Skip to main content
    Indianapolis Colts In for a Doozy vs. New York Giants?

    Colts Players Nearing Career Milestones with Two Games Remaining

    The Indianapolis Colts as a team are no longer playing meaningful football, but several players on the roster are nearing important milestones with two games remaining.
    • Author:
    • Publish date:

    In this story:

    Indianapolis Colts
    Indianapolis Colts

    The Indianapolis Colts are in the middle of a dismal season, as the team sits at 4-10-1 with just two games remaining. While the team may only be playing for pride at this point, there are a few players on the roster that are nearing career milestones.

    So today, let's dive into what a few of those milestones are and discuss the likelihood that each player is to achieve those accolades.

    Oct 16, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) pushes off of Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Shaquill Griffin (26) as he runs with the ball during the first half at Lucas Oil Stadium.

    Michael Pittman Jr. Nearing 1,000 Yards Receiving

    Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is having a bit of a down year in 2022 following his breakout campaign in 2021. Last year, he set a career-high with 1,082 yards receiving on 88 receptions. This season, he is within relative striking distance to hit 1,000 yards yet again.

    He currently sits at 854 yards receiving this season, so he would need to string together two strong games to hit the coveted 1,000-yard mark. While Pittman Jr is more than capable of hitting 146 yards receiving over the next two weeks combined, the Colts' passing game is in an awful place at the moment. The odds of him hitting this milestone seem unlikely, but not completely out of the question.

    Pittman Jr. has, however, already his a new career high in receptions with 90 on the season. So, he does have a decent shot at hitting 100 catches on the year as well.

    Oct 2, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) narrowly misses being sacked by Indianapolis Colts defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) during the first quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium.

    Yannick Ngakoue Career High Sacks

    UPDATE: After publishing this article, the Colts placed Ngakoue on Injured Reserve, ending his season.

    Pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue may not have been as impactful as many hoped this season, but he has still been racking up the sack numbers for the Colts. He currently sits at 12 sacks on the season (per Pro Football Focus), which is just two off of his career high of 14 back in 2017 with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

    Ngakoue is listed as Questionable for Sunday's game with a throat injury, so that could put a damper on his chances for setting a new career high. Knowing how he is able to pull sacks out of thin air, I wouldn't put it past him to rack up 2+ sacks in the final two games of the season.

    Dec 17, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook (4) scores on a touchdown reception as Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin (44) and safety Rodney McLeod (26) pursue late during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium.

    Zaire Franklin Total Tackles Franchise Record

    Linebacker Zaire Franklin has been a revelation for the Colts this season, as the veteran linebacker has hit new career highs in nearly every major statistical category. With Shaquille Leonard essentially missing the season with an injury, Franklin has stepped up in a major way to fill the void.

    According to Statmuse, the Colts' record for most total tackles in a single season is 163, which is held by Leonard back in the 2018 season. Franklin currently sits at 150 total tackles with two games to go. In a season where Franklin has set numerous career-best marks, he is likely to break this franchise record with two games remaining.

    Sep 25, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts safety Rodney McLeod (26) celebrates intercepting a ball in the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

    Rodney McLeod... Quite a Few Stats

    Veteran safety Rodney McLeod has arguably had his best career season in 2022 with the Colts. The 32-year-old has been the perfect fit for this style of defense, and he has been extremely productive all season long.

    Currently, he has already set new single-season career highs for total tackles (85), tackles for a loss (7), pass deflections (7), and stops (24). He has a decent shot of hitting 100 tackles on the season, as long as he plays as many snaps as he typically does in these next two games.

    Need your fill on daily Colts' content? Head over to the Locked On Colts' YouTube channel where Jake Arthur and myself hit on all the major topics surrounding this team. Hit that subscribe button while you are there!

    Follow Zach on Twitter @ZachHicks2.

    Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.
    © 2024 ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. - All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators’ opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Gambling content intended for 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.