Colts offseason report: Ready to bypass Patriots for Super Bowl breakthrough?
The Indianapolis Colts might have advanced to their first AFC Championship Game of the Andrew Luck era last season, but they aren't claiming to be Super Bowl favorites now.
But there was a quiet confidence this spring — the type of swagger a team can carry when it knows it has one of the league's best young quarterbacks — yet also a sense of reality. The last two seasons ended with blowout playoff losses to the New England Patriots.
So while the Colts have spent the past few years beating up on the AFC South, their 0-4 record against the Patriots under Luck and coach Chuck Pagano is a reminder of what Indianapolis needs to fix to truly become a contender.
"We know we have to get back to the basics," tight end Dwayne Allen told Paste BN Sports. "Stop the run, run the football, very simple mentality, and understand that we have the potential to be in Santa Clara (site of Super Bowl 50), and the potential to win it all. But there is no one running around here with Dream Team signs or anything like that."
Indeed, much of the Colts' offseason plan was built around basic tenets, especially on offense, where the Colts were wildly unbalanced in 2014. Luck led the NFL's best passing game and had a wealth of weapons, led by speedy No. 1 receiver T.Y. Hilton and the strong tight end duo of Allen and Coby Fleener. But the running game was nearly non-existent, and Indianapolis struggled when the passing game faltered, as it did twice last year against New England.
Enter Frank Gore, the longtime San Francisco 49ers running back. It seems like the perfect partnership. The Colts get a tough, experienced runner who should help take pressure of Luck, and Gore, 32, will keep fresh by no longer facing so many eight-man defensive fronts.
"You have to pick what you want to do. Teams know what (Luck) brings to the table," Gore said. "You know, I'm here if they want to try to stop the run, I'm with it. I'm going to try my best to protect so he can make his throws. If they try to stop the pass, I'm going to try my best to make it happen on the ground."
Joining Gore in Indianapolis are several other veterans who should play large roles, including wide receiver Andre Johnson, guard Todd Herremans and pass rusher Trent Cole.
"I think we've got a really good football team. We've got work to do. We have question marks. … But we've got a great team," Pagano said. "We've got a locker room full of guys that love football. The guys that we brought in, they fit in immediately because of their character."
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Quarterback
With Luck, the Colts have no immediate questions or long-term concerns, beyond speculation of how much money the team will have to pay him in the future. And he understands there are ways he can — and must — improve in order to lead the Colts to the Super Bowl. The biggest is finding a way to reduce his number of turnovers, particularly in big moments. Luck has thrown 10 interceptions in his four games against New England, including two in the AFC Championship Game.
"Big focus," Luck said. "That touchdown-to-interception ratio I think it is very important."
He is again backed up by veteran Matt Hasselbeck, who will turn 40 in September.
Running back
Gore is a major upgrade over departed Trent Richardson, the 2012 first-round pick who was a bust in Indianapolis. Gore has eight 1,000-yard rushing seasons in the last nine years and should be a valuable weapon for Luck in the screen game. The Colts also are counting on the return of Vick Ballard, who missed last year because of a torn Achilles' tendon.
Wide receiver
The team parted ways with Reggie Wayne in the spring, but Hilton has proved more than ready to be a No.1 receiver. The Colts have also used multiple draft picks to reload, and 2014 third-round pick Donte Moncrief appears ready for a breakout season. This year's Round 1 pick was spent on speedy and versatile Phillip Dorsett, who gives Luck even more options. And then there is Johnson, the longtime Houston Texan who switched AFC South teams.
"There's a whole lot of talent here. You come and try to fit in and do your part and do what you need to do to help the team," Johnson said. "That's the biggest thing, just finding where you fit in at and what you need to do."
Tight end
The Colts will face a difficult decision after 2015, when Allen and Fleener reach the end of their rookie contracts. Both have been valuable pieces (eight touchdown catches apiece last season), but can the Colts afford to re-sign each of them?
"What we want most is to help our team win it all but also have as much fun as possible because we don't know, this could be our last year together," Allen said.
Offensive line
Only the left tackle spot (Anthony Castonzo) is settled this spring, but that is nothing new for Luck. He played last season behind more than 10 starting lineup combinations. Herremans, a longtime member of the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the newcomers and the favorite to win the starting right guard spot.
"We're working together, working hard. I'm from Philadelphia, where there is a new panic every day, you know? Here it's kind of laid back," Herremans said. "They do a good job of not letting the outside in here."
Defensive line
The run defense was gashed by the Patriots in the AFC title game, so the Colts signed defensive end Kendall Langford from the St. Louis Rams. They also need a big year out of starting end Arthur Jones. He missed seven games because of an ankle injury.
Linebacker
The biggest question is when Robert Mathis will be ready. He didn't play in 2014 because of a four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs and a torn Achilles tendon suffered while he waited to rejoin the team. Mathis said in June that his goal is to be on the field for the Colts' first game, but he has a long way to progress. The Colts missed his pass-rushing presence last year, especially because Bjoern Werner has yet to pan out. Inside linebackers D'Qwell Jackson and Jerrell Freeman return. Former Denver Bronco Nate Irving bolsters the depth as he comes back from knee surgery.
Secondary
Beating the Broncos in the playoffs bolstered this group's confidence. That could carry over to this fall, especially for cornerbacks Vontae Davis, Greg Toler and Darius Butler. Davis was often the team's best defensive player last year, and the Colts need another big year from him. Safety Mike Adams returns and will be paired with free agent addition Dwight Lowery.
Special teams
No issues here, not with ageless kicker Adam Vinatieri and Pro Bowl punter Pat McAfee. The big issue is at returner, with Dorsett penciled in to handle the chores on punts and kickoffs.
Coaching staff
Pagano enters the season with one year left on his contract. Though it's hard to imagine the Colts parting ways with him, his contract status gives 2015 a different feel. This also is a big year for offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, frequently mentioned as a future head coaching candidate. The NFL has seen what he can do with Luck and the passing game, but he could further bolster his play-calling résumé if Indianapolis can find a running game.
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Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones