2018 Indianapolis Colts season
66th season in franchise history; final one with Andrew Luck
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The 2018 season was the Indianapolis Colts' 66th in the National Football League (NFL), their 35th in Indianapolis, and their 11th playing their home games at Lucas Oil Stadium. It was also their first season under head coach Frank Reich and second under the leadership of general manager Chris Ballard. Despite a 1–5 start, the Colts managed to improve on their injury-plagued 4–12 campaign from the year prior with a 38–10 victory over the Tennessee Titans, and a 5-game winning streak. On Week 16, the Colts achieved their first winning season since 2014 with a 28–27 win against the New York Giants. The next week, they beat the Tennessee Titans in a win or go home match-up to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and became the third team in NFL history to qualify for the playoffs after a 1–5 start and first since the 2015 Chiefs.
| 2018 Indianapolis Colts season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Jim Irsay |
| General manager | Chris Ballard |
| Head coach | Frank Reich |
| Offensive coordinator | Nick Sirianni |
| Defensive coordinator | Matt Eberflus |
| Home stadium | Lucas Oil Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 10–6 |
| Division place | 2nd AFC South |
| Playoffs | Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Texans) 21–7 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Chiefs) 13–31 |
| All-Pros | G Quenton Nelson LB Shaquille Leonard |
| Pro Bowlers | QB Andrew Luck TE Eric Ebron G Quenton Nelson |
| Uniform | |
| |
In the wild-card round, the Colts defeated the Houston Texans 21–7, but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round 31–13, ending their season. To date, this is the most recent season the Colts have won a playoff game.
This would be the last season that the Colts would have franchise quarterback Andrew Luck, as he would retire following the season, citing his continuous struggle with injuries and no longer enjoying the game.[1]
Offseason
Coaching changes
On December 31, 2017, the Colts parted ways with head coach Chuck Pagano, who had led the team for six seasons. After two interviews, it was widely reported that the Colts would hire New England Patriots' offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to replace him, after McDaniels fulfilled his obligations to the Patriots in Super Bowl LII.[2] The Colts announced on the team website that they had agreed to terms with McDaniels and scheduled a press conference with McDaniels for February 5, 2018. However, one day later, McDaniels unexpectedly withdrew from the agreement in principle to become the Colts' head coach.[3][4] On February 11, 2018, after interviewing multiple candidates, including Leslie Frazier and Dan Campbell, the Colts announced the hiring of Frank Reich, formerly the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator.[5]
Draft
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Quenton Nelson | Guard | Notre Dame | From NY Jets |
| 2 | 36 | Shaquille Leonard | Linebacker | South Carolina State | |
| 37 | Braden Smith | Guard | Auburn | From NY Jets | |
| 52 | Kemoko Turay | Defensive end | Rutgers | From Baltimore via Philadelphia | |
| 64 | Tyquan Lewis | Defensive end | Ohio State | From Philadelphia via Cleveland | |
| 4 | 104 | Nyheim Hines | Running back | NC State | |
| 5 | 159 | Daurice Fountain | Wide receiver | Northern Iowa | From Kansas City via Cleveland, New England, and Oakland |
| 169 | Jordan Wilkins | Running back | Ole Miss | From Philadelphia | |
| 6 | 185 | Deon Cain | Wide receiver | Clemson | From Oakland |
| 7 | 221 | Matthew Adams | Linebacker | Houston | |
| 235 | Zaire Franklin | Linebacker | Syracuse | From Seattle via NY Jets |
Draft trades
- The Colts traded their first-round selection (3rd overall) to the Jets in exchange for the Jets' first-round selection (6th overall), two second-round selections (37th and 49th overall), and their second-round selection in 2019.
- The Colts traded a second-round selection they received from the Jets (49th overall) to the Eagles in exchange for the Eagles' second-round selection (52nd overall) and fifth-round selection (169th overall).
- The Colts traded their third-round selection (67th overall) and their sixth-round selection (178th overall) to the Browns in exchange for the Browns' second-round selection (64th overall).
- The Colts traded their fifth-round selection (140th overall) to the Raiders in exchange for the Raiders' fifth-round selection (159th overall) and sixth-round selection (185th overall).
- The Colts traded defensive end Henry Anderson to the Jets in exchange for the Jets' seventh-round pick previously acquired from Seattle (235th overall).
