2014 NFL Preview: Everything you need to know about the Indianapolis Colts

AFC Previews
BUF | MIA | NE | NYJ
BAL | CIN | CLE | PIT
HOU | IND | JAX | TEN
DEN | KC | OAK | SD
NFC Previews
DAL | NYG | PHI | WAS
CHI | DET | GB | MIN
ATL | CAR | NO | TB
ARI | STL | SF | SEA

Indianapolis Colts

Schedule | Roster

The Colts took another step in the right direction during their second year with quarterback Andrew Luck. Indianapolis reached the playoffs for the second season in a row, and this time earned an incredible come-from-behind Wild Card victory over the Kansas City Chiefs before falling to the New England Patriots in the Divisional Round.

While Luck's passing yardage dropped by more than 500 yards from his rookie season, there was plenty of excitement with his development. Luck's completion percentage increased by over six percent. Most importantly, he was able to cut his interceptions in half, from 18 in 2012 to just nine last year.

The Colts had a fairly easy road to the playoffs in 2013, playing in the dreadful AFC South, and, while the Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, and Tennessee Titans may be improved in 2014, the division should still be Indy's to lose.

Preseason Power Ranking - #8

Would anyone be shocked if Luck is widely considered the best football player on the planet when the season ends? If so, it will mean he once again survived (and thrived) playing behind one of the league's worst offensive lines. More ...

Key Additions/Departures

Key Additions: WR Hakeem Nicks, DE Arthur Jones, LB D'Qwell Jackson

Key Departures: RB Donald Brown, C Samson Satele, S Antoine Bethea, WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, LB Kelvin Sheppard

The Colts weren't among the busiest teams in free agency, but the addition of Arthur Jones should help solidify their defensive line. His ability to play both end and tackle should help create matchup problems for opponents. 

If Hakeem Nicks can remain healthy - that's a big if - he gives Indy a great trio of receivers alongside Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton, which should cause havoc for secondaries across the league.

Donald Brown was the Colts' leading rusher last season and by far their most effective running back. His departure combined with Vick Ballard's Achilles injury means Trent Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw will be asked to carry a heavy load.

2014 Draft Class

Indianapolis didn't have a first-round pick this year after trading it to the Cleveland Browns early last season to acquire Richardson. After a catastrophic first season in Indy, Richardson will need to bounce back in 2014 or that deal will go down as one of the biggest flops in recent memory.

Mewhort is undoubtebly the biggest piece from the Colts' draft class and his versatility should give the team plenty of options along the offensive line. Mewhort played both tackle and guard while at Ohio State and was even a center in high school, allowing him to play all five positions if necessary. Considering Indy's weakness at center, that might be where Mewhort could find the earliest playing time.

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Chuck Pagano
Offensive Coordinator: Pep Hamilton
Defensive Coordinator: Greg Manusky

Pagano's ability to motivate his team is among the best in football, as evidenced by his 22-10 record in two seasons with the Colts (the record comes with a bit of an asterisk, as Bruce Arians coached Indy for 12 games during the 2012 season while Pagano was undergoing treatment for leukemia). Of course, having Luck under center helps.

When Arians was hired as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals prior to last season, Hamilton took over as offensive coordinator after holding the same position at Stanford where he also worked with Luck. Luck's familiarity with Hamilton's schemes was clear last season and another year together should only make for a more cohesive unit.

2014 Schedule

The Colts' defense better be prepared for the start of the season because Indianapolis opens up with prime-time games against the two top offenses from a year ago. The Broncos and Eagles were first and second respectively in total yards in 2013, making for a stiff test for Indy in the early going.

After the tough opening the schedule gets much easier, as the Colts don't face another 2013 playoff team until their Week 7 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. From there only the New England Patriots remain on the Colts' schedule from last year's postseason, setting Indianapolis up for another successful season in the AFC South. It doesn't make a lot of sense for a division winner, but the Colts have the easiest strength of schedule in 2014.

Bold Predictions

Trent Richardson will run for 1,000 yards: Midseason trades rarely work and Richardson added more evidence to that last season. With his skill set, though, expect him to bounce back after having a full offseason to learn a new offense. The bruising back gains the bulk of yards up the middle, which didn't click well with center Samson Satele, who was a terrible run blocker. Satele is now gone, so look for Richardson to have a few more running lanes this time around. - Michael Amato

Colts finish the season last in the league in rushing. Despite Richardson’s struggles in 2013, the Colts weren't that bad running the football, finishing with the 13th-best yards per attempt in the league. Donald Brown was the main reason for that, but his 5.3 yards per carry now reside in San Diego. With Vick Ballard set to miss the entire season, the Colts will rely heavily on Richardson and Bradshaw, which doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. And while Satele is gone at center, Indy didn't do anything to ensure an upgrade at the position and will be counting on untested 2013 fourth-round pick Khaled Holmes. All that plus Luck and a solid receiving corps equals even less running for the Colts this season. - Mike Dickson

The Colts will fail to win the division. The AFC South looks like the worst division in football, and Luck has carried the Colts to consecutive postseason appearances. Most analysts will predict another trip to the playoffs for the Colts. Don’t count on it. This is a team with a flawed defense and serious questions along its offensive line. Luck can only carry this team so far. Look for the Colts to take a step back this year. - David Woods