The Indianapolis Colts are a strange lot.
They are the first team in 30 years to open a campaign with eight wins in ten games and miss the playoffs. They are, for the record, the fourth team to do this and the first since the 1995 Oakland Raiders. (The Seattle Seahawks in 1986 andBuffalo Bills in 1970 are the other two.)
Three weeks ago, they brought Philip Rivers out of retirement and the veteran making his first start in five years almost led an upset over the possible National Football Conference number one seed Seattle Seahawks. As much as Rivers, the Colts defense shined that day while limiting the potent Seahawks offense to six field goals in an 18-16 loss.
Before injuries sidelined quarterback Daniel Jones, it was their offense that had them winning eight of their first ten games. They were on a pace to score the most points in NFL history, and that offensive juggernaut was simply outsourcing their suspect defense.
The effort in Seattle seemed to indicate that the defense was playing better … not so in the succeeding games. They allowed 48 points to the San Francisco 49ers in a home Monday Night Football meeting and lost their third straight game with Rivers at quarterback last week while the Indianapolis Colts overcame a double-digit deficit to win.
So, the Colts defense isn’t any better, their offense is without their first-string quarterback and this week the veteran leadership of Rivers is going to be on the sideline as the Colts test their rookie out of Notre Dame, Riley Leonard.