2019 Indianapolis Colts season

Last updated

2019 Indianapolis Colts season
Owner Jim Irsay
General manager Chris Ballard
Head coach Frank Reich
Home stadium Lucas Oil Stadium
Results
Record7–9
Division place3rd AFC South
PlayoffsDid not qualify
Pro Bowlers OLB Shaquille Leonard
G Quenton Nelson
C Ryan Kelly
TE Jack Doyle
All-Pros G Quenton Nelson (1st team)
LB Shaquille Leonard (2nd team)
Uniform
Colts football uniforms.png

The 2019 season was the Indianapolis Colts' 67th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 36th in Indianapolis. It was also their second season under head coach Frank Reich and third under the leadership of general manager Chris Ballard.

Contents

For the first time since 2011, quarterback Andrew Luck was not on the roster, as he announced his retirement on August 24, 2019. A four-time Pro Bowler and the top pick in the 2012 draft, Luck led the Colts to four playoff appearances (20122014, 2018), an appearance in the AFC Championship Game in the 2014 season (the franchise's only time doing so in the post-Peyton Manning era), and won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in 2018. A four-year cycle of injuries and rehab that dated back to 2015 had "taken his joy of this game away," which led to his decision of retiring. This would also mark kicker Adam Vinatieri's last season in the NFL, after playing 24 years in the league, as he would spend the entire 2020 season in free agency before retiring on May 26, 2021. A four-time Super Bowl champion with the Colts and New England Patriots, Vinatieri is considered one of the greatest kickers of all time and made memorable game-winning plays with the Patriots in games such as the Tuck Rule Game and Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII. Vinatieri was also the last remaining active player whose career began in the 1990s.

Despite a strong 5–2 start, the Colts would suffer a late-season collapse, losing 7 of their next 9 games, and were eliminated from playoff contention after a Week 15 loss to the New Orleans Saints. This was partially a result of injuries to key skill players such as QB Jacoby Brissett, WR T. Y. Hilton, RB Marlon Mack and TE Eric Ebron. They also failed to improve or match their 10–6 record from the previous season.

Despite the disappointing season, the Colts managed to defeat the eventual Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs and limit the Chiefs offense to only 13 points, which at the time was the fewest points allowed to the Chiefs since Patrick Mahomes became the starter.

Draft

2019 Indianapolis Colts Draft
RoundSelectionPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
234 Rock Ya-Sin CB Temple From New York Jets
49 Ben Banogu LB TCU From Cleveland Browns
59 Parris Campbell WR Ohio State
389 Bobby Okereke LB Stanford
4109 Khari Willis S Michigan State
5144 Marvell Tell S USC From Cleveland Browns
164 E. J. Speed LB Tarleton State
6199 Gerri Green DE Mississippi State
7240 Jackson Barton T Utah
246 Javon Patterson C Ole Miss

Notes

Staff

2019 Indianapolis Colts staff

Front office

  • Owner – Jim Irsay
  • General manager – Chris Ballard
  • Assistant general manager – Ed Dodds
  • Vice president of player personnel – Vacant
  • Director of football administration – Mike Bluem
  • Director of pro personnel – Kevin Rogers Jr.
  • Director of college scouting – Morocco Brown
  • Assistant director of pro scouting – Jon Shaw
  • Assistant director of college scouting – Matt Tarpening
  • Senior player personnel scout – Todd Vasvari
  • Director of player development – Brian Decker

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

Final roster

2019 Indianapolis Colts roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams (ST)

Practice squad

Reserve

Rookies in italics
53 active, 14 reserve, 8 practice squad

Preseason

The team was rocked by the decision August 24 by starting quarterback Andrew Luck that he would immediately retire from professional football due to chronic injury problems and the emotional and mental strain they had extracted. Luck, the 2018 NFL Comeback Player of the Year, had been battling a mysterious and slow-healing leg injury, described by the team variously as a "calf strain" and a "high ankle issue." [2]

