“When you lose several times in a row, it’s difficult to get out of this emotional swamp. We didn’t handle that well enough as a team,” the offensive liner told the APA. Since the Oakland Raiders in 1995, no team has managed to miss the playoffs after an 8-2 record. 30 years later, the Colts achieved this feat and have been on vacation since the beginning of January.
Injuries and stronger opponents caused the downturn towards the end. The fact that regular quarterback Daniel Jones was out with a torn Achilles tendon was “extremely difficult” and would have made a difference, but injuries cannot be excused. “We lost a bit of concentration. Maybe we felt too safe. We can learn from that.”
A serious elbow injury slowed Raimann down
After no less than eight wins in the first ten games, things looked good for the left tackle’s first playoff participation, but this dream was shattered with seven defeats in a row. Indianapolis achieved their last success in the European away game in Berlin. In the duel with the Seahawks (16:18), Raimann later injured his elbow and had to miss one game.
However, Raimann was spared an operation during the off-season after he “completely tore” the inner ligament in his elbow and “only tore” the outer ligament. “It was difficult to somehow build up strength. I then played with a brace. That was also frustrating, but that’s part of it,” said Raimann. “Now it’s time to get stability and movement back.”
It has not yet been decided which quarterback the local NFL legionnaire will protect in the coming season. But the Colts plan to try Jones for another season. Meanwhile, Raimann has emotional support with his daughter Charlotte Rose. “No matter what happens in football or anything else, when you come home and the little one smiles at you, the heartache and pain is gone.”
Raimann is betting on Seattle
When it comes to the Super Bowl, the Viennese has a clear favorite. “I believe the Seahawks will win because they have the better team overall,” Raimann said a few days before the showdown. Above all, Seattle has the better defense. “There’s just a little more star power behind it than with the Patriots.”
Raimann is also convinced of the Seahawks offense with quarterback Sam Darnold, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and running back Kenneth Walker. “They’re really well-coordinated at the moment, and we saw that in the play-offs,” said the offensive tackle. However, the 28-year-old also acknowledged Patriots quarterback Drake Maye’s “great development” at his position in his second year.
“The Patriots had four wins last year. It’s crazy how quickly that can turn around,” said Raimann. But that’s exactly why the NFL is one of the most interesting sports leagues in the world. “That’s what makes it so attractive.” Raimann will watch the Super Bowl taking place in Santa Clara with friends. The 137 kg, 1.98 m tall quarterback protector will be well taken care of in terms of cuisine. “Everyone brings a little something, my wife brings cake and cookies. I really like eating the American classics like burgers or chicken wings. That’s just part of watching football.”
Home visit open due to 100 million contract
The family will initially vacation in Hawaii in February; a visit to their Austrian homeland in the summer is still open due to organizational challenges with the work visa. Raimann is moving from his rookie contract to a new contract, which is why the work visa also has to be changed. In the summer he extended his contract with the Colts for four years and signed a contract worth $100 million (around 85 million euros).
