In Depth 2014: Indianapolis Colts

In 2012, Indianapolis had a new QB, a new coach and a cause. The Colts in-depthrallied around Chuck Pagano when he was diagnosed with leukemia and rode the emotion to an 11-5 record and a first round playoff game. Some doubted the team was really nine games better than the disastrous 2011 2-14 campaign, but Indy followed up in 2013 with another 11-5 season and an exciting playoff comeback win against Kansas City.

This team, however, is far from a finished product. When Reggie Wayne went down with a knee injury, Andrew Luck struggled to find his consistency. The switch from Bruce Arians to Pep Hamilton as offensive coordinator proved at times a challenge. And there are holes on the offensive line and the defensive side of the ball that must be addressed.

Still, with some well placed pieces and some good fortune, Colts Authority Editor Kyle Rodriguez says the Colts aren’t far from joining the league’s elite teams in a deep playoff run.

Zoneblitz: What is your overall assessment of the 2013 Colts season that saw two playoff games and a division title? (more…)

In Depth 2014: San Diego Chargers

At 4-6 and then 5-7 it looked like San Diego was headed toward another in-depth

San Diego’s luck ran out in the divisional round as Super Bowl-bound Denver ended the 2013 season. But the five-game win streak, during which the team never scored fewer than 26 points, had to leave Chargers fans and players optimistic about the future.

So can San Diego repeat its late-season success in 2014? And how far are the Chargers from making a run at the Super Bowl? Ernie Padaon, editor of Bolt Beat, shares some thoughts with Zoneblitz.

Zoneblitz:  The Chargers came from an off year in 2012 to make the playoffs in 2013. How would you assess the season? (more…)

In Depth 2014: Cincinnati Bengals

After a decade-plus long stretch of futility that covered the 1990s and in-depth

That said, while Marvin Lewis has become the team’s all-time winningest coach, he has not been able to lead the team to a postseason victory in his 11 seasons on the job. Pressure may be mounting on him to take this team on a deeper run.

Is he capable? And how far is this team from making that kind of jump? Vance Meek, editor and lead writer at Stripe Hype, shares his thoughts here.

Zoneblitz:  Cincy won 11 games in 2013 but got knocked out of the postseason right away. How do you assess 2013? (more…)

In Depth 2014: Kansas City Chiefs

A year removed from a 2-14 disaster, discussing the playoffs in Kansas City might have been seen as a bit ludicrous. But in-depth

The team slumped a bit in the second half of the season but still managed to nail an 11 win campaign that concluded with an exciting-but-heartbreaking loss to Indianapolis.

A few starters, including left tackle Branden Albert, are gone off of the 2013 Chiefs, but Alex Smith and Co. return with a deeper run in mind. How viable is that? Ben Nielsen, editor of Arrowhead Addict, says the schedule will provide some challenges, but adds that this should still be a very good Chiefs team with a lot of potential in 2014 and beyond. Here’s what he had to say.

Zoneblitz: Kansas City has gone from 10 wins to seven to two to 11. Last season resulted in a postseason appearance, but a first-round wild card loss. How do you assess the season? (more…)

In Depth 2014: Philadelphia Eagles

There were some questions as to whether the offensive system Chip Kelly ran while coaching in college would translate in-depth

Philadelphia exploded out of the gate with a win against Washington, then went through some ups and downs. But a 7-1 second half allowed the Eagles to complete a worst-to-first turnaround in the NFC East and enjoy a trip to the postseason.

That playoff appearance ended quickly with a close loss to New Orleans, but 2013 had to leave Eagles fans excited about what’s to come. So what has to happen in order for Philly to make a deeper playoff run? Brandon Lee Gowton, manager and editor in chief at the Bleeding Green Nation, tells us his thoughts.

Zoneblitz: The Eagles were streaky but got hot heading into the end of the season and made the playoffs. What’s your assessment of the 2013 season and what did you think Of Chip Kelly’s first year as coach? (more…)

In Depth 2014: Green Bay Packers

Green Bay was 5-2 and riding a four game winning streak when Chicago rolled into town. The Bears won the game and in-depth

So are the Packers the near-elite level team they appeared to be growing into before Rodgers got hurt? Or does this team have too many holes to be considered a top-level contender for a deep playoff run? Ray Rivard, editor of Lombardi Ave., shared his thoughts with Zoneblitz. Read them below:

Zoneblitz: The Packers struggled while Aaron Rodgers was out but managed to stay in the race and pull off a division title. Then San Francisco struck again. How would you assess the 2013 season? (more…)