An honest reflection on the 2013 season.

[Legend of Luck]

We all have to come to grips with one simple truth about this season: We were playing with house money basically all year, and we simply overachieved thanks to the will and heart of this team and the best young Quaterback in football.

 

To lose your number 1 offensive weapon and most reliable play-maker 

To lose your 2 most reliable and game ready (had a whole preseason to prepare) running backs, then lose 2 more back-up RBs

To lose a key free agent on the offensive line that was supposed to improve our weakest position

To lose most peoples "Breakout Player of the Year" and a man considered to be potentially the best young TE in the league

To have a head coach who is essentially, for all intents and purposes, in his first year of coaching

To have a new offensive cordinator who has never coached that position in the NFL before

To implement an entirely new offense than what the players knew from a year ago

To have a league high 17 players on season ending IR.

 

and STILL win 11 regular season games, win our division, win a playoff game, and make it into the divisional round.... This year was truly remarkable.

 

For example;

If Colin Kaepernick were to lose Anquan Boldin, Vernon Davis, Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter and an O-lineman for the entire season, do you think they would be in the same position? Simple answer- NO FRIGGIN WAY

 

If Carolina and Cam Newton had lost Steve Smith, Greg Olsen, DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert, and an O-lineman for the enitre season, do you think they would have been the 2nd seed? Simple answer- THAT TEAM WOULDNT HAVE WON 7 GAMES ALL YEAR, EVEN WITH THAT DEFENSE

 

If Tom Brady would have lost Danny Amedola, Rob Gronkowski, Shane Vereen, Steven Ridley, Blount (Granted, he lost each of them for a few games here and there) and an O-lineman and NOT have had those guys in the playoffs, do you think they would have had the same success?-  I highly doubt it. Brady played horrible in the games he didnt have most of his weapons.

 

The comparisons can go on and on-

Seatle would have to lose Golden Tate, Marshawn Lynch, Robert Turbin, their TE and an O-lineman

Denver would have had to lose Demaryious Thomas, Julius Thomas, Knowshon Moreno, Monte Ball, and the O-lineman that they lost.

The Eagles would have had to lose Desean Jackson, Lesean McCoy, Brent Celek, Bryce Brown, and an O-lineman.

 

 

Now, look at another playoff team from last season; the Falcons. They lost their top WR for the season, and their other top WR for most of the season. Their top RB missed half the season as well, and they totally fell apart. 

 

You cant deny that the challenges this team and most of all our coaching staff have had to overcome are worse than any other team in the league, yet we managed such a successful year. 11 wins, and a win in the playoffs.

 

This team and this coaching staff deserve a standing ovation. Especially Chuck and Pep. Im still up in the air about Manusky.

 

Next year will be a magical year if we can stay healthy. Last years GM of the year Ryan Grigson will make some magic happen again this year in the draft and in free agency. But as for 2013. What a magical ride it was.

 

Thank you Colts.

 

 

 

 

[MaoBerry]

No such thing as house money. It‘s their job to win. Period.

[Legend of Luck]

No such thing as house money. It‘s their job to win. Period.

 

Thats a cynical way of looking at it, but, they DID win. 11 games and a playoff game.

[cmgww]

It's a fan forum...did you expect anything less than cynicism? OP is dead on...This team accomplished a lot despite the personnel losses. Things weren't always roses...but overall a good season to build on.

[Mouthfire]

We were kinda' gifted by a ridiculously weakened AFC South, but still... OP is pretty dead on. Add in wins over Denver, Seattle, and KC twice?

You really can't be overly critical of the season.

[braveheartcolt]

We beat 3 of 4 teams left. And I don't think anyone would argue these four teams are the league's best. We are not far away, if we keep improving. Too early to reflect in detail about what we need to do, how I think, but I'm nowhere as down as I used to be following the Manning years when we got knocked out for some reason. Probably as I think we are still rising quite rapidly....

 

Another fun year.

[Legend of Luck]

Another great example would be Andy Dalton losing AJ Green, BJGE, Giovanni Bernard, Jermaine Gresham and an O-Lineman. Yea, that would have been downright ugly.

 

or Stafford losing Calvin Johnson, Reggie Bush, Mikel Leshore, Brandon Pettigrew, and an O-Lineman for the season. Thats a 4 win team without those guys.

[Iancolts]

We as a team the colts made it one round in the playoffs

[Nobody]

Another great example would be Andy Dalton losing AJ Green, BJGE, Giovanni Bernard, Jermaine Gresham and an O-Lineman. Yea, that would have been downright ugly.

or Stafford losing Calvin Johnson, Reggie Bush, Mikel Leshore, Brandon Pettigrew, and an O-Lineman for the season. Thats a 4 win team without those guys.

those teams are picking top 5 or maybe 3 in that situation.

Spot on, wonderful post. All that we overcame, to still do what we did. Amazing resilience.

[zibby43]

Another positive with this season is that due to Wayne's injury, we had guys like Hilton, Brazill, and Whalen emerge.

 

When Wayne comes back, we'll have legitimate #1 and #2 receivers in Wayne and Hilton.  Brazill has shown to be a capable deep threat with above average hands.

 

Whalen also is emerging as a slot guy/possession receiver that can consistently catch the ball when thrown to him.

 

People on here have met my optimism with scathing remarks but with guys like Wayne, Hilton, Brazill/Whalen, and Allen/Fleener on the field, and with an improved offensive line, I think Luck can do some damage with these weapons so long as the Colts develop a respectable rushing attack.