Colts Well Represented on ‘100 Bold NFL Predictions’ List

The Indianapolis Colts landed four different entries on a massive bold predictions list from Sports Illustrated.

Predictions are tough to get right. However, they’re even more challenging when you put into perspective how different the Indianapolis Colts look after the disastrous 2022 season.

Indianapolis now has rookies galore, a fresh head coach, a new mindset around the facility, and a generally positive feel for the franchise. Given all of these factors, let’s take a gander at Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr and his massive “100 Bold Predictions for the 2023 NFL Season” list. For the Colts, they land on four different ranks, which will be what is broken down in this piece. Let’s begin.

#5.) Anthony Richardson Will Win Offensive Rookie of the Year, but…

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Orr makes a compelling argument that Anthony Richardson will likely win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award due to his “all-encompassing style of football” that he plays, factoring in his ability to scramble and get out into the open field with his feet. The “but” in the title is for Carolina Panther’s QB Bryce Young.

Orr states, “Bryce Young will lead all rookie passers in quarterback rating.” This is a good prediction, as Young is arguably the most pro-ready quarterback in the draft and has the most pure passing mechanics. Orr continues his entry on if Richardson plays an entire season by saying, “There is no way he won’t amass a more glamorous statistical profile than Young, who is more of a traditional pocket passer.”

This is tying back to the “all-encompassing style of football” that was previously mentioned. Richardson’s dual-threat ability could produce a gaudy stat line and catapult his numbers to Rookie of the Year honors.

#10.) The Colts’ Shane Steichen Will Win the Coach of the Year Award

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My favorite prediction on this list for the Colts; Shane Steichen has a decent chance to make this happen, especially if, somehow, the Colts finish around a 10-7 record and sneak into the postseason.

Orr breaks down this thinking in his piece well, kicking off his prediction by referencing the horrific 4-12-1 season the Colts just endured under former head coach Frank Reich and former interim coach Jeff Saturday.

“It’s easier to be considered for this award when you’re starting from a bad place. The Colts were one of the worst teams in the NFL last season and endured the optical hit of a Week 10 change to Jeff Saturday on the sidelines. During Saturday’s tenure, the Colts lost seven straight games and surrendered the biggest comeback loss in NFL history. This is a quick way of saying that the pump is primed for a turnaround.”

It will be somewhat of an uphill climb with all of the raw talent that Steichen will have under his command. However, the ceiling of all of that talent put together is something to watch out for. If the former Philadelphia Eagles OC can harness his team’s abilities early on, it could produce surprising results that nobody expects.

#69.) The Colts (6.5), Rams (6.5), and Cowboys (9.5) Will All Hit on Their Win Total Overs

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The Colts have a favorable schedule coming into the 2023 season.

This plays well into them hitting their Vegas odds of 6.5 wins or more on the year. While the Jacksonville Jaguars will be a truly difficult matchup for two games, the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans aren’t looking the most competitive yet.

Factor in those four games and teams like the Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Atlanta Falcons, and you’ve got a bigger case that Indianapolis could hit the eight or nine-win mark.

This prediction could be completely wrong. But, given how the AFC South is more open than many think, the Colts could sneak a few extra wins out of their division and beyond.

#84.) The RPO Will Get a Stylistic Makeover

© Indianapolis Colts

Orr references the success that Steichen had in Philadelphia with QB Jalen Hurts over the past two seasons.

“Given Jalen Hurts’s success over the past two years, and the soon-to-come success of Anthony Richardson, we’ll start hearing a twinge on the abused RPO acronym. It will be more commonly referred to as the RPRO, adding, as the Eagles have, an additional run option to stymie opponents. Good luck catching Richardson on one of these.”

This plays into the crucial relationship that Steichen will have with his new athletic QB in Richardson. The Colts haven’t had this type of offensive attack with a mobile QB, a game-breaker like RB Jonathan Taylor, and multiple fakes, options, and reads.

Steichen could utilize the RPO (or, as Orr says, ‘RPRO’) to gash defenses for big gains on the ground and huge shots on vertical passes down the field. In turn, it could open up opportunities for the other playmakers that the Colts have at their offensive disposal.

Outlook

Predictions are fun, let’s be honest. With a team like the Colts, it’s a wide-open situation due to the unknowns of what this team can do. There have been many pieces added and moved around for the franchise ahead of the 2023 regular season, giving the team almost a completely new look.

These four predictions could come true. They could also fall completely flat. The 2023 season can’t come soon enough to determine which side they’ll fall on.

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