The Colts Had Plenty of Drops and Other AFC South Must-Reads

With all the hoopla over Andrew Luck's rookie season, it's easy to forget that it could have been much, much better than it was.

Kyle Rodriguez of Colts Authority has five-year data on drop rate for the Indianapolis Colts and found that the 2012 Colts were particularly bad at hanging on to the football.

Indy had two receivers ranking near the bottom of the league in drops. Donnie Avery and T.Y. Hilton both rang up double-digit drops, tying for 79th in drop percentage in the league.

Whereas Hilton atoned for his mistakes with scores of big plays, Avery compounded his failings with an inability to get open.

In all, the Colts were 30th in drops, and Luck personally had more passes dropped than any quarterback in the league. The Colts let 50 passes slip through their fingers.

When discussing Luck's low completion percentage, the drops have to enter the conversation. With an average drop rate, Luck's completion percentage and YPA would both have improved.

Part of the reason there are concerns with the Colts receiving corp is the inconsistency shown last year. As Rodriguez points out, Hilton may improve with time and additional strength, but Avery simply has bad hands.

If the Colts and Luck are going to take a step forward in 2013, it is going to require pass-catchers who actually catch.

Houston Texans

Jay Lee of the Houston Chronicle points out that Tom Brady is making less than Matt Schaub.

Indianapolis Colts

Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star has five things we learned at the combine.

Tennessee Titans

Tom Gower of Total Titans looks at the cornerback position for Tennessee.

Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean has five things we learned at the combine.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jason Caruso of Big Cat Country asks who is safe on the Jags' roster.