Why Colts Missed Golden Opportunity to Draft T.J. Yates, Grab Playoff Spot

The Houston Texans have clinched a playoff spot for the first time in franchise history, despite losing quarterbacks Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart for the season with devastating injuries. Houston has relied on rookie quarterback T.J. Yates to save its season and he has stepped up. Well, Indianapolis Colts vice chairman Bill Polian has now publicly lamented the fact that his team didn't draft Yates ahead of the Texas.

Yates was a fifth-round pick out of North Carolina this year and Polian has said the Colts were planning on selecting him, but the Texans happened to pick before them. He has now claimed that Indianapolis should have picked the young quarterback a round earlier. If they did, maybe the drop-off after Peyton Manning's injury would not have been so dramatic. 

Yates has guided the Texans to three consecutive victories and is clearly a better option than anything the Colts currently have on their roster. 

Kerry Collins, Curtis Painter and Dan Orlovsky have been terrible this season for Indianapolis. Those three have combined to complete 241 of 436 passes (55.3 percent) for 2,633 yards, with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. They also have a combined quarterback rating of 70.3. 

In three games Yates has completed 46 of 84 passes (54.8 percent) for 558 yards, with three touchdowns and just one interception. His quarterback rating is 82.3.

While Yates hasn't been overwhelmingly good, he has been solid and with a decent quarterback there is a really good chance Indianapolis could have been competitive this season.

The Colts missed a golden opportunity to upgrade the backup quarterback position with Yates. As a franchise they would be in a much better situation had they been smart enough to make a move and draft him.