Indianapolis, IN
Bleacher Report Believes Colts a ‘Boom or Bust’ Team for 2024
The Indianapolis Colts are approaching the 2024 regular season with sky-high potential. While the expectations are relatively low given the overall youth of Indy’s squad, Shane Steichen likely wants the team to be playoff-bound this year and build off the nine wins from 2023.
In Brad Gagnon’s recent Bleacher Report article detailing the eight ‘boom or bust’ teams for 2024, Indianapolis makes the list. Gagnon goes into further detail for each entry, discussing the best, worst, and realistic scenarios for each franchise. In order are the entries from Gagnon’s slot for the Colts.
Best-Case Scenario:
After a year of mostly observing and learning, Anthony Richardson takes off in Year 2 and a Colts team that managed to win nine games without him in 2023 takes the AFC South in ’24.
– Brad Gagnon | Bleacher Report
Referring to the 2023 campaign, Steichen helped a Gardner Minshew-led Colts team nearly make the playoffs and win the AFC South championship. While they fell short, a 9-8 finish is commendable given the number of injuries and inexperience on the roster.
If Anthony Richardson can level up in year two and continue developing with a coaching staff constructed to build a quarterback, then the AFC South could be in the clutches of Indianapolis in 2024. However, it all depends on Richardson’s health and ability to stay on the field. It may sound redundant, but Indy probably doesn’t want to run back another year with a backup signal-caller, even if it is Joe Flacco.
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Worst Case Scenario:
Richardson either again can’t stay healthy or is rusty in his first full NFL campaign, and an Indianapolis team that didn’t do much to address a poor defense in the offseason actually takes a step backward in the win column.
– Brad Gagnon | Bleacher Report
This is a possibility given Richardson didn’t play any football after week five of the 2023 season. With such a long hiatus and not a big sample of starting experience before the shoulder injury, could it hamper Richardson in 2024?
My vote is, probably not. However, Richardson still has a mere 17 starts between his short college career at Florida (13 starts) and four games in the NFL. While he has incredible potential, he may have enough tape for NFL defenses to at least gameplan for his dynamic running and strong arm. This could force Richardson to throw more than Steichen may want.
The health of running back Jonathan Taylor also factors into this argument. If Taylor has to miss any time, the duties fall more than before on Richardson’s arm, feet, and ability to dissect defenses. He showed high-level glimpses last year, but also had moments with true rookie mistakes. We’ll see if Richardson can avoid a pitfall in 2024 and if this worst-case scenario is just a topic for this article.
Realistic Scenario:
Regardless of what happens with Richardson, the Colts might still be a year away. They’ll win eight or nine games but miss out on the playoffs.
– Brad Gagnon | Bleacher Report
While it’s enticing to think about Adonai Mitchell as a big-time threat at receiver, he’s still 21 years old and must grow into the offense with the other three pass-catchers (Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce.) Also, while Downs was great in his rookie campaign as a slot-receiving option, Pierce is yet to establish himself as a consistent option to pass to.
There is also the matter of Indy’s tight end situation. Currently, it is a mystery with Jelani Woods not playing a single snap in 2023. While Kylen Granson played well in his steed, Indianapolis doesn’t have a clear leader of that position group. It remains to be seen what happens with such a crowded and competitive spot in Steichen’s offense.
While the defense boasts talented youngsters like JuJu Brents (cornerback), Jaylon Jones (cornerback), and rookie Laiatu Latu (defensive end), they are still growing into starters. Last year Brents only played nine games due to multiple injuries and Jones had moments where he struggled in coverage to conclude 2023. For Latu, he could be a generational pass-rusher, but it’s far too soon to tell yet and no team can rely on a rookie before the season starts.
The Bottom Line
Indianapolis has a boom-or-bust type of roster, but that’s not a bad thing. To have this designation means either an NFL team is all-in for a Super Bowl run or young and developing, and Indianapolis qualifies as the latter.
