The Indianapolis Colts truly had a season that was a tale of two halves. From starting the season 5-2 and looking like a playoff team to finishing the season 7-9 and being eliminated from the playoffs in Week 15.
It was a wake-up call for the Colts. The depth wasn’t as strong as they had previously thought. Injuries piled up quickly and at multiple spots across the roster. The quarterback play wasn’t anywhere near consistent enough to keep the Colts in contention. There were a lot of issues that arose quickly.
Here are five things we learned about the Colts from the 2019 season:
Quarterback questions?
Jacoby Brissett entered the season with a near-impossible task: Keep the Colts a playoff team while stepping in after the shocking blow of Andrew Luck’s retirement. It is a difficult situation to step into regardless. However, the Colts now have some questions coming at the quarterback position this offseason.
Brissett’s struggles were troubling for the Colts. It left many wondering if he had been slightly better, could they have been a playoff team for the second time in a row? But still, his second-half decline kept the Colts from reaching the postseason for the fourth time in the last five years.
Now, the Colts enter the offseason with plenty of options at the quarterback position. If they do address it, it would likely come in the form of a draft pick in April.
Running back room is deepest position
When talking about reliable talent from top to bottom, there is no position deeper than the running back room for the Colts. The offensive line has incredible starters, but the depth is concerning. The linebacker corps could also give the backfield a run for its money.
However, the Marlon Mack-led group was strong in 2019. From his career season eclipsing 1,000 rushing yards for the first time to Nyheim Hines emerging as a dangerous punt returner and Jonathan Williams and Jordan Wilkins being efficient backups, this group has no problems entering the 2020 offseason.
Mack could be in line for an extension if Chris Ballard feels so inclined, but this group is deep and talented.
Interior pass rush is a big need
The Colts got a pleasant surprise from veteran Justin Houston, who recorded 11.0 sacks in 2019—the most since his career year in 2014. They also saw some flashes from Kemoko Turay before his season-ending injury and some production from rookie Ben Banogu.
But the interior defensive line needs some major work. While it was nice to see Grover Stewart take a big step forward, the Colts got almost nothing out of veterans Denico Autry and Margus Hunt. Autry recorded two sacks in Week 2 and had nothing since. Hunt didn’t record a single sack. Then there’s the matter of Tyquan Lewis, who simply can’t get healthy enough to make an impact.
While the quarterback position is the flashiest need for the Colts this offseason, the 2019 campaign showed there are major issues along the interior defensive line.
Rookies flashed
The Colts didn’t get the same type of production out of their rookie class as they did in 2018 but then again, the need wasn’t their either. Even so, Indy got some flashes of potential from the rookie class—enough to warrant optimism with some more development.
Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin and safety Khari Willis took over starting roles after the first few weeks of the season. They both had their respective head-scratching moments, but they showed plenty of promise as building blocks in the secondary.
Linebacker Bobby Okereke had a strong second half, one that would consider making him the Rookie of the Year for the team. Not all of the rookies had strong campaigns but most of them showed enough promise to be excited about the future.
Frank Reich and Chris Ballard are still the men for the job
Even with an epic collapse during the second half, the faith should be put in the head coach and general manager of the organization. From Reich’s steadfast and optimistic perspective to Ballard’s meticulous and calculating process, the Colts are still in very good hands.
Of course, there are still some big questions that need to be answered. Can they find the quarterback of the future? Will Ballard ditch his frugal spending to bring in some top-end talent, even if it means overpaying a bit.
There are some serious questions the Colts face this offseason but with the steady and unwavering minds of Reich and Ballard, the organization should be in good hands.
