Colts Season Win Total PRediction
With Andrew Luck (hopefully) back, a new coach and an easier schedule, will the Indianapolis Colts surpass their win total for 2018?
Indianapolis Colts Betting Odds
According to oddsmakers, the Colts’ win total for 2018 has been set at 6.5, with the over carrying juice of 4/7 and the under listed at 7/5. Indy is also 40/1 to win the Super Bowl and is 18/1 to win the AFC Conference Championship.
Offseason Additions
The Colts rid themselves of the coaching staff under former head coach Chuck Pagano. Former Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich replaces Pagano and he hired former Rams receivers coach Nick Sirianni to run the offense. Former Cowboys linebacker coach Matt Eberflus will run the defense for the Colts.
Among their offseason additions this season were tight end Eric Ebron, linebacker Najee Goode, receiver Ryan Grant and cornerback Kenneth Acker. Defensive end Denico Autry, center Matt Slauson and tight end Randall Telfer were also added.
In the draft, the Colts selected Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson with the sixth overall pick. They owned four second-round selections and loaded up on defense with linebacker Darius Leonard and defensive ends Kemoko Turay and Tyquan Lewis. Guard Braden Smith was also added in the second round to help boost Indy’s interior offensive line.
Offseason Departures
Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins and running back Matt Jones were both cut. Receiver Kamar Aiken, meanwhile, signed with the Eagles, linebacker Jon Bostic signed with the Steelers and running back Frank Gore signed with the Dolphins. Barkevious Mingo (Seahawks), Donte Moncrief (Jaguars) and Mike Person (49ers) are also gone.
Colts Season Win Total Prediction
The return of Luck (again, hopefully) is enough to like the Colts’ chances of improving greatly from a year ago. But it’s not the only reason why I’m taking the over.
The Colts dramatically upgraded their coaching staff from a year ago as Reich takes over for Pagano. Reich will get the most out of his offensive skill players and use similar concepts with Luck that he did with Carson Wentz and Nick Foles under Doug Pederson’s guidance. The team also took steps to upgrade the interior offensive line with the additions of Nelson and Smith, and the schedule is lighter than it was a year ago.
This likely isn’t a playoff team but you never know it a wide-open AFC South. Either way, I see the Colts winning at least seven games if Luck can stay healthy. (Even though, Jacoby Brissett had some success with a bad coaching staff and depleted roster a year ago so if he has to step in again, it wouldn’t necessarily derail the ‘over’ here.)
Indianapolis Colts Season Win Total Prediction: Over 6.5