Luck, a 7-year professional with four appearances in the NFL Pro Bowl, indicated that he had been contemplating leaving the game for a week-and-a-half or two weeks prior to his announcement; he had been speaking with team officials about the matter all week. [2] In a news conference Luck indicated that his recurring injuries had "taken my joy of this game away.... After 2016, I played in pain and was unable to practice, I said I wouldn't go through that again." [2]

The team moved forward with former New England Patriots backup Jacoby Brissett, a third-year Colt, as its designated starting quarterback. [2]

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1August 8at Buffalo Bills L 16–240–1 New Era Field Recap
2August 17 Cleveland Browns L 18–210–2 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
3August 24 Chicago Bears L 17–270–3Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
4August 29at Cincinnati Bengals W 13–61–3 Paul Brown Stadium Recap

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1 September 8at Los Angeles Chargers L 24–30 (OT)0–1 Dignity Health Sports Park Recap
2 September 15at Tennessee Titans W 19–171–1 Nissan Stadium Recap
3 September 22 Atlanta Falcons W 27–242–1 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
4 September 29 Oakland Raiders L 24–312–2Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
5 October 6at Kansas City Chiefs W 19–133–2 Arrowhead Stadium Recap
6 Bye
7 October 20 Houston Texans W 30–234–2Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
8 October 27 Denver Broncos W 15–135–2Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
9 November 3at Pittsburgh Steelers L 24–265–3 Heinz Field Recap
10 November 10 Miami Dolphins L 12–165–4Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
11 November 17 Jacksonville Jaguars W 33–136–4Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
12 November 21at Houston Texans L 17–206–5 NRG Stadium Recap
13 December 1 Tennessee Titans L 17–316–6Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
14 December 8at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 35–386–7 Raymond James Stadium Recap
15 December 16at New Orleans Saints L 7–346–8 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
16 December 22 Carolina Panthers W 38–67–8Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
17 December 29at Jacksonville Jaguars L 20–387–9 TIAA Bank Field Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Los Angeles Chargers

Week One: Indianapolis Colts at Los Angeles Chargers – Game summary
Quarter1234OTTotal
Colts06108024
Chargers71070630

at Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California

Game information

Week 2: at Tennessee Titans

Week Two: Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Colts760619
Titans0710017

at Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee

Game information

Week 3: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Week Three: Atlanta Falcons at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Falcons0371424
Colts10100727

at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

Game information

Week 4: vs. Oakland Raiders

Week Four: Oakland Raiders at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Raiders1473731
Colts7301424

at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

Game information

Week 5: at Kansas City Chiefs

Week Five: Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Colts760619
Chiefs370313

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Game information

Week 7: vs. Houston Texans

Week Seven: Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Texans097723
Colts7714230

at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

Game information

Week 8: vs. Denver Broncos

Week Eight: Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Broncos067013
Colts039315

at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

Game information

Week 9: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Week Nine: Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Colts3132624
Steelers3107626

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: November 3
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Partly cloudy, 48 °F (9 °C)
  • Game attendance: 61,116
  • Referee: Brad Allen
  • TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Adam Vinatieri missed a potential game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter, resulting in a narrow two-point loss.

Week 10: vs. Miami Dolphins

Week Ten: Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Dolphins370616
Colts006612

at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

  • Date: November 10
  • Game time: 4:05 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 60,510
  • Referee: Clay Martin
  • TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Trent Green and Melanie Collins
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 11: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Week Eleven: Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Jaguars700613
Colts7314933

at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

  • Date: November 17
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 61,986
  • Referee: Shawn Hochuli
  • TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon, James Lofton and Michael Grady
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

The Colts would defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars for the team's 300th win in the Indianapolis era with a record of 300–267. [3]

