The Indianapolis Colts' first-team offense has scored just six points in three quarters this month.
After watching the Philadelphia Eagles' front seven run roughshod over the Colts' perennially beleaguered offensive line in the third preseason game, NFL analysts are lining up to predict doom and gloom for Andrew Luck's outfit in 2016.
Although Luck concedes that last week's performance was "disappointing," he still harbors high hopes for the regular season.
"I know we are going to score a lot of points with this offense," Luck said earlier this week, via the team's official website. "We've got playmakers."
Why shouldn't Luck remain optimistic?
Contrary to popular belief in the wake of the small-sample size fiasco versus Philadelphia, the sky isn't falling on this offensive line.
Left guard Jack Mewhort is out just two-to-four weeks rather than the original fear of an entire season lost to a knee injury. First-round pick Ryan Kelly is widely viewed as the most pro-ready center to enter the draft in a few years. Left tackle Anthony Castonzo has earned a positive grade from Pro Football Focus in each of the past two seasons.
Are we to believe the pass protection is any worse now than it was when Luck lifted the Colts into the AFC Championship Game with Khaled Holmes, Lance Louis and Gosder Cherilus dragging down the right side of the line two seasons ago?
Already offering hints that he's recapturing 2014 form, Luck has a salient point. T.Y. Hilton is a playmaker. Among all NFL wideouts, Donte Moncrief is the most obvious candidate to make the leap. Even better, NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently noted tremendous buzz building inside the organization about an "enormous breakout campaign" for speedy 2015 first-round draft pick Phillip Dorsett.
There are plenty of reasons to cast a skeptical eye in Indianapolis' direction this season. Most of those reasons emanate from the other side of the ball.
