The Indianapolis Colts are sitting at a rough 0-2 right now, and if they do not turn it around fast, their season could be over before it even really begins. Forget the early season jitters, because for 0-2 teams since 2002, only a brutal 3.9% have made it to the playoffs. That is a seriously steep hill to climb.
Hope on a Thread, But the Clock is Ticking
Bill Barnwell at ESPN tried to find some silver lining, ranking the Colts third among the eight 0-2 teams. He is pointing to a soft AFC South and an easier schedule coming up as reasons for optimism. Sounds good, right? Except they have to get past Houston first, who is also winless. Barnwell straight up called this Week 3 matchup a “playoff elimination game.” Yikes. We are in Week 3, people!
The Real Issues Staring Them Down
It is not all about the schedule though. Barnwell called out some major problems. Their passing game? Barely any explosive gains. That is probably thanks to Alec Pierce having limited playing time and now being on injured reserve. Even worse, their defensive performance has been an absolute disaster. Barnwell wrote, “Indy is allowing teams to average more than 12 yards per throw to the hashes and seams this season, the worst mark in the NFL.” He added that “The average pass attempt in that direction is generating nearly 0.7 EPA per play for opposing defenses, which is better than what the typical Josh Allen dropback has looked like this season.” That is not good, at all.
ESPN’s FPI model pegs the Colts’ playoff chances at a meager 25.9%, putting them at 20th in the whole NFL. So, this isn’t just a tough start. It is a critical moment. That Houston game is everything, a true gut check for a team already on the ropes.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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