it during his first press conference.

Emery addresses the media for the first time as Colts GM.

Emery takes over with free agency and the NFL Draft looming, it's hard to say what direction he will take the team in but it's clear that something needs to change to get over a disappointing 8-8 season. The Colts have a significant amount of cap space thanks to trades and expiring contracts, but there are so many roster needs it's doubtful that they will max out their payroll in an attempt to win immediately.

2014 Colts - Week 17

1:00PM EST - December 28th, 2014
LP Field - Nashville, TN

Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans
Dec 28, 2014	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Indianapolis Colts (8-8, 4-4 Away)	0	14	7	0	21
Tennessee Titans (6-10, 3-5 Home)	3	14	0	7	24

Top Performers

Passing : J. Locker (TEN) - 325YDS, 3TD
Rushing : T. Richardson (IND) - 22CAR, 136YDS, TD
Receiving : R. Wayne (IND) - 11REC, 138YDS, TD

NASHVILLE - The suffering has finally come to an end, and the finger pointing will probably begin. Colts fans cannot be happy with how the season has ended, a loss to the lowly Titans only adds to the insult. It's hard to believe that Indianapolis could waste a game in which they led in just about every major statistical category and held Tennessee to under 100 yards rushing.

The Colts took an early lead, mostly thanks to the Titans inability to stop Trent Richardson right from the opening kickoff. Richardson continued his campaign to show doubters that trading for him wasn't a mistake, and rumbling for 136 yards was a good closing act. Thanks to his efforts the Colts were able to control the clock and pick up short yardage 1st downs when needed.

Reggie Wayne would enjoy and impressive day.

Things really started to go south just before halftime when TY Hilton left the game with a knee injury and Jake Locker found Kendall Wright for a 9 yard TD pass to pull ahead 17-14. The Colts offense would feel the loss, and Reggie Wayne become a target monster on his way to 11 receptions for 138 yards. With the Titans focused on Dwayne Allen, Coby Fleener was given room to work, but the second half did not go well for the Colts offense. A long Richardson TD run would be their only score of the 2nd half, leaving the defense to try and hold a 21-17 lead.

Richardson's joy was short lived.

The Colts would muster an INT in the 4th, thanks to Mike Adams, but the offense couldn't get anything out of it and gave the ball back to Locker. Dexter McCluster, who had a decent day running the ball, was a nightmare outlet for Locker. If the Colts tried to contain the passing game they would leave McCluster open in the flats, and when they made an effort to cover him Locker found Derek Hagan for a back-breaking 27 yard TD with less than 1:00 left to play. Luck just couldn't get things going and the Colts season ended in a sour 24-21 defeat to a team closer to the top pick in the draft than the playoffs.

With a new GM on the horizon, there will be a lot of serious questions asked about this roster and the coaching staff. It's hard to tell if Pagano will be back for next season, but it doesn't seem like Colts fans will be too upset if he leaves. A win today would have put Indianapolis in the playoffs, thanks to a Patriots loss. Now the Chargers, at 9-7 with Cleveland, get a trip to Wild Card weekend. The Colts will be watching at home, if they can even stomach watching at all.

2014 Colts - Week 16

1:00PM EST - December 21st, 2014
AT&T Stadium - Arlington, TX

Indianapolis Colts at Dallas Cowboys
Dec 21, 2014	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Indianapolis Colts (8-7, 4-3 Away)	0	0	0	3	3
Dallas Cowboys (6-9, 3-5 Home)	0	13	15	9	37

Top Performers

Passing : T. Romo (DAL) - 203YDS, 2TD
Rushing : D. Murray (DAL) - 21CAR, 95YDS, TD
Receiving : J. Witten (DAL) - 7REC, 113YDS, TD

ARLINGTON - With the season basically on the line the Colts hit the road for a matchup against the struggling Cowboys, a game that looked like an easy win to put their season back on track. They were sorely mistaken, and the Chuck Pagano hot seat only got hotter. For once it wasn't the defense facing the blame, they did well enough, as Andrew Luck and the Colts offense just could not get going.