Staff
|
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
|
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
Final roster
Preseason
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 9 | at Seattle Seahawks | W 19–17 | 1–0 | CenturyLink Field | Recap |
| 2 | August 20 | Baltimore Ravens | L 19–20 | 1–1 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | August 25 | San Francisco 49ers | W 23–17 | 2–1 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | August 30 | at Cincinnati Bengals | W 27–26 | 3–1 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |
Regular season
Schedule
The Colts' 2018 schedule was announced on April 19.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 9 | Cincinnati Bengals | L 23–34 | 0–1 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 16 | at Washington Redskins | W 21–9 | 1–1 | FedEx Field | Recap |
| 3 | September 23 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 16–20 | 1–2 | Lincoln Financial Field | Recap |
| 4 | September 30 | Houston Texans | L 34–37 (OT) | 1–3 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 4 | at New England Patriots | L 24–38 | 1–4 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | October 14 | at New York Jets | L 34–42 | 1–5 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 7 | October 21 | Buffalo Bills | W 37–5 | 2–5 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | October 28 | at Oakland Raiders | W 42–28 | 3–5 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | Recap |
| 9 | Bye | |||||
| 10 | November 11 | Jacksonville Jaguars | W 29–26 | 4–5 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
| 11 | November 18 | Tennessee Titans | W 38–10 | 5–5 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
| 12 | November 25 | Miami Dolphins | W 27–24 | 6–5 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
| 13 | December 2 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | L 0–6 | 6–6 | TIAA Bank Field | Recap |
| 14 | December 9 | at Houston Texans | W 24–21 | 7–6 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 16 | Dallas Cowboys | W 23–0 | 8–6 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
| 16 | December 23 | New York Giants | W 28–27 | 9–6 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | December 30 | at Tennessee Titans | W 33–17 | 10–6 | Nissan Stadium | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week One: Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 34 |
| Colts | 3 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 23 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Date: September 9
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 58,699
- Referee: Pete Morelli
- TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon, James Lofton and Jane Slater
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Despite leading 23–10 in the second half, the Colts allowed the Bengals to come back and win 34–23. While driving late in the game, Jack Doyle lost a fumble that was returned 83 yards for a touchdown, sealing the win for Cincinnati.
The loss snapped the Colts’ eight-game home winning streak against the Bengals and marked their first home defeat to them since the 1997 season.[6]
Week 2: at Washington Redskins
Week Two: Indianapolis Colts at Washington Redskins – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Redskins | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
at FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland
- Date: September 16
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Cloudy, 71 °F (22 °C)
- Game attendance: 57,013
- Referee: Clete Blakeman
- TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
With the win, the Colts evened their record at 1-1.
Week 3: at Philadelphia Eagles
Week Three: Indianapolis Colts at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 7 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 16 |
| Eagles | 7 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Date: September 23
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Rain, 61 °F (16 °C)
- Game attendance: 69,696
- Referee: Clay Martin
- TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
In a rain-filled affair, the Colts were unable to nurse a late lead, as they lost to the defending champion Eagles 20-16 and fell to 1–2.
Week 4: vs. Houston Texans
Week Four: Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texans | 14 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 37 |
| Colts | 7 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 34 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Date: September 30
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Mostly sunny, 73 °F (23 °C) (retractable roof open)
- Game attendance: 57,716
- Referee: Carl Cheffers
- TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
In a shootout, the Texans were able to pull it out in overtime, winning 37–34, as the Colts fell to 1–3.
Week 5: at New England Patriots
Week Five: Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 0 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 24 |
| Patriots | 7 | 17 | 0 | 14 | 38 |
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
- Date: October 4
- Game time: 8:20 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Mostly cloudy, 66 °F (19 °C)
- Game attendance: 65,878
- Referee: Shawn Hochuli
- TV announcers (Fox/NFLN): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink; Amazon Video: Hannah Storm and Andrea Kremer
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
The Colts were seeking their first road win over the Patriots since their 2006 Super Bowl-winning season.
