AFC South: One Quarter Left
By Josh McSwain
Indianapolis Colts
Remaining schedule: Houston, @Minnesota, @Oakland, Jacksonville
Division record: 2-2
They have won three of their last four and seem to be building momentum. Andrew Luck is looking really good again and Frank Gore is still capable of carrying the load as he is now 8th on the all time rushing list. Meanwhile, T.Y. Hilton has had a bounce back year as he is second in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,088.
Tight ends Dwayne Allen and Jack Doyle have really become weapons in the passing game. Allen had a three touchdown performance against the Jets on Monday night and right now Doyle is second on the team in receiving yards. Donte Moncrief is actually leading the team in touchdowns with six.
Defensively it has been more of the same for the last decade. They rank 28th against the pass and 20th against the run. Unfortunatley for them leading tackler D’qwell Jackson is now gone for the regular season under a drug suspension. But Erik Walden has eight sacks, which is over a third of their total of 23.
Their schedule down the stretch is not very tough as they get the Texans at home, the Jaguars at home (trying to avenge their London loss) and going to a struggling Minnesota team that plays in a dome. Their game in the black hole is going to difficult.
Predicted final record: 9-7; only falling in Oakland
Predicted final place: First