The MVP of today's game was without a doubt Dallas kicker Dan Bailey. The Cowboys offense did well enough to move the ball into the red zone, but Indianapolis stiffened up and kept them out of the endzone. Bailey started the scoring in the 2nd quarter after a Tony Romo sack forced a 4th & 12. Bailey nailed a 50 yard FG, and he just kept hitting them all game.

Luck had the worst game of the season, though he kept his head up like a true leader. Luck threw the ball 47 times and only managed to pass for 192 yards. His only INT came as the 2nd quarter closed, and things didn't get much better in the second half.

Murray was basically unstoppable.

Romo added two TD passes in the 3rd quarter, and then DeMarco Murray took over. The Colts defense played well, but yet again the big play plagued them. Lance Dunbar had 4 carries for a single yard before breaking one off for 70 yards. They managed to sack Romo five times, often forcing 4th down, but Bailey was right there to hit a FG.  Bailey finished the day with 5 FG, three of them 40+ yards.

The loss exposed one of Indianapolis' biggest problems; linebacker depth. Jason Witten basically had free reign in the middle of the field. Man coverage was a nightmare, even with a safety covering him nothing worked. Romo barely had to work, going 17/19, and found Witten 7 times. More importantly, the Colts are now on the outside looking in with all of the divisions wrapped up. They need a win and a loss from Cleveland or New England to keep the season alive.

NFL Standings - Updated: Dec 21, 2014
AFC EAST	W	L	T
Buffalo Bills - X	10	5	0
AFC NORTH	W	L	T
Baltimore Ravens - X	10	5	0
AFC SOUTH	W	L	T
Houston Texans - Y	10	5	0
AFC WEST	W	L	T
Denver Broncos - Z	13	2	0
AFC WILD CARD RACE	W	L	T
Cleveland Browns	9	6	0
New England Patriots	9	6	0
Indianapolis Colts	8	7	0
San Diego Chargers	8	7	0

2014 Colts - Week 15

Things are really starting to shape up in the final weeks of the season, with three games left it looks like there are eight teams for the six available playoff spots. The Texans won their game last week, keeping them a step ahead of Indianapolis, making today's game even more important. A win this week would clinch the AFC West for the Denver Broncos and most likely home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

NFL Standings - Updated: Dec 14, 2014
AFC EAST	W	L	T
Buffalo Bills	9	4	0
AFC NORTH	W	L	T
Baltimore Ravens	8	5	0
AFC SOUTH	W	L	T
Houston Texans	9	4	0
AFC WEST	W	L	T
Denver Broncos	11	2	0
AFC WILD CARD RACE	W	L	T
Indianapolis Colts	8	5	0
San Diego Chargers	8	5	0
New England Patriots	8	5	0
Cleveland Browns	7	6	0

1:00PM EST - December 14th, 2014
Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN

Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts
Dec 14, 2014	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Houston Texans (10-4, 5-3 Away)	3	3	0	14	20
Indianapolis Colts (8-6, 4-4 Home)	0	14	0	5	19

Top Performers

Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 282YDS, 1TD
Rushing : T. Richardson (IND) - 25CAR, 89YDS
Receiving : D. Allen (IND) - 9REC, 84YDS

INDIANAPOLIS - The turmoil caused by the firing of GM Ryan Grigson was distracting, but losing a must-win to division rival Houston might have been a gut punch. It's going to take some serious character for this team, especially the defense, to turn things around and get through this.

The most frustrating element of today's loss was the complete and utter implosion on defense combined with an offensive vanishing act. Indianapolis is making a disturbing habit of giving up big scoring plays, and if it continues Chuck Pagano might not be coaching the team in 2015.

When this game opened, it looked like Houston was ready to win and the Colts had their pants down. A Rob Bironas FG in the 1st quarter and another in the 2nd put Houston up 6-0. Adam Vinatieri missed a desperate 52 yard FG, but the big problem was the Texans' defensive line. JJ Watt and Jadaveon Clowney were eating Indianapolis' offense alive. Andrew Luck went back to being knocked down regularly, and Trent Richardson was mostly ineffective.

