It might seem like the sky is falling in Indianapolis after the Colts’ stunning 20-7 loss to the Jets on Monday night.
Colts fans should be used to 0-2 starts, however.
The Colts started last season 0-2 and recovered to reach the AFC championship game. Since they drafted Andrew Luck, the Colts are 6-7 in September. They’ve gone from a wild-card team in 2012 to the divisional round in 2013 to the conference title game last season without ever really getting off to a strong start.
It’s too early for the Colts to hit the panic button.
They’ve run into two opponents who seem to be on the rise, falling to a Rex Ryan defense in Week 1 and a defense with Ryan’s fingerprints in Week 2.
The Jets could do to a lot of teams what they did to the Colts Monday night, forcing five turnovers and holding Andrew Luck to a 52.8 passer rating.
Jets: 1st team with at least 5 takeaways in each of its 1st 2 games since 1992 Steelers (@EliasSports) pic.twitter.com/fXqEQqpapy
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 22, 2015
Luck is 36th in the NFL with a 58.9 passer rating. Luck won’t always be that bad. He’s made the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons and threw 40 touchdown passes last year. He won’t always have to face a defense as tenacious as the Jets’.
It might help Luck if the Colts give the ball to Frank Gore more often. The biggest takeaway from Monday night for most people is Gore’s fumble at the goal line, but in the first half he ran for 50 yards on his first seven carries. Considering the way the Jets secondary blanketed the Colts receivers, seven carries wasn’t enough.
After two years of Trent Richardson, this offense has added a legitimate featured back. The first step toward getting this season turned around is taking advantage of that.
The Colts’ remaining schedule is in their favor. They entered this season with the NFL’s second-weakest schedule, according to CBSSports.com. That’s based on last year’s records, and so far the Colts’ schedule has been tougher than advertised. But their next three games are against teams in their drab division. Every team in the AFC South has at least one loss, the the Jaguars and Titans are tied atop the division at 1-1.
I know Indy fans are panicking, but if Colts win in Tenn and Jax loses in NE they could perhaps be leading division by this point next week
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) September 22, 2015
Also on the horizon for the Colts are home games against the Saints and a banged-up Drew Brees and the Buccaneers. In Week 16, the Colts visit the Dolphins, who have been underwhelming so far.
It might not take a heck of a lot to win the AFC South and get the home playoff game that comes with the division title. The Panthers, who the Colts visit in Week 9, won their division last year with seven wins.
Don’t count out the Colts just yet.