As the offseason continues to unfold, more reflection about the Indianapolis Colts’ previous season naturally rises to the surface before we begin to look ahead into 2023.
Here’s what went right and what went wrong for the Colts in 2022:
What went right: Special Teams
Special Teams coach Bubba Ventrone deserves a ton of praise for the product his unit put on the field. Despite not having starting punter Rigoberto Sanchez and losing kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, the until was still one of the best in the league.
Perhaps a true reflection of just how special Ventrone’s leadership is, cornerback Dallis Flowers led the league in yards per kickoff return, earning him recognition on the Pro Football Writers of America’s 2022 All-Rookie Team.
Belichick on Colts special teams: “(Laugh). It's basically a mirror-image of Bubba (Ventrone). Tough, hardnosed, highly competitive kid. Played as hard as anybody, every play, all the time. Fearless. He has a lot of players like that playing for him. He has a lot of experience..”
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) November 5, 2022
What went wrong: Offensive Line
Pick any position along the Colts’ offensive line, and it’s seen better days. Down seasons from the staple pieces of the line (Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly and Braden Smith) did little to help the instability at left tackle and a revolving door at right guard. General manager Chris Ballard mentioned in his end-of-season press conference that he made assumptions that did work out.
The offensive line gave up an astounding 60 sacks, 61 quarterback hits, and 45 hurries, a far cry from the top ten unit it was in 2021.
Colts GM Chris Ballard at the start of his year-end press conference: "Look, I failed … I failed a lot of people." pic.twitter.com/jhAStSRwhE
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) January 10, 2023
What went right: Defense
The Colts defense deserves a great amount of recognition as well. After losing its leader in linebacker Shaquille Leonard, the unit didn’t miss a beat. With massive contributions from players like Zaire Franklin, Grover Stewart, Stephon Gilmore, and Yannick Ngakoue, it’s easy to see why the unit was top 10 for many weeks.
Despite not having as much complimentary football from the offense down the stretch of the season, the unit held its own in the thick of uncertainty.
GILLY LOCK TO END IT. 🔒#JAXvsIND, 10/16 at 1pm ET pic.twitter.com/N35mogRr7c
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) October 7, 2022
What went wrong: Quarterback
Perhaps the loudest indictment of Chris Ballard’s tenure with the Colts has been the quarterback carousel since Andrew Luck retired in 2019. The team has been through seven quarterbacks, including Matt Ryan this season, trying to find anything to give the team stability.
From Philip Rivers to Carson Wentz and now to Ryan, nothing has seemingly worked long-term. The team is now at a crossroads, far from the winning culture that once propped up the franchise. What will Chris Ballard do?
I just don't understand. #Colts#ForTheShoe#Titans#TENvsIND pic.twitter.com/FyThIY7jyw
— Chris Shepherd (@NFLscheme) October 2, 2022
