The 2014 season led to another playoff run, another trip to Foxborough and another loss to the New England Patriots. In back-to-back seasons, the Colts came up empty against the Pats and one thing is certain: you guys must really hate LeGarrette Blount.
But there are many positive takeaways despite not winning it all. For one, two of the past three teams that beat the Colts in the playoffs (Baltimore and New England) went on to win the Super Bowl. So in some crazy football fan/six-degrees-of-Kevin-Bacon type logic, that means the Colts would have won the Super Bowl both those years if they just beat those teams. It's not true. In fact, it's borderline insanity, but at least it's fun to think about.
Secondly, Andrew Luck is crazy good. Best young quarterback in the league good. You know how Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning is a big must-watch game? Andrew Luck vs. Russell Wilson will be the must watch game over the next 10 years. Indy not only has a quality QB, but they have a signal caller that will routinely be amongst MVP talk.
So with that in mind, let's look at what the Colts have going for them and why better seasons are ahead for Indianapolis.
In Beard We Trust
Judging by all the attention it's gotten throughout the 2014 season, and Andrew Luck's performance, I suspect we're going to see more neck beards in the NFL. It's going to spread through the league like the wildcat offense. Defensive coordinators are going to collect tape to scheme the best ways to defend against unpredictable growth patterns. The meticulously groomed styles of Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brett Keisel will be a thing of the past.
OK, so that was a bit much. But with that beard, Andrew Luck came away with the best season of his young career. Not only did he throw a whopping 40 touchdowns (nearly doubling his career total), but also surpassed Peyton Manning's franchise record for most passing yards in a single season (4,761).
Luck has not only proven he's more than capable of filling Manning's shoes, but is on pace to surpass him in every way. Luck is the entire foundation of the Colts organization right now. Indy's decision to move on from Peyton is paying off. And with Luck at 25, it's going to continue paying off for seasons to come.
Going, Going, Gone
To go along with their franchise QB, Indy has a major deep threat in T.Y. Hilton. What Hilton may lack in size, he makes up for with his speed, hands and ability to create separation. He has a knack for getting behind the secondary to create big plays. In each of his three seasons, he's caught a touchdown pass of 70 yards or more. With a player like Hilton and Luck taking the snaps, the Colts are a threat to score on any down. In a passing league, that type of deep threat is a must.
2014 also saw the emergence of Donte Moncrief, another speedster with a bit more size than Hilton. He showed flashes this season of what the future holds, and looks poised to eventually take over Reggie Wayne's spot, maybe as soon as next season if Wayne goes elsewhere. He also caught a 79-yard touchdown against Washington.
Then there's veteran Reggie Wayne, who's been battling injuries and Father Time the past couple seasons. His best days may be behind him, and he was a non-factor in the playoffs this year, but he reads zones well and is still good enough to take advantage of mismatches. But at 36, I wouldn't be surprised if the Colts decided to stick with a younger core at receiver.
Whether it's Wayne or Moncrief, either player is good enough to take advantage of the double coverage Hilton is bound to attract.
New running game?
Yes, I know, this is supposed to be positive. After Ahmad Bradshaw's injury and Trent Richardson's lack of explosiveness, this was a huge blemish on a solid season. The bright side is that the free agent market is filled with quality running backs and Richardson has likely played his last game in Indy. I could definitely see the Colts going for someone like a C.J. Spiller, Knowshon Moreno or Frank Gore. There's plenty available. Heck, you can even dream about snagging DeMarco Murray. Why not? Have some fun with it. I mean, look at it this way; whoever you guys pick up, it can only be better than acquiring T-Rich. It has to be, right?
You see, Colts fans, next season is going to be great for you guys. And we made it through this piece without talking about your running defense. Oh wait, yeah, just focus on Andrew Luck. That beard, though ...
Daniel Williams is a Digital Features Editor at NFL.com. You can follow him on Twitter _@danielwilliams_.