Richardson could be in line for a massive season if he can continue progressing. Last year in his limited exposure many were surprised by how NFL-ready he looked in the pocket, as well as operating an offense. To reiterate, Richardson has to remain on the field this time to have any kind of impact. We’ll see how everything plays out for a Colts team that looks exciting, determined, and ready to compete with the rest of a talented AFC South division.
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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana State Police have arrested a man in connection with two attacks, including one deadly, near Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis earlier this month.
29-year-old Michael Willis is facing two counts of attempted murder. Police say that the attacks happened on June 19 and June 26, both happening on N Senate Ave. near Monument Circle.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by News 8, on June 19, Willis was walking in the area near Monument Circle around 2 a.m. when he approached a person laying down and repeatedly stomped on them. Police say that this first victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
The first victim died on Sunday due to their injuries sustained from Willis’s attack, documents say.
Police also say that on June 26, Willis attacked a different person at the same location near Monument Circle. Police believe that the second victim was repeatedly kicked and stomped on while they were lying down as well. This second attack also took place around 2 a.m.
Indiana State Police detectives shared surveillance photos of Willis from the attacks with other police agencies in an attempt to identify him. Police say Willis was identified by a Greensborough Police Sergeant after Willis had asked the sergeant to use his cell phone.
Police then approached Willis and detained him. Police say that when Willis was detained, he was wearing the same clothes that were seen in the surveillance footage of both attacks. Officers also noticed blood on Willis’s socks.
In an interview with detectives about the July 26 attack, Willis at first said that he was only “nudging” the victim. Police say that according to Willis, he was trying to wake the victim up because he was concerned about them.
Later in the interview, Willis admitted to attacking both victims. Willis said that he was frustrated that he had been homeless and unemployed for around the past 6 months. According to police, Willis also said that the people in the area were “mean and rude” to him.
Police say that Willis told detectives that he was the only person involved in these attacks.
Willis is currently in custody of the Marion County Jail.
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana is under a heat advisory with temperatures in the 90s throughout the week.
Many cooling centers will open throughout the state for those that need to find relief from the heat. Hoosiers looking to find cooling centers in their area can contact Indiana 211. To learn more, call 211 or (866) 211-9966.
Avaliable cooling centers can also be found by clicking here.
Marion County
For those living in Indianapolis, Indy Parks has several cooling centers across the city.
Those Cooling Centers are:
- Broad Ripple Park Family Center
- Brookside Park Family Center
- Christian Park Family Center
- Frederick Douglass Park Family Center
- Garfield Park Burrello Family Center
- Krannert Park Family Center
- Grassy Creek Environmental Education Center
- Pride Park Family Center
- Rhodius Park Family Center
- Riverside Park Family Center
- Stanley Strader Park Family Center
- Washington Park Family Center
- Windsor Park Family Center
- Watkins Park Family Center
- Thatcher Park Family Center
For addresses and hours of operations of these cooling centers, click here.
Beech Grove will also have two cooling Centers for residents starting Monday, June 29. Those hours and locations are:
- Beech Grove Senior Center, 602 Main St
- 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
- Hornet Park Community Center, 5245 Hornet Ave
- 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday through Friday
Other Central Indiana Cooling Centers
For addresses and hour of operations of cooling centers below, click here.
Marion
- St. Martin Community Center
- Grant County Family YMCA
- Grant County Rescue Mission
Kokomo
- The Kokomo Rescue Mission
- The Excel Center in Kokomo
Peru
- Community Resource Center
- Miami County Courthouse
- Miami County Health Department
- Miami County YMCA
- Peru City Hall
- Peru Public Library
- Peru Schools Administration Building
INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — The National Weather Service out of Indianapolis has issued a Heat Advisory for all of Central Indiana and a High Heat Warning for parts of northern Indiana. The Advisory and Warning will go into effect at 12 PM on Monday and will run through 8 PM Thursday.
WRTV
A Heat Advisory means that temperatures in the 90s with dew points in the 70s, will lead to Heat Index values reaching 106. Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses.
Stay cool:
Drink plenty of fluids, check up on relatives and neighbors, and stay in an air-conditioned room when possible. If outside for extended periods of time, make sure to take frequent breaks in the shade as much as you can.
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