2021 Indianapolis Colts season
The 2021 season was the Indianapolis Colts' 69th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 38th in Indianapolis. It was their fourth season under head coach Frank Reich and fifth under the leadership of general manager Chris Ballard. Despite having 7 Pro Bowlers and 5 AP All-Pros, the Colts failed to improve upon their 11–5 record from the previous season, after a Week 12 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Colts were eliminated from the postseason in the final week of the season after a stunning loss to the 2–14 Jacksonville Jaguars and the Pittsburgh Steelers beating the Baltimore Ravens the same day.
2021 Indianapolis Colts season | |
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Owner | Jim Irsay |
General manager | Chris Ballard |
Head coach | Frank Reich |
Home field | Lucas Oil Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 9–8 |
Division place | 2nd AFC South |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | |
AP All-Pros | 5
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Uniform | |
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Draft
Round | Selection | Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 21 | Kwity Paye | DE | Michigan |
2 | 54 | Dayo Odeyingbo | DE | Vanderbilt |
4 | 127 | Kylen Granson | TE | SMU |
5 | 165 | Shawn Davis | S | Florida |
6 | 206 | Sam Ehlinger | QB | Texas |
7 | 229 | Michael Strachan | WR | Charleston |
248 | Will Fries | OG | Penn State |
Pre-draft trades
- The Colts traded their 3rd round pick in 2021 along with a conditional 2nd round pick in 2022 to the Philadelphia Eagles for quarterback Carson Wentz.
Staff
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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Final roster
Preseason
The Colts' preseason opponents and results are mentioned as below:
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | August 15 | Carolina Panthers | W 21–18 | 1–0 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
2 | August 21 | at Minnesota Vikings | W 12–10 | 2–0 | U.S. Bank Stadium | Recap |
3 | August 27 | at Detroit Lions | W 27–17 | 3–0 | Ford Field | Recap |
Regular season
Schedule
The Colts' 2021 schedule was announced on May 12.
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 12 | Seattle Seahawks | L 16–28 | 0–1 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
2 | September 19 | Los Angeles Rams | L 24–27 | 0–2 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
3 | September 26 | at Tennessee Titans | L 16–25 | 0–3 | Nissan Stadium | Recap |
4 | October 3 | at Miami Dolphins | W 27–17 | 1–3 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
5 | October 11 | at Baltimore Ravens | L 25–31 (OT) | 1–4 | M&T Bank Stadium | Recap |
6 | October 17 | Houston Texans | W 31–3 | 2–4 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
7 | October 24 | at San Francisco 49ers | W 30–18 | 3–4 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
8 | October 31 | Tennessee Titans | L 31–34 (OT) | 3–5 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
9 | November 4 | New York Jets | W 45–30 | 4–5 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
10 | November 14 | Jacksonville Jaguars | W 23–17 | 5–5 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
11 | November 21 | at Buffalo Bills | W 41–15 | 6–5 | Highmark Stadium | Recap |
12 | November 28 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 31–38 | 6–6 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
13 | December 5 | at Houston Texans | W 31–0 | 7–6 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
14 | Bye | |||||
15 | December 18 | New England Patriots | W 27–17 | 8–6 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
16 | December 25 | at Arizona Cardinals | W 22–16 | 9–6 | State Farm Stadium | Recap |
17 | January 2 | Las Vegas Raiders | L 20–23 | 9–7 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
18 | January 9 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | L 11–26 | 9–8 | TIAA Bank Field | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Week 1: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seahawks | 7 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
Colts | 3 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Date: September 12
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 63,347
- Referee: Tony Corrente
- TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Sara Walsh
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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With their 8th straight season-opening defeat, the Colts started 0–1.
Week 2: vs. Los Angeles Rams
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 7 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 27 |
Colts | 0 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 24 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Date: September 19
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 63,076
- Referee: Shawn Smith
- TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Lindsay Czarniak
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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Week 3: at Tennessee Titans
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Colts | 0 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
Titans | 7 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 25 |
at Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
- Date: September 26
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 72 °F (22 °C)
- Game attendance: 67,914
- Referee: Bill Vinovich
- TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon, James Lofton, and Michael Grady
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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With this loss, the Colts started 0-3 for the first time since 2011.
