The Indianapolis Colts had quite the turnaround in 2020, finishing 11-5 on the season. In 2019, the Colts finished 7-9, so this was a big jump. This improvement was mostly due to QB Philip Rivers signing a one-year contract with Indianapolis. He most likely signed the contract with the hopes he’d be able to capture a Super Bowl. Unfortunately, the best Rivers got was a trip to the playoffs. Although they finished with an 11-5 record, they were denied the AFC South title. The Tennessee Titans had the same record but won the tiebreaker.
In the playoffs the Colts were eliminated by the Buffalo Bills, ending their hopes of continuing. This season, the Colts will be without Philip Rivers, who retired at the end of the season. Instead, the quarterback competition is open. It could be that former Eagles QB Carson Wentz takes the helm. Or maybe even second-year quarterback Jacob Eason will step in. It would seem as if everyone has high hopes for the Colts this year though. Sportsbooks are giving them great odds this season. However, with a new quarterback at the helm, what should we anticipate from Indianapolis this season?
2021 Indianapolis Colts Futures Betting Odds
Indianapolis Colts Super Bowl Champion Odds: +2500
Indianapolis Colts Conference Champion Odds: +1200
Indianapolis Colts Win Totals Odds: Over 10 (+100) / Under 10 (-130)
Indianapolis Colts AFC South Champion Odds: +115
The AFC has become an incredibly tough conference. In it are already five teams that are nearly guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. This makes it tough for the Colts because they can’t make any mistakes. The question is solely at the quarterback position. Whether it’s Wentz or Eason, both will have to play above their skill level. They’re in a conference with Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson, just to name a few. Even Wentz with his experience doesn’t match up to any of those quarterbacks. We believe, by relying heavily on the run, Indianapolis can be successful.
The Colts averaged nearly 125 yards rushing in 2020, 11th in the league. This was all behind superstar running back Jonathan Taylor. The offensive line is incredible at run-blocking, giving Taylor opportunities to run downhill. Whoever makes the start at quarterback will have to rely heavily on Taylor and make smart throws. This is where it can get scary, as Wentz is known to be a little risky with the ball. They’ve got the second-best odds to win the division and can do so, as long as they play smart.
2021 Indianapolis Colts Offseason Grade: B+
Key Additions: (QB, Carson Wentz), (TE, Mo Alie-Cox), (LB, Malik Jefferson), (DE, Kwity Paye)
Key Departures: (QB, Philip Rivers)
The good news for the Colts is they didn’t lose very many players in the offseason. They did however sign plenty of great players. Mo Alie Cox at Tight End will give Wentz a big target to throw to in the red zone. You’ll also have to take into account that the Colts have a strong Tight End in Jack Doyle. This pairing gives Wentz more weapons and makes for a much easier throw.
On the defensive side of the ball, Indianapolis drafted Kwity Paye. Paye was a premiere rusher in college at Michigan, and further strengthens the line. Paye will be right alongside DeForest Buckner who’s already a force in the NFL. They also brought in Malik Jefferson, who will strengthen the front seven. Both of these moves on defense were likely to stop one player, Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans. Henry has punished the Colts since he arrived in the NFL. It seems the Colts used the offseason to try and put an end to it.
Indianapolis Colts 2021 Preview
The Colts are in great shape to make a push for the AFC South title. They made a couple of offseason moves to tighten up the defense. They also added some players on offense to make Carson Wentz’s job easier. This should result in a similar performance as 2020, with the Colts returning to the playoffs.
The question is how far can they go with Wentz? If they rely too heavily on running the football they run the risk of becoming one-dimensional. If Wentz isn’t careful with the football, they run the risk of too many turnovers. Carson also has been plagued by injuries in his career, making this season even more unpredictable.
Indianapolis Colts Futures Best Bets
Each of these bets will be risky but the biggest profit would be taking them to win the AFC South. They got very close last year and +115 are great odds. The win total will likely be a push, considering their schedule. They are a dark-horse to win the AFC though, with +1200 odds, it’s definitely a bet worth risking.
Read our Baltimore Ravens team preview and Cleveland Browns team preview next.
