What is One Word to Describe the Colts this year?

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This is a great question: what is one word that you would use to describe the team through the first five weeks?  For the Colts, if I had to choose one word to describe them so far this year, it'd be this: resilient.

Here's the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of resilient: "able to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens; able to return to an original shape after being pulled, stretched, pressed, bent, etc."

In the offseason, the Colts lost defensive lineman Fili Moala to a season-ending injury and found out they'd be without star pass rusher Robert Mathis for the first four games due to a suspension.  In training camp, the Colts lost running back Vick Ballard, starting left guard Donald Thomas, and potential starting safety Delano Howell to season-ending injuries.  Starting fullback Stanley Havili was placed on the PUP list and starting center Khaled Holmes went down on the first drive of the preseason.  After the first regular season game, we found out that Robert Mathis tore his Achilles working out during his suspension and that not only would he miss the first four games, he'd miss the entire season.  And then there were other suspensions, too: wide receiver LaVon Brazill was suspended a year and released.  Owner Jim Irsay was suspended six games.  And just last week, starting safety LaRon Landry was suspended four games.

On the field, the Colts had a rough start too.  They faced back-to-back playoff teams from a year ago and started 0-2.  In week one they went to Denver and fell behind 24-0 before mounting an impressive comeback that fell just short, losing to the Broncos 31-24.  In week two, they returned to Indianapolis for the home opener against the Philadelphia Eagles in their second straight nationally televised game.  The Colts jumped out to a 20-6 lead behind their running game and their defense, but then the Eagles made a comeback.  When it was all said and done, the Colts blew a lead and allowed the Eagles to score 10 unanswered points in the final 3:25 to win on a game-winning field goal, 30-27.  Following that game, the Colts coaching staff (rightly) took a lot of criticism for the loss and the Colts were in a two-game hole already in the division.

Despite all of that, the Colts showed resiliency.  They went on the road in week three and dominated the division rival Jaguars, 44-17, and then the following week returned home to win big over another division opponent, the Titans, 41-17, behind the brilliant play of quarterback Andrew Luck.  In week five, the Colts offense stalled in the red zone multiple times, but the defense played a terrific football game and the Colts notched a 20-13 win over the Baltimore Ravens to get to 3-2 on the year with their third straight win and into a tie for the AFC South lead.

It would have been easy for the Colts to fall apart.  They started 0-2 and before they had suffered a single loss had suffered a number of critical injuries.  There was plenty of criticism being levied against them, but the team stayed the course, improved, and now is above .500 for the first time this season and on a three-game winning streak.  That's resiliency.  The Colts have showed it in each of the past two years and they're displaying it once again this year.  And there's no reason to think that it won't continue, either.

What is one word you'd use to describe the Colts so far this year?

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