5 Pleasant Surprises From the 2021 Colts' Season
Happy Holidays to all Colts' fans! The winter holiday season is a fun time filled with family, friendship, and most of all-- Presents!
The best part about a present is how it can surprise you. Even if it is something that you really really wanted all year long, sometimes just the act of finally getting it can be a happy surprise.
That is what we are going to look at today in this lighthearted holiday piece. Here is my list of the five pleasant surprises from the Colts' season that could have a big impact on this playoff stretch run.
1.) Rock Ya-Sin and Isaiah Rodgers Stepping Up
The Colts had some pretty major question marks coming into the season at the cornerback position. Will Rock Ya-Sin ever be able to figure it out in the NFL? Can Isaiah Rodgers be more than just a special teams player?
The answer to both of those questions is a resounding yes. What was once a perceived weakness on the team has slowly turned into the Colts' strongest positional group on the defense (behind defensive tackle).
When targeted in coverage this season, the duo has allowed 48 receptions on 81 targets for 509 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions (with seven pass breakups as well). That comes out to a passer rating of 83.82, a completion percentage of just 59%, and a yards per target of just 6.2.
Those aren't elite numbers by any means, but they are very strong for a duo that had a lot of question marks coming into the season.
2.) Kenny Finally Gets His Recognition
It has been a long road in the NFL for cornerback Kenny Moore II. Starting as an undrafted free agent, he was cut by Bill Belichick and the Patriots at the end of his first offseason. Chris Ballard and the Colts picked him up soon after, and he has quietly become the best slot cornerback in the NFL over the past four seasons.
The only reason to be upset here is that many fans and media members fail to give Moore II the proper recognition he deserves. Despite being the top player at his position for years, he has failed to land in a Pro Bowl game. That all changed in 2021, however.
Moore II was finally announced as a Pro Bowl player this week. While we may not truly care about the Pro Bowl or who makes it every year, it does mean a lot for these players. Moore II has been more than deserving for years, and it was great to finally see him get some proper recognition.
To make the case for him yet again, Moore II is currently the most targeted cornerback in the NFL. Despite that, he has allowed a completion percentage of 67.6% when targeted, a passer rating of just 78.6, and has hauled in four interceptions.
3.) Jonathan Taylor is Good... Like REALLY GOOD
Running back Jonathan Taylor churned out a very positive rookie season that gave everyone hope that he could be a good back in the league. Even the most optimistic Colts' fans, likely, didn't see this type of output in year two.
After rushing for 1,247 yards a year ago (on 4.9 yards per carry), Taylor has increased his production to 1,518 yards rushing on 5.6 yards per carry in 2021 (with three games left to go).
Going from a top 10 or so back as a rookie to an MVP candidate in one year has been a major shot in the arm of this offense. He is playing some truly elite football, and the Colts' offense has run through this superstar player.
He is simply a phenomenal young player and his ascension to superstar status has been a huge reason why the Colts are currently the five seed in the AFC playoff picture.
4.) Michael Pittman Jr's Breakout
Taylor isn't the only player from the Colts' 2020 draft class to breakout this season. Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr has established himself as a legit pass-catcher in this offense for the near and distant future.
Pittman Jr had an up-and-down rookie season a year ago. He hauled in 45 catches on 66 targets for 593 yards and a touchdown last year. With an increased role and an uptick in targetsin 2021, he is on the verge of being the Colts' first 1,000 yard receiver since T.Y Hilton in 2018.
He currently sits at 68 receptions on 99 targets for 889 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore. While he still needs to work on somethings to truly take the next step, his ascension into WR1 status has been a major boost to this offense.
Pittman Jr's breakout and Taylor's historic season have been the main catalysts for the Colts averaging 28.4 points per game on the year (3rd best across the league).
5.) Do-It-All Dulin
A bit of an afterthought in the offseason, young receiver Ashton Dulin has emerged as an all around contributor for the Colts this season. As far as depth receivers go, he is having an outstanding year for the team.
As a receiver, he has caught 12 passes on 19 targets for 150 yards and two touchdowns (he also drew a long pass interference to set up a game-tying touchdown against the Titans). He has also run the ball a little bit, as he has three rushes for 32 yards on jet sweeps.
While he hasn't seen many snaps on offense, he has simply produced big plays when called upon. The true value he brings is on special teams, as he has a league-leading 13 special teams tackles and fumble recovery on the year. His 13 tackles are more than his combined career total coming into the season.
Dulin makes this list primarily because most fans wrote him off in the offseason. With the drafting of fan-favorite Michael Strachan and sophomore receiver Dez Patmon returning, a lot of people expected Dulin to play elsewhere in 2021.
However, he has risen above all the bottom of the roster competition and has been a major asset to this Colts' team tin 2021. While the stats aren't super flashy, Dulin has been doing a lot of great things for this team.
Follow Zach on Twitter @ZachHicks2.
