Former NFL player concerned Indianapolis Colts will take step back

After narrowly missing out on the playoffs, the Indianapolis Colts are hoping to reach that goal in a crowded AFC landscape.

Without quarterback Anthony Richardson for the majority of the season, the Colts still managed to get themselves to a 9-8 record before a dramatic loss to the Houston Texans ended their playoff hopes in Week 18.

While the Colts have confidence they can improve upon the surprising nine-win campaign, former NFL player and current Fox Sports analyst Geoff Schwartz isn't as bullish.

With a win total set at 8.5, Schwartz explained why he's picking the under.

"The secondary could be really bad, and they face C.J. Stroud, Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence and Tua Tagovailoa in five of the first eight games of the season. Indy was 6-3 in one-score games last year and really didn’t add anyone impactful outside the draft, so I’d be concerned about the Colts repeating last year’s nine-win season," Schwartz said.

It's certainly going to be an interesting campaign. Richardson flashed a lot of upside in his four starts during his rookie season, but it's also clear he has a lot of growing to do before he's a consistent playmaker.

The Texans are the biggest threat to repeat as division champions, but the Colts also defeated Houston 31-20 in their first meeting last season. A lot of things have changed since then, of course, but it's something to remember.

Much of the team's success will come down to the growth of Richardson under center. They will go as he goes. The preseason offered a glimpse of what that roller coaster will look like.

With two weeks remaining until the start of the season, it's anyone's guess as to how that will go.

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