Luck eventually hit Da'Rick Rogers for a TD, and then things broke open for the Colts' defense. With the Texans backed up on their own 31 Cuck Pagano would dial up an all-out blitz and get Ryan Fitzpatrick to make a huge mistake. A panicked throw to the flats would find Vontae Davis for a pick-six to put Indianapolis up 14-6 at the half.

Davis cuts off Andrew Johnson for an INT.

The second half was basically all defense, with no scoring in the 3rd quarter and the 4th opening with a safety. Fitpatrick would be overwhelmed in the endzone to put Indianapolis up 16-6, and then a Vinatieri FG would make it 19-6 and seemingly assure victory. Houston HC Bill O'Brien would have some tricks up his sleeve, and more than enough answers for the Colts' blitzing.

Fitzpatrick would put together a good drive, making more use of Arian Foster to get out of trouble, finally ending with a 29 yard TD pass. Foster basically ran over the Indianapolis secondary on his way to the endzone, and Colts fans were starting to get nervous. Things only got worse, quieting the crowd, when Fitpatrick found Ryan Griffen for a 41 yard TD and a shocking 20-19 lead. With only 1:28 left in the game, Luck just couldn't get them in FG range and the clock hit 0:00 to put the Colts in bad situation.

Arian Foster came up big when it counted.

Now 8-6, Indianapolis is now vulnerable to falling into the middle of a four team race for the wild card slots. Depending on how things shake out, this loss could be season ending.

2014 Colts - Week 14

1:00PM EST - December 7th, 2014
FirstEnergy Stadium - Cleveland, OH

Indianapolis Colts at Cleveland Browns
Dec 7, 2014	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Indianapolis Colts (8-5, 4-2 Away)	0	7	7	11	25
Cleveland Browns (7-6, 3-4 Home)	0	7	7	7	21

Top Performers

Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 297YDS, 3TD
Rushing : T. Richardson (IND) - 16CAR, 86YDS
Receiving : D. Allen (IND) - 7REC, 65YDS

CLEVELAND - Today's game would have playoff implications, with the loser ending up on the outside looking in, but the media coverage would be overwhelmed by another story. With Brian Hoyer out after injuring his shoulder Johnny Manziel would get to start, and the Cleveland fans would go crazy.

Even with all of the attention on Manziel, the real story was the Browns defense. Mike Pettine nearly put on a master class, constantly frustrating the Colts and keeping Dwayne Allen at bay. Andrew Luck is already familiar with teams trying to stop Allen, the NFL's leading reciever, but today it really worked. Joe Haden, the Browns' celebrated CB, was particularly good today and starting things off with a 1st quarter INT.

Manziel would be a pain on the ground, but not much of a threat passing.

The Cleveland defense was able to clamp down on TY Hilton, Reggie Wayne, and Allen, but the Colts have more weapons up their sleeve. The Browns' defensive plans left Coby Fleener an opening to shine, and he burned man coverage for the Colts' first TD of the game.

Cleveland would answer back, but with Indianapolis driving it would be their defense that would step up. Justin Gilbert, the Browns' 1st round draft pick, would pick off Luck with less than 0:30 to go in the 2nd quarter and keep Cleveland in the game.

Thing really picked up in the second half when the Colts defensive issues reared it's ugly head. After gaining a measly 9 yards on 10 carries Isiah Crowell would rumble for 63 yards down to the 1. A short Manziel TD run later and Chuck Pagano became furious on the sidelines. A shouting match between Pagano and defensive coordinator Greg Manusky would ensue, but luckily a Wayne TD would tie the game again.

The Browns did not have an answer for Fleener at times.

The teams would swap TD passes again in the 4th, but this time the Colts would go for 2 and make it 22-21 to hold a slim lead. Manziel would lead a promising drive, but a 7 yard completion on 4th & 9 would give Indianapolis the ball back. The Browns defense would be solid again, stalling the Colts, but Adam Vinatieri would hit a 22 yard FG which would prove to be the final blow.

