2012 NFL season: Indianapolis Colts need talent at many positions – NFL feature
The Indianapolis Colts aim for a performance this season that helps them get over with the 2-14 poor showing of the last season, and to achieve the target they are relying on their completely transformed unit, led by brand new quarterback
Andrew Luck.
Andrew is no doubt a talented player. He has shown off his skills at training camp, and raring to prove them in the season later. A problem, however, for the QB is the poor quality of talent at some other positions, especially in the defence.
Colts for more than a decade had relied on one man – former QB Peyton Manning. They were exposed last season when the only four-time most valuable player (MVP) player of the league stayed on the sidelines with a neck injury.
The outcome was disastrous. The Colts were winless until 13 games, and then managed to pull off two consecutive victories in 14th and 15th ties to finish the season on the losing note at
which they had started it.
Strangely, the depth of the team’s reliance on the offence or more precisely on the QB proved to be so much that no other player could come to their rescue at the time of need. The complete line of their squad was exposed. The defence
department was a particular failure to note then and might be noted again this year.
Jim Irsay, the ambitious owner of the team, is lucky to have found another QB of higher profile but what about the rebuilding at other positions?
Only change this year in the team’s defence is the introduction of new defensive scheme by first year coach Chuck Pagano. Given Colts did not need their defence perform wonder for them all along, they were content with the 3-4 defensive
strategy.
Now Chuck, who had orchestrated one of the strong defence units in the league during his stint with the Baltimore Ravens, transformed the defensive scheme to 4-3 hybrid system. It is yet to be seen how effective his strategy is, the main
problem – the quality of players at the defensive positions – remains as it was.
Maybe it is not in the coach’s hands to press for the much-needed transformation on the defensive line, the owner should be aware Peyton’s absence had proved devastating for them. Any problem like injury to the rookie QB, resulting in
putting him on the sidelines will bring back last season’s memories haunting them again.
Jim’s attention has often have been drawn by commentators to the compelling matter of improvement in quality of talent in the defence department and some other positions. He apparently was not and still is not willing to heed to the advice.
It can be down to the fact that he might still be persistent with his mantra of total reliance on his quarterbacks.
He can only hope that Chuck’s transformation of the team’s defence make up for the lack of quality defensive players. He will be losing more than gaining anything otherwise. The situation also puts the rookie QB’s potential on the line.
It can affect the first year QB’s performance, no matter he is a player rich in talent and ambitious to perform. He already faces the challenge of replacing Peyton, which he has admitted is very difficult indeed. Hopefully, all goes well
with Colts’ prospects but the situation does not look an ideal one at present.
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