Does Hyping Colts as Super Bowl Contenders Make Anybody Nervous?

INDIANAPOLIS — Scanning NFL sites and social media prompted an antsy reaction after reading a common narrative.

The Indianapolis Colts are dark horse Super Bowl contenders?

Uh, um, what?

Yeah, it’s probably click-bait for some, but at least one national scribe is suggesting the improved Colts could be built to make a run in 2020.

NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal, Around The NFL Editor, shared his AFC South Division takes on Wednesday, which included giving hungry Colts fans some offseason hype:

“If Philip Rivers does his job, this team can compete for the AFC title."

The Colts offense is set up for 38-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers, who is familiar with the playbook from his Chargers days of working with Colts head coach Frank Reich and offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni, who were assistants with the Bolts. There’s a strong run game, protection from an excellent O-line that returns intact, and bolstered weapons with the rookie additions of wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and running back Jonathan Taylor.

The defense should be better with defensive tackle DeForest Buckner anchoring that line and drawing a lot of attention, which frees up playmakers like linebacker Darius Leonard and nickel cornerback Kenny Moore II to make more impact plays.

But Super Bowl? Seriously?

Andrew Luck didn't come out of retirement, right? This team did lose seven of its last nine games to finish 7-9 last year, correct?

This has all the makings of perpetuating a common offseason trend that pushes one NFL team as the next season's surprise. Evidently, the Colts are it this time.

But remember how the Cleveland Browns were the sexy offseason media darlings last year? They finished 6-10 and the head coach got fired.

That’s not to suggest Reich, entering his third season, should be nervous. One would hope players have learned a lesson about believing what they hear or read in the media. Then again, Leonard was sounding like his "Maniac" nickname when said he considered his team Super Bowl contenders in an April interview with ESPN. Yeah, OK, players have to be confident. But what's the media's excuse?

The sportsbook folks at FanDuel also suggested the Colts are legit Super Bowl contenders last month.

Sports Illustrated Gambling reported the Colts' odds improved from 30/1 to 25/1, but also provided what sounds like a more realistic take in late April.

“With the Ravens and Chiefs in the AFC, the road to Super Bowl LV will be an impossible task for Rivers and the Colts,” Frankie Taddeo writes. “However, bettors will want to give a serious look at wagering on the Colts to win the AFC South, especially after the hit the Houston Texans took following the shocking trade of (DeAndre) Hopkins to Arizona. I have already made a sizable wager at William Hill on the Colts in AFC South futures at a solid value of +140.”

Yeah, that's believable. The Colts win the AFC South Division, then run into either the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs or a Ravens team with NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson that will be hell-bent to atone for falling flat with a one-and-done in the playoffs after finishing 14-2 and earning the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

Colts fans will be quick to remind that their team knocked off the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium last year. Yes, true, but quarterback Patrick Mahomes was hobbled. And some other Chiefs went down in that game.

Don’t forget how the Colts fared the postseason before when they ventured to Arrowhead Stadium in the AFC Divisional playoff round. A 31-13 clunker that became Colts quarterback Andrew Luck’s final game.

Hey, hype can be fun and it's better to see positive pub than not. But for those extreme optimists out there, perhaps you should slow your roll just a bit.

(Phillip B. Wilson has covered the Indianapolis Colts for more than two decades and authored the 2013 book 100 Things Colts Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. He’s on Twitter @pwilson24, on Facebook at @allcoltswithphilb and @100thingscoltsfans, and his email is phillipbwilson24@yahoo.com.)