You have to love Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay’s confidence. When asked about Andrew Luck and the future of his ball club, according to the Indianapolis Star, the owner emphatically “doubled down” on his previous edict that foreshadowed more Super Bowls in the next decade or so than the Colts won in the Peyton Manning era.
That would be only won Super Bowl title.
“I’ve said it before — we’re into plural Lombardis,” Irsay said at a town hall function for the club’s season ticket holders Thursday. “That’s what our goal is. And I’ll be damned if we don’t go out and get them.”
To make such a prediction Irsay must think this roster is one that can improve over the course of the 2017 season and he must also think the Indianapolis Colts will be as proficient on offense with Luck behind center. He may be right on both accounts, but there are three other teams in the AFC South that will have something to say about Irsay’s prediction.
Around the Colts, the Texans boast a potential No. 1 defense that will be intact for at least a few more years. Marcus Mariota and the thumping Titans running game seem to just be getting started, with most of the team’s core players under the age of 28. The Jaguars again layered all-star free agent atop all-star free agent this offseason. A story on NFL.com points out the notion of winning multiple times in the NFL is easier said than done.
Irsay went on to say that, “I’m telling you guys, the offensive line is fixed. The reason I’ll tell you it’s fixed is because (former longtime Colts offensive line coach) Howard Mudd told me it’s fixed.”
The success of the Indianapolis Colts does ride on the arm of Luck, who has some injury issues the past few seasons. When he is healthy, he is still one of the most feared passers in the game. When he is on the sideline or on injured reserve, this is a team that struggles without him.
The AFC South just got twice as good as it was during the beginning of the Luck era. Luck has not thrown a football since January (shoulder surgery), the skill-position players around him still need a significant upgrade and just this offseason, the defense started to edge in the right direction for the first time in years.
The Indianapolis Colts selected Luck with the first pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. The 27-year-old is a three time Pro Bowl player and has amassed over 19,000 yards and 132 touchdowns in his career.