The NFL has the greatest parity of any major sport in America. Every season, at least two or three teams make the playoffs that didn't the previous year.
In 2012, the Washington Redskins, Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts all made it to the postseason after missing out last year. All of the team had impressive seasons, but none were more of a surprise than the Colts.
Indianapolis was the toast of the NFL for many years with Peyton Manning as the quarterback, but after he had neck surgery prior to the 2011 season, the Colts knew that things were likely to change. Manning missed the entire 2011 season and the Colts went just 2-14, giving them the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft.
The Colts decided to cut ties with Manning in the offseason and put their team behind Andrew Luck, the Stanford quarterback who was the presumptive top pick coming out of college football. The team hoped to improve from the 2-14 record of the previous season, but no one was expecting as dramatic a turnaround as what actually happened.
The team hired a new head coach in Chuck Pagano, but got off to a rocky start with a 41-21 loss against the Chicago Bears. The team rebounded to earn tits first win the next week with a 23-20 victory over the Vikings, but fell the following week 22-17 at home to the Jacksonville Jaguars. That's when things really started to get interesting for the Colts.
Pagano was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia and was forced to take a leave of absence from the team to get treatments. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians took over the coaching duties on an interim basis, while the team worked to support and rally around Pagano. The head coach constantly spoke to his team and stayed in contact with the players, inspiring them throughout the season. It worked.
Luck showed poise and leadership not usually seen in rookies, as the Colts won five of their next six games, including an exciting 30-27 win at home against the Packers. After a 59-24 loss against the New England Patriots, the Colts went streaking again, winning three in a row and five of the last six games of the season to clinch a playoff spot as a Wild Card.
Pagano was cleared by doctors to return to the sidelines after the cancer went into complete remission and he led the Colts to a 28-16 victory over the Texans that knocked Houston out of home field advantage and first round bye in the playoffs.
The Colts went 11-5 this season, the biggest turnaround of any team in the NFL. Luck was simply marvelous as a rookie and should win the Offensive Rookie of te Year Award this season. Robert Griffin and Russell Wilson both deserve the trophy as well, but Luck went to the team with the worst record and helped turn a roster of nobodies into quality NFL players.
Indianapolis still has Reggie Wayne and Dwight Freeney from the Manning generation, but Luck got it done with young guns like running back Vick Ballard, wideout T.Y. Hilton and tight ends Dwayne Allen and college teammate Coby Fleener. Luck set numerous records during his first pro season, including the rookie single season passing record as well as most wins for a No. 1 overall pick in his rookie year.
Luck threw for 4,374 yards and 23 touchdowns while completing just over 54 percent of his passes. He threw a decent amount of interceptions with 18, but as a rookie, sometimes that is just part of breaking into the NFL. His passing stats are great, but what really matters are wins and Luck got quite a few of those this year.
The rookie from Stanford was at his best when the games mattered the most. He has shown that he can lead drives late in games, including against the Lions when he threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Donnie Avery with no time left on the clock. He struggles in the first meeting with the Texans, but played much better in the regular season finale, throwing for 191 yards and two touchdowns with zero turnovers.
Making the Colts' run even more amazing is the fact that they rank 21st or lower in the four main team categories, apart from passing, where they rank seventh in the NFL. The team is scoring just 22 points per game, ranked 18th in the league, but has been able to win despite not scoring in bunches. The team has won a number of close games, including a four-point win over the Browns and a three-point win over the Dolphins in a three week span in the middle of the season.
The Colts were one of the NFL's best stories this year and was something that any fan could root for. The players rallied around Pagano and helped kick start a "Chuckstrong" campaign that brought attention to the disease and provided inspiration for the coach and the team. Even cheerleaders got into it, shaving their heads in honor of the coach, following the suit of players like Luck.
Indianapolis now has the chance to do something even more amazing for their coach: win a playoff game. The Colts are matched up against a very good, but slumping Baltimore Ravens team that has lost three of its last four games to finish the year. Making the game even more intriguing, the Colts will be returning to the city that used to bear its name and is playing against the franchise that took its mantle when it started as an expansion franchise.
Win or lose, the Colts have done something amazing in Indianapolis this season, giving the fans something to cheer about. That 2-14 campaign from 2011 feels like ages ago now. Luck is the future of the franchise and has proven that he can lead the Colts back to prominence. Don't be surprised if he leads the Colts into Baltimore and leaves with a win.
