Indianapolis Colts can still win AFC South without Andrew Luck
Complete team and a prepared Brissett
Compared to the other teams in the AFC South, the Colts have the most complete team. They have a defense that is young and hungry, led by second-year All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard. Last season, Indianapolis was ranked 11th in total defense and ranked 10th in points per game. With another season in Matt Eberflus’ defensive scheme, that unit is going to improve and make even more noise.
On the offensive side, let’s not forget that Indy has one of the best offensive lines in football. Led by another All-Pro as a rookie in Quenton Nelson, the big guys up front will make sure the running backs have open holes to run through and Brissett has more than enough time in the pocket.
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If you pair that with offensive weapons T.Y. Hilton, Eric Ebron, Marlon Mack, Devin Funchess, Parris Campbell and Deon Cain, Indy has enough talent on their roster that can win them plenty of games this season.
Brissett has had a complete offseason working with the first unit, as Luck dealt with a calf/ankle injury since early spring. With all these first-team reps, Brissett has been able to gain chemistry with his skill players.
This is something he didn’t have the last time he started with the Colts. He was brought in at the last minute in a trade and had to learn the offense on the fly. Having time to work with Frank Reich’s offense for two years and now getting starter reps, Brissett is more than ready to take the torch Luck passed to him and lead this Colts team.
Brissett has enough weapons on the field that he can play point guard, essentially, dishing the ball to multiple players efficiently and effectively. He doesn’t have to worry about making a big play by himself because he has faith that his playmakers can produce big plays off of simple catches.
It should be mentioned that Luck and Brissett are similar in terms of their quarterback stature and style. Both have (or, in Luck’s case, had) strong arms, a strong build and sneaky athleticism defenses often sleep on.
Now, are they the same quarterback when it comes to talent? Of course not. But in Reich’s system, talent isn’t necessarily needed at the quarterback spot. A quick release and intelligence are the major needs, and the new starter has shown that he is capable of finding the open man quickly and making the smart play during training camp and the preseason.
Having the most complete team in the AFC South and having a quarterback in Brissett that has had adequate time to prepare and gain chemistry with his weapons definitely gives the Colts a better shot than many people are giving them to win their division.
Oh, and let’s not forget about the other teams in the South, who aren’t as complete and have bigger questions that don’t have clear answers.