The 2012 season was the Indianapolis Colts' 60th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 29th in Indianapolis. The Colts earned the first selection in the 2012 NFL draft due to a dismal 2âÂÂ14 record in 2011 and used their first pick on Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. The season marked the first for both head coach Chuck Pagano and general manager Ryan Grigson with the franchise.
In the offseason, the Colts released quarterback Peyton Manning, who had been with the team since 1998, after having missed the previous season due to neck surgeries.
Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians served as interim head coach while Pagano underwent treatment for leukemia from week 5âÂÂ16. Pagano returned, with his cancer in remission, during the final week of the regular season. The team went 9âÂÂ3 under Arians, who won the Coach of the Year Award. The Colts earned a playoff berth, their first playoff appearance without Peyton Manning since 1996. They were defeated by the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card round.
Football Outsiders calculated the 2012 Colts were the worst team to ever go 11âÂÂ5 in a season.
On January 2, 2012, one day after the final game of the 2011 season, Colts owner Jim Irsay fired team Vice Chairman Bill Polian (who had been the team's general manager since 1998) and his son, team vice-president and general manager Chris Polian. Nine days later (January 11), Ryan Grigson was named the new general manager. Head coach Jim Caldwell was fired on January 17, 2012. Eight days later (January 25), former Baltimore Ravens' defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano agreed to becoming the Colts new head coach.
Notes
All undrafted free agents were signed just after the 2012 NFL draft concluded on April 28.
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
The Colts began their season on the road against the Bears. The game was highly hyped due to the start of the career of rookie QB Andrew Luck. The Colts drew first blood in the first quarter as Jerrell Freeman returned an interception 3 yards for a touchdown and a 7âÂÂ0 lead. However, the Bears tied the game with Michael Bush's 1-yard run to tie the game at 7âÂÂ7. In the 2nd quarter, the Bears took the lead as Brandon Marshall caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Jay Cutler to make the score 14âÂÂ7. They then increased their lead when Robbie Gould scored a 35-yard field goal to make the score 17âÂÂ7. The Colts drew closer to shorten the lead to 3 with Donald Brown's 18-yard touchdown run to make the score 17âÂÂ14. However, with just seconds before halftime, the Bears drove down the field while Michael Bush ran in on a 1-yard touchdown for a 24âÂÂ14 halftime lead. In the 3rd quarter the Bears gained momentum once more with Matt Forte's 6-yard touchdown run for a 31âÂÂ14 lead and then Robbie Gould's 26-yard field goal for a 34âÂÂ14 lead. In the fourth quarter, Luck threw his first touchdown pass of the regular season. A 4-yard pass to Donnie Avery to shorten the lead to 34âÂÂ21. However, the Bears capitalized the victory with Cutler's 42-yard pass to Alshon Jeffery for a final score of 41âÂÂ21.
With the loss, the Colts began their season 0âÂÂ1.
After a tough loss to the Bears, the Colts returned home to take on the Vikings. The Vikes took the lead as Blair Walsh nailed a field goal from 51 yards out for a score of 3âÂÂ0. However, the Colts made it 7âÂÂ3 with Andrew Luck's 3-yard touchdown pass to Dwayne Allen. The Vikings came within a point as Blair Walsh kicked a 29-yard field goal for a 7âÂÂ6 score. However, the Colts moved further ahead as Vinatieri scored a 26-yard field goal, followed by Andrew Luck's 30-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne for leads of 10âÂÂ6 and then 17âÂÂ6 at halftime. In the 3rd quarter, the Colts increased their lead when Vinatieri scored a 45-yard field goal to make the score 20âÂÂ6. However, in the fourth quarter the Vikings were able to score 2 straight touchdowns with Christian Ponder's 7-yard pass to Stephen Burton to make the score 20âÂÂ13 and then a 6-yard pass to Kyle Rudolph to tie the game at 20âÂÂ20. With 8 seconds left, the Colts drove down the field and wrapped the game up with Vinatieri 53-yard field goal for a final score of 23âÂÂ20.
With the win, the Colts improved to 1âÂÂ1 and remain undefeated at home against the Vikings as a franchise.
