We are only two games away from Indianapolis Colts“2024 season. In a long, up-and-down season that includes 17 games, to say that any game is a must-win at this stage may seem a bit of a stretch.
However, recent NFL history suggests that Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears is exactly that: a must-win if the Colts hope to keep their playoff hopes alive.
According to ESPN’s Bill BarnwellSince 2002, 103 teams have started their season with an 0-3 record. Of those, only the 2018 Houston Texans managed to turn things around and qualify for the playoffs.
So I guess it’s not an impossible feat, but certainly not a likely outcome either.
Ultimately, while the Colts have some issues to contend with right now, the key to a win is a much-improved run defense. As we’ve seen in the first two games, the negative impact of a porous run defense on the rest of the team, including the offense, is simply too great to overcome consistently.
As defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said earlier in the week, fixing their game in that regard will take everyone’s intervention.
The Bears have struggled to get their running game going, though, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry, the fourth-lowest mark in two games. If the Colts can find a way to limit Chicago’s running game, it will give their passing game an opportunity to take on an offensive line that has given up the second-most sacks and a Bears passing game that is averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. 99.0 passing yards per game.
On offense, Jonathan Taylor’s presence from the start of the game will help relieve Anthony Richardson of the playmaking burden. The return of Josh Downs, who can provide a boost to the Colts’ short and intermediate passing, will also be beneficial.
Over the past two weeks, the passing attack has been up and down, either generating a big play or struggling to sustain attacks.
While previous teams that started 0-3 have no bearing on the 2024 Colts, a winless start after three weeks is obviously a hole to dig yourself out of, and in most cases, it represents big problems that are too difficult to overcome.
The Colts must find a way to pull off a win against the Bears.
This article was originally published on Colts Wire: Recent NFL history shows that Week 3 is a must-win for the Colts
