3. The performance of the defensive line
While the defensive line is still one of the more impressive parts of this Colts team, they still have found a way to exceed expectations this season. 11 games into the year they have 36 sacks, good for sixth in the entire NFL.
Dayo Odeyingbo out of Vanderbilt has shown his value to this team in his third season in the NFL. He leads the team in sacks with 6.5, exceeding his total from last year of five. Zaire Franklin has helped with the pass rush but also has burst onto the scene, leading the team in tackles with 124, which is also good for fourth in the league.
Kwity Paye has also had a strong season with 5.5 sacks, Samson Ebukam comes in with six, and Deforest Buckner has five of his own out of that defensive tackle spot. This team has built this defensive line so well, and the fact that most of these players are so young is encouraging for the future of this team.
To Colts fans, this has not been as much of a surprise as some other ones on this list, but this line has been putting the NFL on notice all season long. They find themselves a bit underrated, but this pass rush is the reason they are 6-5. And if they get into the postseason, teams who are great with their pass rush sometimes find ways to surprise people, so we will see where they go from here. The pieces on this defensive line will be around for a long time if this team plays its cards right, and this team will make the playoffs if this strong play continues.