Now at 8-5, the Colts have passed Cleveland and host the Texans in week 15. Indianapolis controls it's destiny at this point, a victory over Houston would give them a leg up in the division and put them on track to a playoff spot.

2014 Colts - Week 13

1:00PM EST - November 30th, 2014
Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN

Washington Redskins at Indianapolis Colts
Nov 30, 2014	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Washington Redskins (6-6, 4-3 Away)	3	3	7	7	20
Indianapolis Colts (7-5, 4-3 Home)	0	14	21	5	40

Top Performers

Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 366YDS, 2TD
Rushing : T. Richardson (IND) - 25CAR, 104YDS, 3TD
Receiving : L. Hankerson (WAS) - 4REC, 123YDS, TD

INDIANAPOLIS - The Colts took an important step forward today by finding their groove on offense, a stellar performance by the defensive line also paced a beating of Washington. The Colts have been using TE Dwayne Allen to torment defense, and Washington head coach Jay Gruden made it clear they would make a 'concerted effort' to halt Allen. Unfortunately for Washington they forgot about Coby Fleener.

Washington took the lead with a Kai Forbath 35 yard FG on their opening drive and managed to shut out Indianapolis for the rest of the 1st quarter. Trent Richardson finally put the Colts on the board with a short TD run and they never looked back. Originally billed as a battle of the 2012 Draft, Andrew Luck made it clear why the Colts took him over Robert Griffin III. Griffin had a decent game, throwing for 301 yards and 2TD, but Luck engineered scoring drive after scoring drive to put Washington in a huge hole.

Washington's plan to stop Allen worked, but Fleener collected 10 receptions and 108 yards before leaving the game with an injury in the middle of the 3rd quarter. While stopping Allen seemed to work, Luck just spread the ball around even more. After the dust had settled the Colts nearly had three 100 yard receivers with  TY Hilton (98) and Reggie Wayne (94) falling just short.

Richardson's short run opened the flood gates.

The Colts offensive explosion certainly helped win the game, but the Colts defense racked up 7 sacks on the day including a safety by OLB Eric Walden. They couldn't stop Leonard Hankerson, but Griffin ended up on his back so often it didn't really matter.

The win keeps Indianapolis in the hunt for a playoff spot and potentially an AFC South title. The Houston Texans also won today to make it to 8-4, with a Week 15 match up between the teams that could decide the division the Colts desperately need to win out.

2014 Colts - Week 12

1:00PM EST - November 23rd, 2014
Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN

Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts
Nov 23, 2014	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-8, 2-4 Away)	0	3	0	3	6
Indianapolis Colts (6-5, 3-3 Home)	7	7	7	14	35

Top Performers

Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 284YDS, 5TD
Rushing : T. Richardson (IND) - 14CAR, 54YDS
Receiving : R. Wayne (IND) - 6REC, 81YDS, TD

INDIANAPOLIS - The Colts continued their much needed stretch of home games with a visit from the Jaguars, and they were more than happy to tally an easy win. A two game win streak after the BYE is just what the doctor ordered for this ailing organization. A new GM has not been hired yet, and the Colts find themselves within striking distance of a trip back to the playoffs.

Rookie Blake Bortles was under center for the Jaguars today, and while he took his lumps and failed to generate much offense he showed off why Jacksonville took him in the first round. The Jags offensive line basically melted under the Colts attack, but Bortles used his legs regularly to turn a sack into a short gain.

Having TY Hilton back in the lineup helped Luck on his way to 5TD passes.

The Jaguars defense, believe it or not, was the highlight of this game. Despite the score they managed to stuff the Colts running game, allowing only 52 total yards, but Andrew Luck and Dwayne Allen would not be denied. Allen caught touchdown passes in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th quarter as part of Luck's 5TD day. The Jacksonville offense made things easy by constantly giving Indianapolis a short field to work with.

The best Jacksonville could do was two Josh Scobee FG's and recover an onside kick in the 4th that ended with a failed offensive drive. The Jaguars have a way to go before they can become a force in the AFC South, as long as they keep giving up 5TD games to Andrew Luck it might be longer than they think.