In 2022, the Indianapolis Colts were a big disappointment, winning just four games. They did that after entering the season as possible contenders, however, things didn’t go as planned. That’s why the 2023 offseason has been all about change for Indy. Indianapolis has a new head coach in Shane Steichen, a new quarterback in Anthony Richardson, and several other new players.
So what are the expectations entering the 2023 NFL season? Will the Colts be just as bad or much better? How many games will they win? Ben Brown, in a recent piece for PFF, used PFF’s simulation to answer that question. Ultimately, the Colts were projected to win 7.77 wins. Not accounting for draws, that could mean a 7-10 or 8-9 record in 2023.
PFF projects Colts will win seven games in 2023 season
A 7-10 or 8-9 record won’t get Indianapolis in the playoffs, unless the AFC South is extremely bad, but the record alone would have to be viewed as a positive. That’s at least three more wins than Indy had last season, and with a first-year head coach and a rookie quarterback, winning seven or eight games would be a good start to their time with the Colts.
That would give Indianapolis a tremendous foundation to build on moving into the future. Additionally, the Colts would still have a solid draft pick for the 2024 NFL Draft, somewhere around No. 10 or the early teens. That would give Indy the opportunity to add another elite prospect that could accelerate the team’s small rebuild.
As promising as this may sound, the game is played on the field and not in simulations. Indianapolis has to go out this season and actually win games. The Colts could end up being better than seven wins, or worse. Whichever direction reality is, will be revealed once the season starts.