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Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts are set to take on the No. 1 seeded Kansas City Chiefs this week after a big win over the Houston Texans in the Wild Card. While there are a lot of questions surrounding the Colts, there is also a lot of confidence and swagger. Indianapolis is one of the hottest teams in football and they are very well aware of that fact.
Looking ahead at this week's game, the Colts are going to have their work cut out for them. That being said, they are also considered one of the most dangerous teams in the league.
At this point in time, it would be hard to say that the Colts are not Super Bowl contenders. They are down to the final eight teams left, but plenty of fans would say that they don't have a chance to come out of the AFC. Many would say that the Chiefs, New England Patriots, and Los Angeles Chargers are all better teams.
Frank Reich took over the Colts and in his first year has already helped build them into the “next big thing” as many are calling them.
All of that being said, what three reasons can be given to support the statement that the Colts are not just a good football team this season, but are a legitimate Super Bowl contender?
3. The Young, Swagger-Filled Defense
Let's go ahead and start this off the right way, talking about the defensive side of the football for the Colts. There is no question that the Colts could use another piece or two in their secondary, but they have found ways to make plays and survive without any star cornerbacks.
Darius Leonard, on the other hand, has given the Colts a franchise building block on the defensive side of the ball. He has already turned himself into one of the best linebackers in the game and he is just a rookie. Other names like Anthony Walker, Denico Autry, Malik Hooker, Clayton Geathers, Kenny Moore, and even Tyquan Lewis if he can get healthy are all major building blocks.
Indianapolis has not had a good defense for a long time. There is still work to do, but they are headed in the right direction and are a very dangerous group of players.
2. Marlon Mack and the Three-Headed Backfield
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No one is going to stop the rumors of a potential Le'Veon Bell to the Colts move this offseason. Bell has made it clear that he is interested in playing with Andrew Luck and he is one of the best running backs in the game. That alone would make this hype something to keep an eye on.
Even with the interest that Bell has in the Colts, Chris Ballard will have a tough decision to make.
Marlon Mack has been one of the most productive running backs in the NFL over the second half of the season. He finished the 2018 season with 195 carries for 908 yards and nine touchdowns, while also catching the football 17 times for 103 yards and a touchdown.
Add in rookies Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins and the Colts' backfield is stacked. They have made a huge difference this season and will continue doing so if the Colts are to continue on their playoff run.
1. The Re-Emergence of Andrew Luck
Coming into the 2018 season, there were questions about how Luck would be able to play. After missing the entire 2017 season due to a shoulder injury, reports had come out during the offseason that his career could be in jeopardy. Maybe he wouldn't be able to throw the football as well as he once did.
Luck has put all of those doubts to rest this season. Not only is he back playing at a high level, he is playing the best football of his career and shows no signs of slowing down.
Reich's offense has worked wonders for Luck and the former Stanford star has bought in. As long as he continues playing the brand of football that he has been this season, the Colts are going to be a very tough team to beat.
