The 2016 season was the Indianapolis Colts' 64th in the National Football League (NFL), their 33rd in Indianapolis, and their ninth playing their home games at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Colts matched their 8–8 record from 2015, but missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1997–1998. This season also saw the Colts swept by the Houston Texans for the first time in franchise history. As a result, the Colts fired general manager Ryan Grigson after five seasons with the team, although head coach Chuck Pagano returned the next year.
Roster changes
Free agents Position Player 2016 Team Notes TE Coby Fleener UFA New Orleans Saints Signed 5-year/$36 million deal TE Dwayne Allen UFA Indianapolis Colts Signed 4-year/$29.4 million deal TE Jack Doyle RFA Indianapolis Colts Signed 1-year/$1.67 million tender QB Charlie Whitehurst UFA Cleveland Browns QB Matt Hasselbeck UFA Retired RB Ahmad Bradshaw UFA TBA RB Dan Herron RFA Buffalo Bills K Adam Vinatieri UFA Indianapolis Colts Signed 2-year/$6 million deal G Lance Louis UFA TBA S Akeem Davis ERFA Indianapolis Colts Signed 1-year/$600,000 tender S Dwight Lowery UFA San Diego Chargers Signed 3-year/$7.2 million deal S Colt Anderson UFA Buffalo Bills Signed 1-year/$840,000 deal CB Greg Toler UFA Washington Redskins Signed 1-year/$840,000 deal DE Billy Winn UFA Denver Broncos ILB Jerrell Freeman UFA Chicago Bears Signed 3-year/$12 million deal Player re-signed by the Colts Player signed with a different team Player retired
Undrafted free agents Sources Position Player College Notes Wide receiver Danny Anthrop Purdue Defensive lineman Sterling Bailey Georgia Kicker/Punter Devon Bell Mississippi State Camp tryout Offensive tackle Isiah Cage Wisconsin–Eau Claire Nose tackle Julian Campenni Connecticut Camp tryout Linebacker Henry Coley Virginia Camp tryout Cornerback Daniel Davie Nebraska Long snapper Harrison Elliott Air Force Camp tryout Running back Josh Ferguson Illinois Quarterback Blake Frohnapfel Massachusetts Camp tryout Quarterback Everett Golson Florida State Camp tryout Tight end Darion Griswold Arkansas Offensive tackle Davante Harris Appalachian State Long snapper Forrest Hill Auburn Camp tryout Safety Tigi Hill Hawaii Camp tryout Wide receiver Reece Horn Indianapolis Camp tryout Offensive tackle Amadou Konte Benedictine Camp tryout Wide receiver Marcus Leak Maryland Linebacker Curt Maggitt Tennessee Safety Stefan McClure California Wide receiver Mekale McKay Cincinnati Punter Brock Miller Southern Utah Camp tryout Tight end Mike Miller Taylor Cornerback Christopher Milton Georgia Tech Offensive guard Jamelle Naff TCU Camp tryout Outside linebacker Elhadji Ndiaye Nebraska–Kearney Camp tryout Outside linebacker Eze Obiora Southern Illinois Camp tryout Quarterback Ammon Olsen Southern Utah Camp tryout Cornerback Leviticus Payne Cincinnati Camp tryout Linebacker Terrance Plummer UCF Camp tryout Running back Chase Price San Diego State Camp tryout Offensive tackle Adam Redmond Harvard Wide receiver Chester Rogers Grambling State Linebacker Anthony Sarao USC Defensive lineman Delvon Simmons USC Wide receiver Tevaun Smith Iowa Wide receiver Logan Sweet UCLA Camp tryout Defensive lineman Justin Thomason North Carolina Camp tryout Outside Linebacker Ron Thompson Syracuse $15,000 bonus Cornerback Darius White California, Berkeley Cornerback Frankie Williams Purdue Camp tryout, Signed Safety Andrew Williamson Vanderbilt Running back Storm Woods Oregon State Camp tryout
Draft
2016 Indianapolis Colts Draft Round Selection Player Position College 1 18 Ryan Kelly Center Alabama 2 57 T. J. Green Free safety Clemson 3 82 Le'Raven Clark Offensive tackle Texas Tech 4 116 Hassan Ridgeway Nose tackle Texas 4 125 Antonio Morrison Inside linebacker Florida 5 155 Joe Haeg Offensive tackle North Dakota State 7 239 Trevor Bates Outside linebacker Maine 7 248 Austin Blythe Center Iowa Notes The Colts traded their sixth-round selection to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for linebacker Sio Moore.
Staff
Final roster
Schedule
Preseason On February 16, the NFL announced that the Colts would play the Green Bay Packers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. The game would have occurred on Sunday, August 7, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, but the game was cancelled due to field conditions. However, the two teams met during the regular season in Green Bay.
