12 NFL teams who will be playoff contenders in 2015-16
By Will Osgood
AFC
1) Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Luck is ready to take the next step. The next step being not necessarily his getting rid of the neck beard (though it’s notable none of the elite quarterbacks in history have sported one), but rather putting his team in position to host an AFC Championship Game. He is good enough, and now with Frank Gore, Andre Johnson and Trent Cole on board, the team may be as well.
The Colts should be able to play time of possession football when a game deems it necessary. They’ll also be able to light up the scoreboard with Luck throwing bombs all over the field to what is certainly one of the deepest and most talented receiving corps in the NFL.
If Luck and the Colts are not the best offense in the AFC next year, coordinator Pep Hamilton will have some explaining to do. Gore has enough left in the tank behind a decent offensive line to provide the power running game Hamilton and head coach Chuck Pagano prefer.
The high-powered and powerful offense ought to take the pressure off a Colts defense which hasn’t been very good under the defensive-minded Pagano. A big reason is the lack of a pass rush, which was torn apart with Robert Mathis missing all of 2014. He returns and is joined by Cole to make up an elderly, but still very talented, duo to get after quarterbacks.
If Pagano’s staff can only “coach ‘em up” at the other positions, the defense should be improved. Playing in a still pedestrian AFC South, they can get away with a slow but steady progression.
The playoffs aren’t in question for Pagano and Luck’s team. The question is whether they can put themselves in position to go beyond the AFC Championship Game in 2015.
Next: First surprise in the AFC