The Indianapolis Colts’ have endured a roller coaster start to the 2024 season through the first five weeks of the campaign.

Specifically on the defensive side of the ball, the Colts have dealt with some significant injuries to the pass rush.

With or without starters on the field, the Colts’ defense has been among the worst in all of football. Indianapolis has allowed the fourth-most passing yards and third-most rushing yards through five games. 

With that in mind, Bleacher Report’s weekly list encouraging teams to trade for, sign or draft assets within the next year has been filled with defensive talent. Tight end is listed as one of the Colts’ top-five largest needs, but the other four spots are all on the defensive side of the ball. 

In terms of a move Indianapolis’ front office could make right now, Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report believes the Colts should attempt a trade for the New York Giants’ Azeez Ojulari.

“Samson Ebukam began the season on the injured reserve, they just sent Tyquan Lewis to join him and Kwity Paye is working through a quad injury. It might be time to re-stock the position with a trade that would help them in the short term and potentially add depth in the long term. Azeez Ojulari has fallen off in the Giants’ rotation with the arrival of Brian Burns, but he could have a long-term role with the Colts,” Ballentine wrote.

The fourth-year edge out of Georgia could fill a gaping hole in terms of a pass rush attack for Indianapolis, as the horseshoe has only recorded 10 sacks this year. 

Ojulari has not started a single game for the Giants so far this season, but he has appeared in all five contests, racking up a sack and tackle for loss in the meantime. However, the 24-year-old has shown signs of potential during his first few years with New York, accumulating 16 sacks in three seasons. 

Indianapolis has needed someone to fill in the role of Samson Ebukam all season, and with Kwity Paye missing time as well, that makes Ojulari’s fit even more obvious.

The bigger issue with this trade that is Ojulari has been inconsistent over the last three seasons, and the Giants just lost Kayvon Thibodeaux to a wrist injury so their desire to trade the Georgia product has likely decreased.

After years of construction, IndyGo’s 15.2-mile Purple Line will launch on Sunday, Oct. 13, between downtown Indianapolis and Lawrence, connecting locals to several neighborhoods, major employers, cultural institutions, healthcare, and educational facilities.

Let’s explore the new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line along the 38 Street and Post Road corridors. All aboard.

How the Purple Line rolls

According to IndyGo, the Purple Line offers 18 exclusive stations — including the highly anticipated State Fair and Ivy Tech stations — and 13 stations shared with the Red Line. The route starts at the Julia M. Carson Transit Center and travels to Fort Benjamin Harrison.

Service runs Monday-Friday, 5 a.m.-1 a.m., Saturday, 6 a.m.-1 a.m., and Sunday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. At peak service, a rapid transit vehicle will arrive at each station every 15-20 minutes. IndyGo says 58,470 people are located within walking distance of the Purple Line.

Wondering how to ride? Pay your fare via IndyGo’s MyKey app or visit a ticket vending machine at one of the stations. Plan your trip using this tool.

Service modifications

The Purple Line’s launch will cause minor route adjustments to the south side and bigger changes to the north side. If you ride in these parts of Indy, be prepared for service modifications along these routes:

• Route 4
• Route 10
• Route 18
• Route 19
• Route 28
• Route 29 (formerly Route 902)
• Route 30
• Route 31
• Route 39
• Route 82 (formerly Route 901)
• Route 86
• Purple Line/Route 92

Additional infrastructure

The $188 million Purple Line project comes with significant infrastructure improvements for communities along its path including sidewalk repairs, lane resurfacing, upgraded traffic signals, 350+ ADA curb ramps, and storm sewer and drainage improvements.

There’s also a new 3.2-mile multi-use path for pedestrians + bicyclists along the north side of 38th Street from Tacoma to Sheridan.

It’s the best time of the year — at least for those who really enjoy malty German beer.

While Oktoberfest officially wrapped up last week, breweries around Central Indiana are still celebrating autumn’s arrival with seasonal batches. From classic Bavarian brews to modern flavors riding the seemingly ceaseless pumpkin spice train, there’s plenty of fall beer for Hoosiers to enjoy. Here are 12 spiced autumn beers to try around Indianapolis, plus several places to find traditional Oktoberfest brews throughout the fall.

Bier Brewery

Three Central Indiana locations, bierbrewery.com

The brew: Pumpkin ale, 5.7% ABV, 14 IBU

The 2018 World Beer Cup silver medalist is now available at all three Bier Brewery locations in Allisonville, Carmel and the recently opened Noblesville campus. The acclaimed ale, billed as the liquid equivalent of pumpkin pie, is so beloved by Bier customers that it received its own release party this year.

Field Brewing

303 E. Main St., Westfield, (317) 804-9780

The brew: Basic Witch pumpkin ale, 5.5% ABV, 30 IBU

Field Brewing’s pumpkin red ale combines pumpkins, tamarind, Belgian candi sugar and maple and fig syrups to create an intensely autumnal dessert beer.

Grand Junction Brewing Company

1189 E. 181st St., Westfield, (317) 804-9583, gjbrew.com

The brew: Not Grandma’s Pumpkin Ale, 8% ABV, 10 IBU

At a bristling 8% alcohol by volume, this pumpkin ale is brewed to get you warm and cozy with notes of cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla. You can find it at Grand Junction’s Westfield taproom for a limited time.

