What NFL Teams are most likely to finish 8-8 this season?
By Dustin Baker
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 2019 Record. Indianapolis Colts. 2. player. 46. 7-9
The selection of these first two contestants in the 8-8 Sweepstakes is assured to irritate the Interstate 74 crowd. Ilinois and Indiana could host mediocrity bedfellows in 2020.
The Indianapolis Colts had a shiny offseason with the acquisitions of DeForest Buckner, Philip Rivers, and Trey Burton. Not to mention the draft class of Michael Pittman Jr., Jonathan Williams, and Julian Blackmon.
One of those moves, however, comes at extraordinarily high risk. The risk’s name is Philip Rivers. He will turn 39 years-old in December, which is certainly not a scourge. But Rivers was uncharacteristically shaky in 2019 with his longtime team, the Los Angeles Chargers. His QBR last season was a drab 48.6, shockingly lower than Jameis Winston, rookie Daniel Jones, and Joe Flacco. Even the man who sits behind him on the depth chart now, Jacoby Brissett, had a better QRB in 2019 than Rivers.
Last year felt like the beginning of the end for Mr. Rivers. He had weapons-galore in an offense with Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and then Melvin Gordon a bit. The 2020 Colts do not have that caliber of artillery. Furthermore, the Colts current offensive line, anchored by Quentin Nelson, allowed 32 sacks in 2019. This was ninth-best in the league. Right behind Indianapolis was the Chargers with 34 sacks allowed or 11th-best in business. So, Rivers is not going to witness a pass-blocking renaissance.
Philip Rivers’ performance has too many question marks dating back to 2019. The rest of the Colts roster is admirable, but the quarterback could very well dangle the team in a subpar limbo.