4 games from the 2023 season the Indianapolis Colts wish they could get back
By Daniel Davis
The Indianapolis Colts had an up-and-down season leading to many missed opportunities. Ending the season at 9-8 is more than I, or many other Colts' fans, expected but that doesn't mean we can't be disappointed. A rookie head coach and quarterback combination had never hosted and then won an NFL playoff game until recently. Division rival Houston Texans with DeMeco Ryans and C.J Stroud made that history and although Anthony Richardson wouldn't have been there, the bittersweet moment of going from the 4th-overall pick to winning a playoff game in just one season could have been a thrill.
Rookie head coach Shane Steichen has proven he is the guy to carry this team into the future. Frank Reich lasted just 11 games in Carolina after trading an arm, a leg, and D.J. Moore to get quarterback Bryce Young. But the plan all along was for Indy to nab Anthony Richardson since they hired the guy who seems to be solely responsible for the success of Jalen Hurts. All this being said, the Colts had four games which were critical when it came down to the end of the season with playoff implications.
Week 1: Jacksonville Jaguars 31 @ Indianapolis Colts 21
The first game of the season is always one to work out the kinks. In this game, however, the Colts played extremely poorly. Indianapolis had a 21-17 lead going into the 4th quarter and were seemingly on its way to being 1-0. That is until Trevor Lawrence looked like Tom Brady and scored 14 points to take the win.
The Colts looked like they got hit by a truck and the defense was torched. Indy only gained 280 yards of offense while the Jaguars pushed the ball for nearly 350. They also fumbled twice and Anthony Richardson threw a rookie interception on a streak against Cover-2. The Colts were just 2-of-12 on third down and 1-of-5 on fourth down turning the ball over four more times. The rushing game was also atrocious, only gaining 65 yards, while Jacksonville held the ball for about five more minutes. This game was one of the major deciding factors in whether or not the Colts made the playoffs.