It’s hard to begin talking about the 2022 Indianapolis Colts without first ruminating on the deeply disappointing way the 2021 season ended.
It feels like a lifetime ago or maybe just something from a dream, but as of Christmas night 2021, the Colts were the toast of the AFC. They were 9-6, riding high on a three-game win streak that included a sensational Jonathan Taylor performance in a prime time win against New England and a really good Carson Wentz showing (it’s true!) on the road versus the Cardinals.
After beginning the season 1-4, suddenly, the Colts became a trendy sleeper pick, a team that could make some noise in the AFC playoffs. Clinching a playoff berth wasn’t even a question. The question was: how deep can this team advance?
We all know what happened next.
Deforest Buckner summed it up perfectly a few weeks ago as the Colts began their 2022 training camp: “We shit the bed last year.”
Truly.
Inconceivable losses to the Raiders and the lowly Jaguars in Weeks 17 and 18 dashed those playoff dreams. To make matters worse, the dramatic, head-scratching collapse was documented in painful detail by HBO’s Hard Knocks.
The collapse led to an angry Jim Irsay posting an odd video of himself passionately addressing Colts nation while a plane engine roared behind him. It led to the jettison of the enigmatic Carson Wentz and the acquisition of Matt Ryan. It led to other key offseason additions such as defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, cornerback Stephon Gilmore and rookie receiver Alec Pierce.
We’ll see if it ultimately leads to a bounce back season in 2022.
For now, we know that Indianapolis will begin the season with a new starting quarterback for the fifth consecutive season:
2018: Andrew Luck
2019: Jacoby Brissett
2020: Philip Rivers
2021: Carson Wentz
2022: Matt Ryan
Obviously, the team has been on a perpetual search for the right guy since Luck abruptly retired - another inconceivable turn of events - right before the start of the 2019 season.
We as humans on Earth can all agree on very few things at the moment. One thing I believe we’ve found true consensus on is the fact that Matt Ryan is an upgrade over Carson Wentz. A big or slight upgrade is debatable, but nonetheless, it’s an upgrade at the sport’s most important position. That has to be worth something.
Matty Ice is no spring chicken, true. He turned 37 in May. He also hasn’t posted a really strong statistical season since 2018… Some will tell you he’s washed up, but I feel like most at least consider him solid and dependable. We’ll find out soon enough.
Roster Bright Spots
Setting your opinion on Matt Ryan aside, there’s a lot to like about this Colts roster.
Ryan will get to hand off to one of if not the best running back in the league, the physical, electric Jonathan Taylor. The NFL is a passing league, but Taylor is a rare back that can be a true difference maker. He single-handedly won the Colts multiple football games last season.
The offensive line struggled last year after the retirement of longtime left tackle Anthony Castonzo, but the unit still contains great pieces like Quentin Nelson, Ryan Kelly and Braden Smith. Ryan should have time to make decisions and throws in the pocket.
On defense, Shaquille - formerly Darius - Leonard is one of the best linebackers in the league and an absolute freak of nature when it comes to forcing fumbles.
Pass rush has been a weakness for the Colts for many years now, but it could become a strength in 2022 with Ngakoue joining All-Pro Deforest Buckner and the green but promising Kwity Paye on the line.
Causes for Concern
The Colts upgraded at QB in the offseason, but who will Matt Ryan throw to?
The wide receiver group is another unit that has been thin for a number of years in Indy. It’s led by Michael Pittman Jr., a big physical player who has shown an impressive ability to go up and win jump balls in acrobatic fashion. Pittman is a legit No. 1. But who else can the Colts count on?
General manager Chris Ballard has high hopes for rookie Alec Pierce, the 53rd selection in the 2022 NFL Draft from Cincinnati. The oft-injured Paris Campbell also returns. The speedster has shown flashes of potential but has not been able to stay healthy throughout his career. There is potential here, but, for now, there are more question marks than answers.
The secondary. Stephon Gilmore was a bona fide stud a few years back, but he’s likely lost a step or two now at age 32. Kenny Moore is a really strong player, but the Colts appear to be lacking in the safety spots with Julian Blackmon attempting a comeback from a torn achilles and the retirement of Kharis Willis. The good news? If the pass rush improves as Ballard and Colts fans expect it to, the secondary’s job becomes less demanding in 2022.
Opportunity within a Shaky AFC South
Thank God for the AFC South, right? The division is perennially one of the worst in football, a fact the Colts have benefitted from for quite literally 20 years. And it looks to be particularly bad in 2022 with the Titans, at least on paper, appearing to slip a bit after the departure of wide receivers A.J. Brown, a notorious Colt killer, and Julio Jones, among other roster changes.
Bottom line, if Matt Ryan is an upgrade over Wentz (we all agree on this, remember?), the Colts should be the favorites to win the South in 2022.
Final Prediction
It’s time to look at the schedule. There’s a lot of winnable games here:
6 games against AFC South opponents, home vs. Carson Wentz and the Washington Commanders, home games against the Pennsylvania teams (Eagles, Steelers), at the New York Giants, etc.
Maybe I’m a homer, maybe I’m giving Matt Ryan more credit than he deserves, but I think the Colts finish 11-6 and win the AFC South. I don’t see them advancing in the playoffs in a loaded AFC, but a division title would be a great step after last season’s brutally disappointing ending.
Credit: Jack Carney
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