How good are the Indianapolis Colts?

[JetsFan4Life 542]

So just how good do you think this team is? 8-4 with a rookie quarterback is pretty impressive but I think there are plenty of flaws on this team starting with the run defense. They have one good win against the Packers but also have some bad losses, including blowout losses to the Pats, Bears, and Jets.

 

I think they're an average team benefiting from a terrible year in the AFC. I'm not discrediting them but I just don't think they're good and believe they will be one and done.

 

Your thoughts?

[Omerta+ 1,206]

This is like that how good is Flacco thread Sean created....Pathetic.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

I don't think they're as good as their 8-4 record indicates, but their easily better than the 9 AFC teams with losing records. That puts them in the top 7. And I'd say they're on par with the Steelers (without Ben) and the Bengals. So, considering how weak the AFC is this year, they're a borderline playoff team.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

They are average. I don't want to sound like a depressed emo guy, but Goodell pretty much hit the nail on the head when he said, watch them play and you wan't be impressed.

 

They beat the Packers, and deserve credit for that, but the best teams have had one or two hiccup games this year.

Edited December 2, 2012 by DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F

[JetsFan4Life 542]

I don't think they're as good as their 8-4 record indicates, but their easily better than the 9 AFC teams with losing records. That puts them in the top 7. And I'd say they're on par with the Steelers (without Ben) and the Bengals. So, considering how weak the AFC is this year, they're a borderline playoff team.

 

But I would argue just because your a playoff team does that make you a good team? I don't think you have to be a good team to make the playoffs if you have an easy schedule and the league itself is weak. It's not like there's a certain quota of "we need this amount of good teams."

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Average team benefiting from an easy schedule and I think they go one and done. They'll be good quickly though. Luck has been huge and he'll be in Indy for a long time.

[RazorStar 4,025]

You asked how far they could go, and I say AFC Championship, but that's if they have a favourable schedule, and get a few breaks their way. They'll lose to the Pats in the championship or the Broncos before that.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

But I would argue just because your a playoff team does that make you a good team? I don't think you have to be a good team to make the playoffs if you have an easy schedule and the league itself is weak. It's not like there's a certain quota of "we need this amount of good teams."

 

Notice I didn't call them a good team, I called them a playoff team. If you want to blame someone for them making the playoffs, blame the shitty ass AFC this season.

[oochymp 2,393]

they're an average team benefiting from a weak year for the AFC and I also think you have to consider the intangible factor of what Chuck Pagano is going through, I don't mean to diminish anything they've done by this last comment and certainly I don't mean to trivialize Pagano's health issues, I just think when a team has something like that to unite behind it gives them a little bit extra that's tough to explain

 

for how far they can go, I don't see them beating any of the division winners on the road, so I'm going with one and done

[Vin+ 3,121]

They've played only two teams with a winning record so far, and only play one more team with a winning record (They get the Texans twice). Basically they're this year's version of the '10 Chiefs.

[Playmaker 2]

You can only play whos on your schedule. After a blow lose this team is 3-0. Blowouts suck, but its good to see a team respond the following week. We'll see just how good the Colts are in 2 weeks against the Texans.

[Bay 2,003]

They've played only two teams with a winning record so far, and only play one more team with a winning record (They get the Texans twice). Basically they're this year's version of the '10 Chiefs.

But Luck is already better than MC was at that point. Kid already has 5 game winning drives in the 4th or OT.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

An interesting stat I saw today. The Colts are the only 9-4 team in NFL history to have a negative point differential. They are at -37...

[Thanatos 2,847]

I originally voted as such: good team, one and done.

 

That was under the assumption the Colts would take the sixth seed and play Denver, who will likely be the #3 seed. No way do they go into Peyton's house and take them out.

 

Now it is looking very probable that they will take the 5 seed. In which case, they will most likely be playing the Ravens.

 

And that game, I would say the Colts could win- I would have said would win, prior to the Ravens firing Cameron.