Guggman Haus Brewing Co.

1701 Gent Ave. and 4601 N. College Ave., (317) 602-6131, guggmanhausbrewing.com

The brews: Spooky Pumpkins pumpkin ale, 6.2% ABV; autumn spiced milk stout, 7.6% ABV

The German tap house welcomes both the spooky and cozy sides of fall with its pumpkin ale and spiced milk stout. The Spooky Pumpkins features real pumpkin and classic fall spices, while the milk stout pairs similar spices with vanilla and cacao in a smooth, dark brew.

Kismetic Beer Company

201 S. Rural St.

The brew: Banana nut hefeweizen, 5% ABV, 20 IBU

Kismetic’s “ode to autumn” is a German-style yeasted wheat beer with caramel malted barley and floral hops steeped in a banana nut tea blend from Nelson’s Tea. You can grab a pint at Kismetic’s Christian Park tap room for a limited time.

Metazoa Brewing Company

140 S. College Ave., (317) 522-0251, metazoabrewing.com

The brews: I Saw the Swine pumpkin pie spiced barleywine, 8.4% ABV, 42 IBU; Jackal Lantern pumpkin ale, 5.3% ABV, 15 IBU

Downtown Indy’s animal-themed brewery is greeting the fall with a potent barleywine (strong malty beer) featuring cinnamon, nutmeg and plenty of fermented grain, plus a more forgivingly drinkable classic pumpkin blonde ale.

Oaken Barrel Brewing Company

50 Airport Pkwy L, Greenwood, (317) 887-2287, oakenbarrel.com

The brew: Apple buzz, 7% ABV

Oaken Barrel’s annually anticipated Apple Buzz, part cider and part beer, drops Oct. 14. Pints, bottles and cans will be available at Oaken Barrel’s Greenwood brewpub.

Quaff ON! Brewing Co.

Various Big Woods locations in Central and Southern Indiana, quaffon.com

The brew: Put A Fork In It pumpkin ale, 6.5% ABV, 20 IBU

Quaff On’s crowd-favorite seasonal beer is back through the end of October at Big Woods restaurant locations. The pumpkin-spiced ale is warm without being abrasive, malty but not overly complex, an extremely drinkable brew to welcome the cooler months.

Sun King Brewing

Multiple Central Indiana locations, sunkingbrewing.com

The brew: Pumpkin spice latte, 5.3%, 23 IBU

A blonde ale brewed with fall spices and coffee, this Sun King brew brings the flavors of a fall latte to happy hour. You can find it at Sun King locations throughout Marion and Hamilton Counties for a limited time.

The Tap

306 N. Delaware St., (317) 820-5580, thetapbeerbar.com

The brew: Tap-O-Lantern, 6.5% ABV, 20 IBU

The Bloomington-based gastropub’s signature pumpkin beer is back for the fall season. One hundred pounds of pumpkin are used in each batch of the amber ale, which also features molasses and fall spices. Rimmed with cinnamon and sugar and available at multiple Indiana Tap locations including downtown, this autumn ale epitomizes the best parts of trying to turn every food and drink into pumpkin pie from September through November.

Urban Vines Winery and Brewery

301 E. 161st St., Westfield, 317 (763) 0678, urban-vines.com

The brew: Hey Gourd-geous pumpkin ale, 4.7% ABV, 28 IBU

This mild amber ale packs a blend of fall squashes with fall spice. You can find it at Urban Vines’ Westfield tasting room for a limited time.

Wooden Bear Brewing Co.

21 W. North St., Greenfield, (317) 318-1803

The brew: Pumpkin ale, 6.2% ABV, 14 IBU

Greenfield’s first brewery brews its pumpkin ale with a single hop variety and traditional fall spices.

Where to find traditional Oktoberfest and other fall beers

Numerous breweries are offering their twist on Oktoberfest beer this fall. Each venue listed has a traditional Märzen, a more modern festbier or a signature Oktoberfest beer for sale. Beer names are listed in parentheses next to each brewery.

1. Big Lug Canteen and other Sahm’s Hospitality Group restaurants (Oktoberfest wheat beer)
2. Chilly Water Brewing Company, 719 Virginia Ave. (Oktoberfest Märzen)
3. Field Brewing (Fest Field Märzen)
4. Four Day Ray Brewing, 11671 Lantern Road, Fishers (Adler Oktoberfest)
5. Grand Junction Brewing Co. (Oktoberfest Märzen)
6. Metazoa (Barktoberfest)
7. Saint Joseph Brewery and Public House, 540 N. College Ave. (Saint Joeberfest)
8. Sun King (Oktoberfest, Bavarian Breakfast coffee-infused Märzen)
9. Urban Vines (Rocktoberfest)
10. The Tap (Taptoberfest)
11. Twenty Tap, 406-08 N. College Ave (Twenty Below Oktoberfest)
12. Upland Brewing Company, multiple Central Indiana locations (Oktoberfest Bavarian-style lager)
13. Urban Vines Winery and Brewery (Oktoberfest)

Contact dining and drinks reporter Bradley Hohulin at bhohulin@indystar.com. You can follow him on Twitter/X @BradleyHohulin.