5 Things The Indianapolis Colts Must Do Well in 2016

The Indianapolis Colts will looking to right the ship after a rough 2015 season that was highlighted by injuries to Andrew Luck and an 8-8 record.

Chuck Pagano got a reprieve when owner Jim Irsay announced a new four year extension for the coach. The news shocked the NFL world because most people around the league thought Pagano was going to be fired.

Now the pressure will fall on Pagano and general manager Ryan Grigson to get things turned around. Pagano shook things up with his staff, and the Indianapolis Colts are hoping the changes, along with a healthy Andrew Luck, will lead to a turn around.

The Colts didn’t dramatically upgrade their roster in the off-season. They view a healthy Andrew Luck as their biggest acquisition. After giving Luck the largest contract in NFL history, the pressure is on him to live up to it. Luck must spearhead the Colts turnaround.

Irsay has mandated that the Colts return to contention. Here are five things they must do schematically for that to happen.

Sep 13, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams (95) tackles Indianapolis Colts running back Frank Gore (23) during the second half at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Bills beat the Colts 27 to 14. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Improved Pass Protection: As we saw in 2015, the Colts go as Andrew Luck goes. If he’s getting hit and gets hurt, the Colts don’t have a chance. The Colts must shore their pass protection. The addition of first round pick Ryan Kelly helps but it’s more than just players. The Colts need to scheme up their protections better. More six and seven man protections, especially on first down, and more play action are needed. They need to slow down the opposing pass rush and give Luck time to throw.

2. Offensive Balance: Offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski needs to utilize a more balanced approach than his predecessor Pep Hamilton did last season. When Chudzinski took over the play calling last year, the Colts tried to be more balanced but they fell behind in a lot of games. Indy needs to be a 60-40 pass to run team. It’s still Luck’s show but he can’t be dropping back 45-50 times a game. He needs help.

Oct 9, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) and inside linebacker D’Qwell Jackson (52) celebrate after a fourth quarter fumble recovery against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. The Colts defeated the Texans 33-28. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Front 7 On D Must Be Better: The Colts front seven should be better because they’ll be healthy, but they also need to play better. The Colts employ a 3-4 defense, but when you watch them play, they don’t play like a 3-4 team because they are undersized. They get pushed around. Indy finished 25th in the league against the run last season, giving up 122 yards per game. That’s not good! They need to be more physical and do a better job of gap control, otherwise they’ll get run over again.

4. Vary Pressure: The Colts aren’t built like a 3-4 team, therefore they don’t blitz as much as other 30 front teams do. New defensive coordinator Ted Monachino will look to change that by employing similar pressure packages to those used by his previous employer, the Baltimore Ravens. Look for the Colts to use more fronts and vary their pressure packages.

Must Read: Who was the greatest free agent signing in NFL history?

5. Protect the Young Corners: Aside from Vontae Davis and Darius Butler, the Colts are young at cornerback. Rookies Andrew Williamson, Stefan McClure, Chris Milton, Darius White and TJ Green along with veterans Dezmon Southward and Guy Winston will compete for the nickel and dime spots. The Colts will be inexperienced at corner so look for Monachino to employ some split coverage concepts where he plays half man, half zone in an effort to protect his secondary.

Home/Indianapolis Colts