The remainder of the Colts' preseason opponents and schedule were later announced on April 7.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap HOF August 7 vs. Green Bay Packers Cancelled due to field conditions 1 at Buffalo Bills W 19–18 1–0 Ralph Wilson Stadium Recap 2 Baltimore Ravens L 18–19 1–1 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 3 Philadelphia Eagles L 23–33 1–2 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 4 at Cincinnati Bengals W 13–10 2–2 Paul Brown Stadium Recap
Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 11 Detroit Lions L 35–39 0–1 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 2 September 18 at Denver Broncos L 20–34 0–2 Sports Authority Field at Mile High Recap 3 September 25 San Diego Chargers W 26–22 1–2 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 4 October 2 at Jacksonville Jaguars L 27–30 1–3 Wembley Stadium Recap 5 October 9 Chicago Bears W 29–23 2–3 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 6 October 16 at Houston Texans L 23–26 2–4 NRG Stadium Recap 7 October 23 at Tennessee Titans W 34–26 3–4 Nissan Stadium Recap 8 October 30 Kansas City Chiefs L 14–30 3–5 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 9 November 6 at Green Bay Packers W 31–26 4–5 Lambeau Field Recap 10Bye 11 November 20 Tennessee Titans W 24–17 5–5 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 12 November 24 Pittsburgh Steelers L 7–28 5–6 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 13 at New York Jets W 41–10 6–6 MetLife Stadium Recap 14 December 11 Houston Texans L 17–22 6–7 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 15 December 18 at Minnesota Vikings W 34–6 7–7 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 16 at Oakland Raiders L 25–33 7–8 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Recap 17 January 1 Jacksonville Jaguars W 24–20 8–8 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Detroit Lions
Andrew Luck would march the Colts down the field and score with 39 seconds remaining, but the Lions were able to pull out the win on a field goal by Matt Prater with 4 seconds left. The Colts would try the lateral play on the ensuing kickoff, but it would result in a safety. With the loss, the Colts started 0–1.
Week 2: at Denver Broncos
It was only a 3–3 game at the end of 1 quarter before CJ Anderson scored a 4-yard touchdown to take a 7-point lead. The teams would trade field goals to end the half with a 13–6 advantage for the Broncos. Robert Turbin would score a touchdown from 5 yards out to tie the game at 13. But from there, it was basically all Denver. Indy was outscored 21–7 after Turbin's touchdown, including a pick six by Aqib Talib and a scoop and score by Shane Ray off a Von Miller strip sack of Andrew Luck. Brandon McManus would also kick two field goals in that stretch as the Broncos advanced to 2–0 and the Colts fell to 0–2.
Week 3: vs. San Diego Chargers
Although the Colts took an early lead in the first quarter, the Chargers kept the game close and a Josh Lambo field goal put them ahead midway through the fourth quarter; however, a 63-yard pass from Andrew Luck to T. Y. Hilton restored the Colts' advantage with less than a minute remaining, giving them their first win of the season. With the win, the Colts improved to 1–2.
Week 4: at Jacksonville Jaguars NFL International Series With the loss, the Colts fell to 1–3.
Week 5: vs. Chicago Bears With the win, the Colts improved to 2–3.
Week 6: at Houston Texans
The Colts led 23–9 with less than three minutes to play, but a comeback by the Texans forced overtime, where they would win on a field goal. With the loss, the Colts fell to 2–4.
Week 7: at Tennessee Titans
With the win, the Colts improved to 3–4. They also picked up their 10th straight win over the Titans.
Week 8: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
In a rematch of the 2013 wildcard game, the Chiefs blew out the Colts easily, 30–14. With the loss, the Colts fell to 3–5.
Week 9: at Green Bay Packers
This was the Colts' first victory at Lambeau Field since 1988.
Week 11: vs. Tennessee Titans
With their 11th straight win over the Titans, the Colts improved to 5–5.
Week 12: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Thanksgiving Day game
Quarterback Andrew Luck did not play due to a concussion, and his replacement Scott Tolzien was unable to prevent a 28–7 defeat, although he did throw a five-yard touchdown pass to Donte Moncrief early in the second quarter.
Week 13: at New York Jets With the win, the Colts evened their record at 6–6.
Week 14: vs. Houston Texans
With the loss, the Colts fell to 6–7 and were swept by the Texans for the first time in franchise history.
Week 15: at Minnesota Vikings With the win, the Colts improved to 7–7 and remained just in the thick of the playoff race.
Week 16: at Oakland Raiders
With the loss, the Colts fell to 7–8 and were officially eliminated from playoff contention for the second year in a row.
Week 17: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars took a 17–0 lead during the second quarter, but the Colts were able to pull it back to 17–17 as the game moved into its final period. The Jaguars regained the lead with a 41-yard Jason Myers field goal inside the two-minute warning, but Andrew Luck led the Colts on a 75-yard drive that culminated with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Jack Doyle with four seconds remaining. With the win, the Colts ended their year 8–8 and snapped their two-game losing streak against the Jaguars.
Standings
Division
Conference
References
External links