Week 4: at Miami Dolphins
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Colts | 0 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 27 |
Dolphins | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 17 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
- Date: October 3
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Partly cloudy, 85 °F (29 °C)
- Game attendance: 64,571
- Referee: Alex Kemp
- TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Jay Feely
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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Week 5: at Baltimore Ravens
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Colts | 7 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 25 |
Ravens | 0 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 6 | 31 |
at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
- Date: October 11
- Game time: 8:15 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Cloudy, 69 °F (21 °C)
- Game attendance: 70,510
- Referee: Land Clark
- TV announcers (ESPN): Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick and Lisa Salters
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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Week 6: vs. Houston Texans
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Texans | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Colts | 7 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Date: October 17
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 58 °F (14 °C) (retractable roof open)
- Game attendance: 57,947
- Referee: Jerome Boger
- TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Jay Feely
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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Week 7: at San Francisco 49ers
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Colts | 7 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 30 |
49ers | 12 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 18 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
- Date: October 24
- Game time: 8:20 p.m. EDT/5:20 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: Cloudy, rainy, 64 °F (18 °C)
- Game attendance: 56,576
- Referee: Craig Wrolstad
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya and Terry McAulay
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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Week 8: vs. Tennessee Titans
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Titans | 0 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 34 |
Colts | 14 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 31 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Date: October 31
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 56 °F (13 °C) (retractable roof open)
- Game attendance: 59,175
- Referee: Carl Cheffers
- TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Jay Feely
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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Week 9: vs. New York Jets
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jets | 7 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 30 |
Colts | 7 | 21 | 14 | 3 | 45 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Date: November 4
- Game time: 8:20 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 59,593
- Referee: John Hussey
- TV announcers (Fox/NFLN/Prime Video): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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This was the first NFL game that ended in a 45–30 score, making a scorigami.[1]
Week 10: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jaguars | 6 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 17 |
Colts | 17 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
Game information | ||
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Week 11: at Buffalo Bills
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Colts | 14 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 41 |
Bills | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 15 |
at Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
- Date: November 21
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 49 °F (9 °C)
- Game attendance: 69,866
- Referee: Brad Rogers
- TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Trent Green and Melanie Collins
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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This was the Colts' second scorigami of the season, as a 41-15 score had never occurred in the NFL before.[2]
Week 12: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Buccaneers | 0 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 38 |
Colts | 3 | 21 | 0 | 7 | 31 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Date: November 28
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 66,140
- Referee: Shawn Smith
- TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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Week 13: at Houston Texans
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Colts | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 31 |
Texans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
- Date: December 5
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 65,291
- Referee: Ronald Torbert
- TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta and AJ Ross
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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Week 15: vs. New England Patriots
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patriots | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 17 |
Colts | 14 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
Game information | ||
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With the win, the Colts improved to 8–6 and beat the Patriots for the first time since Week 10 of the 2009 season.[3]
Week 16: at Arizona Cardinals
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Colts | 7 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 22 |
Cardinals | 6 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 16 |
at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
- Date: December 25
- Game time: 8:15 p.m. EST/6:15 p.m. MST
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 63,900
- Referee: Craig Wrolstad
- TV announcers (NFLN): Joe Davis, Kurt Warner, Melissa Stark and Peter Schrager
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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Week 17: vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders | 7 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 23 |
Colts | 0 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
Game information | ||
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Week 18: at Jacksonville Jaguars
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Colts | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 11 |
Jaguars | 7 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 26 |
at TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida
- Date: January 9
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 77 °F (25 °C)
- Game attendance: 60,516
- Referee: Clay Martin
- TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta and AJ Ross
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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In a shocking fashion, the Colts were upset by the 2-14 Jaguars thus ending their playoff hopes, as the Steelers won earlier that day.
Division
AFC South | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
(1) Tennessee Titans | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 5–1 | 8–4 | 419 | 354 | W3 |
Indianapolis Colts | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3–3 | 7–5 | 451 | 365 | L2 |
Houston Texans | 4 | 13 | 0 | .235 | 3–3 | 4–8 | 280 | 452 | L2 |
Jacksonville Jaguars | 3 | 14 | 0 | .176 | 1–5 | 3–9 | 253 | 457 | W1 |
Conference
# | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division winners | |||||||||||
1[lower-alpha 1] | Tennessee Titans | South | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .472 | .480 | W3 |
2[lower-alpha 1] | Kansas City Chiefs | West | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 5–1 | 7–5 | .538 | .517 | W1 |
3 | Buffalo Bills | East | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 5–1 | 7–5 | .472 | .428 | W4 |
4 | Cincinnati Bengals | North | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .472 | .462 | L1 |
Wild cards | |||||||||||
5[lower-alpha 2] | Las Vegas Raiders | West | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .510 | .515 | W4 |
6[lower-alpha 2] | New England Patriots | East | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .481 | .394 | L1 |
7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | North | 9 | 7 | 1 | .559 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .521 | .490 | W2 |
Did not qualify for the postseason | |||||||||||
8[lower-alpha 3] | Indianapolis Colts | South | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .495 | .431 | L2 |
9[lower-alpha 3][lower-alpha 4] | Miami Dolphins | East | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .464 | .379 | W1 |
10[lower-alpha 3][lower-alpha 4] | Los Angeles Chargers | West | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .510 | .500 | L1 |
11[lower-alpha 5] | Cleveland Browns | North | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .514 | .415 | W1 |
12[lower-alpha 5] | Baltimore Ravens | North | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 1–5 | 5–7 | .531 | .460 | L6 |
13 | Denver Broncos | West | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .484 | .357 | L4 |
14[lower-alpha 6] | New York Jets | East | 4 | 13 | 0 | .235 | 0–6 | 4–8 | .512 | .426 | L2 |
15[lower-alpha 6] | Houston Texans | South | 4 | 13 | 0 | .235 | 3–3 | 4–8 | .498 | .397 | L2 |
16 | Jacksonville Jaguars | South | 3 | 14 | 0 | .176 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .512 | .569 | W1 |
Tiebreakers[lower-alpha 7] | |||||||||||
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References
- Colts' victory over Jets ended in final score that's never happened before in NFL history
- Bills, Colts combine for Scorigami with first 41-15 game in NFL history
- "Indianapolis Colts send message to rest of AFC with first win over New England Patriots since 2009, and swept the AFC East". ESPN.com. 19 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.