Week 8 Results and Their Effect on the AFC South Playoff Race
By Max Dambach
Indianapolis Colts (2-6)
The Indianapolis Colts finally admitted defeat in placing Andrew Luck on IR. Yet again, the Colts have failed one of the most talented young quarterbacks to ever enter the league. The Colts have squandered the prime of Luck by drafting poorly and refusing to invest in an offensive line to protect him. The defense was left to rot in favor of new skill position players each year. Indianapolis has finally done something right and conceded the fact that they have no opportunity to make the playoffs this season and should instead look to the future by allowing Luck to focus on rehabilitation before they stockpile more young talent in the draft to surround him with in 2018.
It may cost Chuck Pagano his job, but this was the right move for the future of this team. Quarterback is the hardest position to hit on and a team that has found a franchise caliber QB is never very far from competing. This week, the Colts will play the Texans in their first game without wunderkind Deshaun Watson, but Jacoby Brissett and T.Y. Hilton won’t be able to carry this team past a solid defense fielded by Houston and this Indianapolis defense is bad enough that even Tom Savage could torch it with the help of DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller. For Colts fans, losses like this may sting now, but they will only help the Colts’ draft position next spring.