Indianapolis Colts on Cusp of Being Legitimate Super Bowl Contenders in 2014

No team in the NFL is perfect, especially the Indianapolis Colts.

But teams that go on to win the Super Bowl rarely are. The Baltimore Ravens went just 10-6 in 2012, but thanks to a terrific postseason from Joe Flacco along with some dramatic victories, they were able to hold the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season.

That's the goal for all 32 teams every season, but only one is able to win each year. For some, all it takes is making it to the postseason, because anything can happen after that. By then, no one cares how you win, as long as you do it.

With a 3-2 record, there's a lot to like about this year's Colts team, but there are still just as many concerns. Still, after Sunday's 20-13 win against the Ravens despite a rough day from the offense, this team is on the verge of being a legitimate Super Bowl contender in the AFC.

Andrew Luck Taking Next Step

AJ Mast/Associated Press

If we were just talking about the offense, there wouldn't even be a discussion as to whether or not the Colts are ready to challenge the Denver Broncos in the AFC. Andrew Luck is leading the league with 1,617 passing yards and 14 touchdowns while completing 68.1 percent of his passes and posting a 100.0 passer rating.

Luck hasn't been perfect, throwing six interceptions through five games, but he's been significantly more productive than he was in his first two seasons. Now, in his third season, his numbers are quickly starting to look like his predecessor's, Peyton Manning.

	Comp. %	Yds	YPA	TD	INT	RAT
Andrew Luck (2014)	68.1	1617	7.49	14	6	100.0
Peyton Manning (2000)	63.5	1601	8.13	11	7	92.6

It's been a fantastic start for Luck, but he hasn't done it alone. The rest of the offense around him is starting to come together, and that's a scary thought for the rest of the league.

While Manning had some weapons to work with in his third season, he didn't have the guys that Luck has. Reggie Wayne hasn't missed a step since returning from a torn ACL, and T.Y. Hilton is starting to come around after a rough start to the season, while Hakeem Nicks continues to get more comfortable with his new team.

Even the tight ends at Luck's disposal present huge mismatches. Dwayne Allen is quickly becoming one of the better all-around tight ends in the league but is also becoming one of Luck's favorite red-zone targets, catching four touchdowns so far. Coby Fleener hasn't been the player fans were hoping, but he's still made his presence felt from time to time.

	Rec	Yds	TD
Reggie Wayne	30	384	1
T.Y. Hilton	31	381	0
Dwayne Allen	15	204	4
Ahmad Bradshaw	18	151	4
Coby Fleener	11	139	2
Trent Richardson	15	132	0
Hakeem Nicks	15	123	2

In order to put things in perspective, seven players already have at least 11 receptions this season, with Hilton leading the way with 31.  As if the field wasn't open enough for Luck, he now even has a legitimate one-two punch in the backfield with Trent Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw.

Richardson isn't terrific, but the improvement has been noticeable. Meanwhile, Ahmad Bradshaw has been the violent runner that his team has needed, averaging 5.1 yards per carry with three runs of over 20 yards. The two running backs have combined for 490 yards on the ground, but they've also added 283 yards and four touchdowns in the passing game.

It feels like offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton is finally starting to get it. Get Luck loose, give Bradshaw the majority of carries and get Dwayne Allen involved down the middle. The versatility of this offense is starting to show, and if they can stay healthy, the Colts might continue to have one of the best offenses in the league by the end of the year.

Can the Defense Answer the Call?

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It's not a requirement, but most teams that go on to win the Super Bowl tend to have very good defenses. We saw why it's so important last season, when the Legion of Boom and the Seattle Seahawks completely shut down Manning for a 43-8 blowout.

Still, as long as you have an elite quarterback, the defense just needs to be able to keep the opposing offense off the field.

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

It's still unclear what to think about this year's defense. They've given up just 21.6 points per game, ranking 13th in the NFL, but there are plenty of questions that need to be answered.

Some of those questions might have been answered on Sunday against Baltimore. With LaRon Landry suspended, Sergio Brown came in looked like more of an upgrade than a replacement at safety. He had a huge sack on fourth down near the goal line early, then made a great open-field tackle to keep the Ravens from converting on third down later.

It's still too early to determine if Brown is the real deal, but both him and Mike Adams have been pleasant surprises up to this point in the season. With Vontae Davis, Greg Toler and Darius Butler at cornerback, this secondary might be able to go toe-to-toe with some of the best offenses in the NFL, and their numbers in pass coverage show that.

	Targeted	Comp. %	TD	INT	PD	RAT
Vontae Davis	20	40.0	0	2	1	12.3
Greg Toler	37	48.6	1	2	3	54.7
Darius Butler	21	47.6	1	0	2	84.2
Mike Adams	7	85.7	0	2	3	78.9
Sergio Brown	4	25.0	0	0	0	39.6

Meanwhile, the defensive line is the deepest it's been in some time. Along with the starters, the Colts have legitimate backups in guys like Zach Kerr, Ricky Jean Francois and even Montori Hughes. Once Arthur Jones returns, the defensive line should be in great shape.

The biggest problem with this team has been the lack of pass rush, but the Colts appeared to have figured out a more unconventional way to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Unlike most 3-4 defenses, the Colts focused on generating pressure in the middle, and that helped take some pressure off of the outside linebackers.

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

Cory Redding has been a big reason for that, racking up two sacks while hurrying the quarterback six times this season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Because of the pressure on the inside last week, Bjoern Werner was finally able to shine, sacking Flacco twice for his first two sacks of the season. 

This is a trend that must continue, because the Colts have a pretty big weakness at linebacker. The inside linebackers are struggling mightily covering tight ends and running backs in the passing game, and while Jerrell Freeman's return might help a little, we saw in Week 1 that it's still going to be a work in progress.

The more pressing matter is the pass rush. The Colts may have gotten to Flacco four times, but there are still questions as to whether or not Werner can be the answer to replace Robert Mathis. Obviously, no one will be able to play at the same level as Mathis, but they at least need someone to collapse the pocket. If not Werner, then it may have to be rookie Jonathan Newsome, who played well in limited snaps Sunday.

This past week's win was a big statement about this defense, but it's only one week. However, if they can continue to answer the call, then there's no reason that Indianapolis can't challenge teams like the Broncos, San Diego Chargers or New England Patriots in the AFC.

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