 

They are a good team, that is also benefiting from a weak schedule. This is a matter of semantics, and what people consider to be "good." I think at worst they are #6 in their conference: NE, DEN, HOU, BAL, PIT being the ones above them, (PIT being debatable). I'm not sure what I would say is average vs good. Is a good team one that can make the playoffs with a winning record? Or is it only someone who wins a playoff game? If that is the case, were the 14-2 Atlanta Falcons not good, but merely average?

 

The Colts are not an average team. They are a good team. They are not a great team, and they aren't a Super Bowl contender, not this year. I don't think that makes them an average team, because in my mind a SB contender is a great team.

 

They have some really ugly losses. So does practically everyone else at this point. The real test will be here at the end of the season, with Houston twice in three weeks. If they keep it close or pull out a W, that will tell us a lot about Indy.

Edited December 12, 2012 by Thanatos19

[BwareDWare94 723]

I said good team that could go to the Super Bowl. I'm factoring in what Pagano is going through, as well as the amount of game-winning drives the kid already has under his belt. Realize that the kid has won games with FUCKING BRUCE ARIANS calling plays. That has to mean something in regard to how good he is.

 

There is nobody this team can't beat under the right circumstances. They have pass rushers. They have a QB. They have receivers, and they have their hearts on their sleeves. Do I expect them to go that far? Not a chance in hell, but I will tell you one thing:

 

I think they sweep the Texans and surprisingly take the division. Houston has had an atrociously weak schedule, as weak as Indy's, I'd say. They were a much better team last year.

Edited December 12, 2012 by BwareDWare94

[Gronk'd 15]

Average team playing a cake schedule. They have had 6 game winning drives and I can't see any elite team in the NFL not capitalizing off the 2 or 3 mistakes Luck usually makes a game.

[AL_Royalty 489]

Average team playing a cake schedule. They have had 6 game winning drives and I can't see any elite team in the NFL not capitalizing off the 2 or 3 mistakes Luck usually makes a game.

That's the thing though. Most teams ARE capitalizing. Luck has that "it" thing that is mentioned so much. He makes mistakes, but he seems to put them to the side and overcome them. It's crazy to think that with the same team that was bad enough last season to draft him, he's helped put them in a great position to make the playoffs.

 

If you just look at stats, RG3 is killing him. If you watch him close, the two seem MUCH closer.

 

To answer the question though, they're an average team that is overachieving at present. I'm rooting for them.

 

How far can they go? With some favorable matchups and a good run by the offense, the sky is the limit.

[Thanatos 2,847]

No way do they sweep Houston.

 

The Texans are a much more rounded ballclub. I could see them pulling a W in Indy, but not in Houston.

[әightninә. 39]

I'll be the first to admit that I am absolutely shocked that the Colts are 9-4 this season. They're definitely not a great team, our run defense is terrible for the most part, and our secondary is average-at-best. But we find ways to win. They're not pretty most of the time, but they win, dammit.

 

Ideally, they'd win the Super Bowl, just like I want them to every year. Realistically, they're a good team taking advantage of a weak schedule and an off-year from the AFC, and will probably be eliminated before they make it to the AFC Championship game.

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

I said good team that could go to the Super Bowl. I'm factoring in what Pagano is going through, as well as the amount of game-winning drives the kid already has under his belt. Realize that the kid has won games with FUCKING BRUCE ARIANS calling plays. That has to mean something in regard to how good he is.

 

There is nobody this team can't beat under the right circumstances. They have pass rushers. They have a QB. They have receivers, and they have their hearts on their sleeves. Do I expect them to go that far? Not a chance in hell, but I will tell you one thing:

 

I think they sweep the Texans and surprisingly take the division. Houston has had an atrociously weak schedule, as weak as Indy's, I'd say. They were a much better team last year.

You're getting a bit ahead of yourself, Bware.

 

They'll go as far as the Divisional round, maybe. They're a nice story this year, but they're quite flawed and they need more time to develop before they can attempt to make a deep run in the postseason.

Edited December 12, 2012 by BenJarvus Green-Ellis