In today’s NFL, where teams utilize everything from underwater treadmills to iPad playbooks in pursuit of even the slightest edge, perhaps it should come as no surprise the Indianapolis Colts would make use of a one-time aspiring sportswriter and a former actuarial consultant as they develop game plans and while navigating their way through Sunday afternoons.



Still, try being George Li or John Park, the Colts’ two football data analysts, while attempting to explain your job to strangers.



“Most people don’t get it,” Park said.



How could they? There was a time not long ago when their jobs did not even exist. Now, the Colts are one of the teams at the forefront of the analytics evolution underway in the NFL, fully integrating Li and Park into their coaching and front-office operations. And they believe they’re a better team for having done so.



This is not about fancy stats. It’s about improving the odds of...