After the tough home win over the Vikings, the Colts stayed home for a division rival duel against the Jaguars. Scoring started early as the Jags drew first blood scoring a 44-yard field goal from Josh Scobee to take a 3âÂÂ0 lead. However, the Colts took the lead with Andrew Luck's 40-yard touchdown pass to T. Y. Hilton for a 7âÂÂ3 lead. The Colts increased their lead in the 2nd quarter with Andrew Luck's 4-yard touchdown pass to Mewelde Moore for a 14âÂÂ3 halftime lead. In the 3rd quarter, the Jaguars were able to fire back as Maurice Jones-Drew ran in a touchdown from 59 yards out to cut the lead to 14âÂÂ10. Followed up quickly by Scobee's 47-yard field goal to shorten the lead to a point 14âÂÂ13. In the fourth quarter, the Jags were able to take the lead with Scobee kicking a 26-yard field goal for a 16âÂÂ14 lead. The Colts however retook the lead with Vinatieri's 37-yard field goal for a 17âÂÂ16 lead. But then the Jags were able to complete the comeback attempt 11 seconds later with Blaine Gabbert's touchdown pass to Cecil Shorts III (with a failed 2-point conversion) to make the final score 22âÂÂ17.
With the loss, the Colts went into their bye week at 1âÂÂ2. It would also be their last loss to a division opponent at home until 2015.
Coming off their bye week, the Colts stayed home for a duel against the Packers. Scoring got off to an early start as John Kuhn ran for a 2-yard touchdown to take a 7âÂÂ0 lead. In the 2nd quarter, the Packers increased their lead with Aaron Rodgers's 6-yard touchdown pass to James Jones to make the score 14âÂÂ0. After this, the Colts finally got on the board with Vinatieri's 24-yard field goal to make the score 14âÂÂ3. However, the Packers pulled away as Aaron Rodgers connected with Randall Cobb for a 31-yard touchdown pass to take a 21âÂÂ3 halftime lead. After the break, the Colts began to fire back As Andrew Luck connected with Dwayne Allen on an 8-yard touchdown pass, followed by Vinatieri's 50-yard field goal and then Luck's 3-yard rushing touchdown (with a failed 2-point conversion) to shorten the lead to 21âÂÂ10, 21âÂÂ13, and then 21âÂÂ19. In the 4th quarter the Colts took the lead as Vinatieri kicked a 28-yard field goal for a 1-point lead 22âÂÂ21. However, the Packers again retook the lead as Rodgers found Jones again for an 8-yard touchdown pass (with a failed 2-point conversion) and led 27âÂÂ22. However, the Colts were able to capitalize the comeback victory with Luck's 4-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne with the 2-point conversion successful and win the game 30âÂÂ27. This game was rated #7 on the Top 20 NFL Games of 2012 on NFL.com, as Wayne's World. The Colts also improved their record to 4âÂÂ0 against the Packers at home.
With the win, the Colts improved to 2âÂÂ2.
After their tough home win over the Packers, the Colts traveled to take on the Jets at Metlife Stadium. The Colts scoring took off in the first quarter with Adam Vinatieri's 20-yard field goal to take a 3âÂÂ0 lead. However, the Jets took the lead in the 2nd quarter with Mark Sanchez looking up with Stephen Hill for a 5-yard touchdown pass for a 7âÂÂ3 lead. They would later increase their lead with Shonn Greene's 10-yard run for a 14âÂÂ3 lead. However, the Colts were able to draw closer with Vinatieri's 50-yard field goal to make the score 14âÂÂ6. However, the Jets pulled away as Sanchez found Jason Hill on a 5-yard touchdown pass to make the score 21âÂÂ6 at halftime. The Jets went back to work as Shonn Greene ran for a 4-yard touchdown to make the score 28âÂÂ6. The Colts scored another field goal from Vinatieri from 47 yards out to make the score 28âÂÂ9, however the Jets wrapped the game up with Shonn Greene's 2-yard touchdown run to make the final score 35âÂÂ9.
With the huge loss, the Colts fell to 2âÂÂ3 while rookie QB Andrew Luck would have his first career game without a single touchdown pass.
The Colts managed to recover from the blowout loss against the Jets and improved to 3âÂÂ3 with the win.
With the overtime win, the Colts improved to 4âÂÂ3.
In a close match of rookie quarterbacks, Andrew Luck barely outmatched Ryan Tannehill in a close win 23âÂÂ20, with the win the Colts improved to 5âÂÂ3. In the fourth quarter, referee Tony Corrente unintentionally screamed out obscenities on the microphone, causing announcer Kevin Harlan to apologize to television audiences.
The Colts visited the Patriots and fell to 9âÂÂ4 with the loss. It marked the first time since 1997 in which Peyton Manning was not on the team's roster in the season rivalry.
This was Indianapolis' last loss to a divisional opponent until 2015.
With the win, the Colts finished the season 11-5 and 2nd place in the AFC South. Good enough for the fifth seed, first wild card in the AFC playoffs. Also, they would improve to 11âÂÂ0 against the Texans at home. The Colts also improved from their 2âÂÂ14 record from 2011.