Expectations have suddenly shifted for the Colts in 2023 and here’s why

Entering the 2023 NFL season, expectations were extremely low for the Indianapolis Colts. The majority of people felt that Indy would find itself near the bottom of the league again, picking high in next year’s draft. The Colts were coming off a 4-12-1 season, and entered the 2023 season with a rookie quarterback and rookie head coach, obviously it would take time for things to get turned around, right?

Well, three weeks into the season, Indianapolis has a 2-1 record and is leading the AFC South. Obviously, there’s a lot of football left to be played, and anything can happen in this undefined season. However, the Colts appear to be a much better team than people expected, and a lot of expectations are beginning to shift.

As fans and media members assess whether the Colts are just benefiting from a lucky start or are actually a competitive team, many people are concluding that Indy could actually finish with a decent record this season. The main reason why people are arriving at that point is because of Indy’s schedule— one of the easiest schedules in the league.

Colts expected to be competitive in 2023 because of easy schedule

Once the schedule was announced, everyone pointed out how Indianapolis had the fourth-easiest schedule in the league. But, no one really thought that mattered since the Colts were supposed to be a bad team. A bad team playing other bad teams could lead to mixed results. Now that people see Indy may not actually be that bad, that easy schedule is being used as a reason why the Colts could rip off some wins.

Jeffri Chadiha, in a recent piece for NFL.com, said, “nobody is sitting here saying the Colts are about to make a run at the Super Bowl. But they have a feisty defense, a lot of energy and a schedule that is breaking in their favor,” before going on to credit head coach Shane Steichen for the team being better than advertised.

Just like before the season started, all of this is on paper, and things can change from week to week. The Colts have to stay competitive, and clean up on the struggles they’ve had through three weeks, and they should be able to pick up some more wins. Additionally, Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor will be added back into the mix soon, and that will make them a better team.

If things continue to unfold the way they have through the first three weeks, the Colts could definitely find their way into the playoffs.

READ MORE