Week 12: at Houston Texans

Week Twelve: Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Colts0107017
Texans0103720

at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

Game information

Week 13: vs. Tennessee Titans

Week Thirteen: Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Titans70101431
Colts737017

at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

  • Date: December 1
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 60,361
  • Referee: Carl Cheffers
  • TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon and Jay Feely
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 14: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week Fourteen: Indianapolis Colts at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Colts10178035
Buccaneers14771038

at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

  • Date: December 8
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 78 °F (26 °C)
  • Game attendance: 50,232
  • Referee: Tony Corrente
  • TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 15: at New Orleans Saints

Week Fifteen: Indianapolis Colts at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Colts00077
Saints31714034

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

The loss eliminated the Colts from postseason contention. [4]

Week 16: vs. Carolina Panthers

Week Sixteen: Carolina Panthers at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Panthers03306
Colts14731438

at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

Game information

Week 17: at Jacksonville Jaguars

Week Seventeen: Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Colts10100020
Jaguars31381438

at TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida

  • Date: December 29
  • Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 58,472
  • Referee: Brad Allen
  • TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Standings

Division

AFC South
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
(4) Houston Texans 1060.6254–28–4378385L1
(6) Tennessee Titans 970.5633–37–5402331W1
Indianapolis Colts 790.4383–35–7361373L1
Jacksonville Jaguars 6100.3752–46–6300397W1

Conference

#TeamDivisionWLTPCTDIVCONFSOSSOVSTK
Division leaders
1 Baltimore Ravens North1420.8755–110–2.494.484W12
2 [a] Kansas City Chiefs West1240.7506–09–3.510.477W6
3 [a] New England Patriots East1240.7505–18–4.469.411L1
4 Houston Texans South1060.6254–28–4.520.488L1
Wild Cards
5 Buffalo Bills East1060.6253–37–5.461.363L2
6 Tennessee Titans South970.5633–37–5.488.465W1
Did not qualify for the postseason
7 Pittsburgh Steelers North880.5003–36–6.502.324L3
8 [b] [c] Denver Broncos West790.4383–36–6.510.406W2
9 [c] [d] [e] Oakland Raiders West790.4383–35–7.482.335L1
10 [b] [d] [e] Indianapolis Colts South790.4383–35–7.492.500L1
11 [b] [d] New York Jets East790.4382–44–8.473.402W2
12 [f] Jacksonville Jaguars South6100.3752–46–6.484.406W1
13 [f] Cleveland Browns North6100.3753–36–6.533.479L3
14 [g] Los Angeles Chargers West5110.3130–63–9.514.488L3
15 [g] Miami Dolphins East5110.3132–44–8.484.463W2
16 Cincinnati Bengals North2140.1251–52–10.553.406W1
Tiebreakers [h]
  1. 1 2 Kansas City claimed the No. 2 seed over New England based on head-to-head victory.
  2. 1 2 3 Denver finished ahead of Indianapolis and NY Jets based on conference record. Division tiebreak was initially used to eliminate Oakland (see below).
  3. 1 2 Denver finished ahead of Oakland based on conference record.
  4. 1 2 3 Oakland and Indianapolis finished ahead of NY Jets based on conference record.
  5. 1 2 Oakland finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head victory.
  6. 1 2 Jacksonville finished ahead of Cleveland based on record against common opponents. Jacksonville's cumulative record against Cincinnati, Denver, NY Jets, and Tennessee was 4–1, compared to Cleveland's 2–3 cumulative record against the same four teams.
  7. 1 2 LA Chargers finished ahead of Miami based on head-to-head victory.
  8. When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.

References

  1. "NFL announces list of 32 compensatory draft choices". NFL.com. February 22, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Joel A. Erickson and Jim Ayello, "Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is retiring: 'This is the hardest decision of my life,'" Indianapolis Star, Aug. 24, 2019.
  3. "By The Numbers: Colts 33, Jaguars 13". Colts.com. November 17, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  4. Walker, Andrew (December 17, 2019). "Colts Eliminated From Postseason Contention With Loss To Saints". Colts.com. Retrieved November 11, 2024.