Week 6: at New York Jets
Week Six: Indianapolis Colts at New York Jets – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 7 | 6 | 7 | 14 | 34 |
| Jets | 10 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 42 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Date: October 14
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Cloudy, 60 °F (16 °C)
- Game attendance: 77,982
- Referee: Alex Kemp
- TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Bruce Arians and Melanie Collins
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 7: vs. Buffalo Bills
Week Seven: Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bills | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Colts | 0 | 24 | 0 | 13 | 37 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Date: October 21
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 56,848
- Referee: Brad Allen
- TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 8: at Oakland Raiders
Week Eight: Indianapolis Colts at Oakland Raiders – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 10 | 3 | 8 | 21 | 42 |
| Raiders | 0 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 28 |
at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
- Date: October 28
- Game time: 4:05 p.m. EDT/1:05 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 69 °F (21 °C)
- Game attendance: 54,372
- Referee: John Parry
- TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon, James Lofton and Amanda Balionis
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 10: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Week Ten: Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaguars | 7 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 26 |
| Colts | 14 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Date: November 11
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 57,473
- Referee: Jerome Boger
- TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 11: vs. Tennessee Titans
Week Eleven: Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titans | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Colts | 7 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Date: November 18
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 57,401
- Referee: John Hussey
- TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon and James Lofton
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 12: vs. Miami Dolphins
Week Twelve: Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphins | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
| Colts | 7 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 27 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 13: at Jacksonville Jaguars
Week Thirteen: Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaguars | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
at TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida
- Date: December 2
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 78 °F (26 °C)
- Game attendance: 67,030
- Referee: Alex Kemp
- TV announcers (CBS): Tom McCarthy and Steve Beuerlein
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 14: at Houston Texans
Week Fourteen: Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 0 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
| Texans | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
- Date: December 9
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 71,814
- Referee: Bill Vinovich
- TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon and Steve Tasker
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 15: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Week Fifteen: Dallas Cowboys at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Colts | 7 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 23 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Date: December 16
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 66,654
- Referee: Carl Cheffers
- TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis and Pam Oliver
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 16: vs. New York Giants
Week Sixteen: New York Giants at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 14 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
| Colts | 0 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 28 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 17: at Tennessee Titans
Week Seventeen: Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 7 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 33 |
| Titans | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
at Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
- Date: December 30
- Game time: 8:20 p.m. EST/7:20 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Clear, 53 °F (12 °C)
- Game attendance: 68,978
- Referee: Walt Anderson
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Standings
Division
| AFC South | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| (3) Houston Texans | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 9–3 | 402 | 316 | W1 |
| (6) Indianapolis Colts | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 7–5 | 433 | 344 | W4 |
| Tennessee Titans | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 5–7 | 310 | 303 | L1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | 245 | 316 | L1 |
Conference
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division leaders | |||||||||||
| 1[a] | Kansas City Chiefs | West | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 10–2 | .480 | .401 | W1 |
| 2[b] | New England Patriots | East | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .482 | .494 | W2 |
| 3[b] | Houston Texans | South | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .471 | .435 | W1 |
| 4 | Baltimore Ravens | North | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .496 | .450 | W3 |
| Wild Cards | |||||||||||
| 5[a] | Los Angeles Chargers | West | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .477 | .422 | W1 |
| 6 | Indianapolis Colts | South | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .465 | .456 | W4 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason | |||||||||||
| 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | North | 9 | 6 | 1 | .594 | 4–1–1 | 6–5–1 | .504 | .448 | W1 |
| 8 | Tennessee Titans | South | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .520 | .465 | L1 |
| 9 | Cleveland Browns | North | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 | 3–2–1 | 5–6–1 | .516 | .411 | L1 |
| 10 | Miami Dolphins | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .469 | .446 | L3 |
| 11[c] | Denver Broncos | West | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .523 | .464 | L4 |
| 12[c] | Cincinnati Bengals | North | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .535 | .448 | L2 |
| 13[c] | Buffalo Bills | East | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .523 | .411 | W1 |
| 14 | Jacksonville Jaguars | South | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .549 | .463 | L1 |
| 15[d] | New York Jets | East | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .506 | .438 | L3 |
| 16[d] | Oakland Raiders | West | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .547 | .406 | L1 |
| Tiebreakers[e] | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Postseason
Schedule
| Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card | January 5, 2019 | at Houston Texans (3) | W 21–7 | 1–0 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| Divisional | January 12, 2019 | at Kansas City Chiefs (1) | L 13–31 | 1–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
Game summaries
AFC Wild Card Playoffs: at (3) Houston Texans
AFC Wild Card Playoffs: (6) Indianapolis Colts at (3) Houston Texans – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Texans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
- Date: January 5, 2019
- Game time: 4:35 p.m. EST/3:35 p.m. CST
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 71,798
- Referee: Bill Vinovich
- TV announcers (ESPN/ABC): Joe Tessitore, Jason Witten, Booger McFarland and Lisa Salters
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
AFC Divisional Playoffs: at (1) Kansas City Chiefs
AFC Divisional Playoffs: (6) Indianapolis Colts at (1) Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 13 |
| Chiefs | 14 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 31 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: January 12, 2019
- Game time: 4:35 p.m. EST/3:35 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Snow, 32 °F (0 °C)
- Game attendance: 76,765
- Referee: John Hussey
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
This would be Andrew Luck's last game in the NFL, as he retired before the commencement of the 2019 NFL season.