The 2015 season was the Indianapolis Colts' 63rd in the National Football League (NFL) and their 32nd in Indianapolis, surpassing the 31 seasons they played in their original home city of Baltimore. It was also the fourth season under the trio of head coach Chuck Pagano, general manager Ryan Grigson and quarterback Andrew Luck. The Colts entered the 2015 season as the defending AFC South champions and AFC Championship runner-ups, a loss mired with controversy.
After a week 8 loss to the Carolina Panthers, the Colts fired offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and elevated associate head coach Rob Chudzinski to replace him. The Colts failed to improve from their three consecutive 11âÂÂ5 records and finished the season at 8âÂÂ8. They lost the division to the Houston Texans and failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011 and only the fourth time since 1998. This was their first time to lose to the Houston Texans at home since the Texans entered the NFL in 2002.
<small>Source: http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/tracker/by-round#dt-tabs:dt-by-team/dt-by-team-input:ind</small>
Draft trades
<small>Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150505003520/http://www.colts.com/news/article-1/Who-Are-The-Colts-2015-Undrafted-Free-Agents/5b4d19eb-a42c-4cbc-991f-84d3b8f4c866</small>
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
With the loss, the Colts fell to 0âÂÂ1.
With the upset loss, the Colts fell to 0âÂÂ2 for the second straight year.
After trailing 14âÂÂ0 in the first half, the Titans would score 27 unanswered points to take a 27âÂÂ14 lead. However, the Colts would own the fourth quarter, as they outscored Tennessee 21âÂÂ6. The Titans had a chance to tie the game after pulling within 35âÂÂ33, but the 2-point attempt failed, and the Colts held on for the win. With the win, the Colts improved to 1âÂÂ2 and picked up their 8th straight win over the Titans.
Due to an injured shoulder, Andrew Luck missed the first game of his career, and was replaced by 40-year-old veteran Matt Hasselbeck, who avoided any turnovers and led the Colts to a 16âÂÂ13 win in overtime. Jacksonville kicker Jason Myers would miss 3 game-winning field goal attempts at the end of the fourth quarter and one in overtime. Adam Vinatieri would nail the game winner in overtime to give Indianapolis the win. With the win, the Colts evened their record at 2âÂÂ2.
Despite a Hail Mary being thrown at the end of the first half, the Colts still managed to hold on for the win. With their 3rd straight win, the Colts improved to 3âÂÂ2, and set a new NFL record for most consecutive wins against division opponents with 16.
This game was notorious for a terrible playcall by the Colts, now known as the Colts Catastrophe. With the Colts trailing 27âÂÂ21 late in the 3rd quarter, Pagano opted to run a scrimmage play using special teams on 4th and 3 on the Colts' 37-yard line. However, a bizarre formation resulted in a Patriots tackle for loss, Colts turnover, and a flag for illegal formation. The Patriots easily scored a touchdown on the next drive and went on to win the game by 7 points, 34âÂÂ27. The playcall was universally criticized and was considered by many to be the worst play in NFL history.
In the Super Bowl rematch between the two teams, the Saints started the first half, dominating the Colts 20âÂÂ0, which stunned Indy's home crowd. The Colts looked for answers in the second half, but Andrew Luck struggled to find open receivers and he was intercepted twice.
The Colts traveled to Charlotte to take on Cam Newton and his undefeated Carolina Panthers, looking to hang their first loss on them. After struggling much in the first half, the Colts answered back in the fourth quarter. However, it wasn't enough to stop the Panthers in overtime and the Colts would lose 29âÂÂ26.
Peyton Manning returned to Indianapolis for the final time.
Late in the fourth quarter, with the Colts leading 27âÂÂ24, they looked to extend the lead on a field goal by Adam Vinatieri, but it was overturned and the Colts still won 27âÂÂ24.
With the win, the Colts went to 4âÂÂ5, while the Broncos suffered their first loss and dropped to 7âÂÂ1.
However, two days later, Andrew Luck was hospitalized with a lacerated kidney along with an abdominal injury. He ended up missing the rest of the season, putting more pressure on veteran backup Matt Hasselbeck, who was 2âÂÂ0 in 2 starts due to Luck's previous injury.
The Colts would trail 21âÂÂ7 late in the third quarter, but they would fight back to tie the game at 21 after D'Qwell Jackson returned an interception at the Atlanta 6-yard line for a touchdown. The Colts would then later on march down the field to win it with an Adam Vinatieri field goal with 52 seconds left. With the win, the Colts improved to 5âÂÂ5. They also improved to 14âÂÂ2 all time against the Falcons.
With the win, the Colts improved to 6âÂÂ5 (2âÂÂ2 against the NFC South) and remained in the playoff hunt.
The Colts would suffer an embarrassing loss on national television to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers would lead for the majority of the game, and the Colts could not get into any rhythm. With the loss, the Colts fell to 6âÂÂ6.
The Colts would lead 13âÂÂ3, but Jacksonville would outscore Indianapolis 48âÂÂ3 from then on. With the loss, the Colts fell to 6âÂÂ7 and lost to a divisional opponent for the first time since 2012, snapping their NFL record 16-game winning streak in division play.
This, notably, is the Colts' first loss to the Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium since the latter team began play in 2002.
With the win, the Colts improved to 7âÂÂ8, finishing 4âÂÂ4 on the road and 1âÂÂ3 against the AFC East. This was Matt Hasselbeck's final career game.
With the win, the Colts ended their season at 8âÂÂ8 and won their 9th straight game against the Titans. However, as a result of Houston's win over Jacksonville, the Colts were eliminated from the playoffs for the 1st time 2011. Indianapolis would finish 4âÂÂ4 at home and 4âÂÂ2 against the AFC South.