2023 mid-season awards for the Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are two spots out of the playoffs heading into Week 12 and continue to prove doubters wrong. Ugly or not, this team keeps finding ways to win even with a backup quarterback and a rookie head coach. While the division title may be out of reach, the AFC wild card race is wide open. Teams like the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals (who were thought to be the juggernauts of the conference) have shown plenty of weaknesses, and the Colts have a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020's Philip Rivers squad that lost to Buffalo in the wild card round.

This year's team oozes with potential at nearly every position on both sides of the ball. From a revamped linebacker corps to a reborn offensive line, the Indianapolis Colts have plenty to be proud of after ten games.

While this team runs deep, a few players have proven to be irreplaceable heading into the second half of the season. Let's take a look at who deserves recognition in this roller-coaster of a season for Indianapolis.

Colts mid-season Most Valuable Player: DT DeForest Buckner

Once again, DeForest Buckner has proven to be the rock of this defensive unit. His game-changing ability is unmatched with five sacks and two forced fumbles on the year with an additional fumble recovery for a touchdown. Buckner has played in all 10 games this season and has been a consistent force.

Looking forward to the next few weeks, Buckner will face a number of inexperienced quarterbacks such as Will Levis and Jake Browning, where the star tackle will have a valuable opportunity to continue to disrupt the passing game for opposing teams.