Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Colts Observations, Week 2 vs. Eagles


Quick summary:

Colts unleash power running game and roll over Eagles in the first half. A key fumble in the second half helps fuel a Philly comeback, and Mr. Clutch Andrew Luck can't lead Indy to victory.

Bad calls and no-calls by the officials did not lose this game. The Colts lost this game when Trent Richardson fumbled the ball in the third quarter. The play changed the entire landscape of the game, allowing the Eagles to quickly tie things up. I know, I know...the Colts retook the lead later and still had their chances, but the fumble signaled the complete transfer of momentum from Indy to Philly.

That running game. Man, I didn't think the Stanford ground-em-out playbook would work in the NFL. The Colts had great success with it, using three tight end sets and unbalanced lines to smashmouth their way down the field. I never saw that coming. The Mistake had 21 carries for 79 yards and The Guy Who Should Start had 13 carries for 70 yards. For the most part, Indy ran at will. You know, until it counted.

The most valuable tight end? Coby Fleener? God, no. Dwayne Allen? A respectable answer. The real answer is Jack "Harry" Doyle, who caught a touchdown pass and provided some excellent blocking in the running game. I'm betting he wasn't on the scouting report breakdown for the Colts.

I'll take things that are missing for 200, Alex. The answer: It's what gives opposing quarterbacks so much time to throw. The question: What is the pass rush? My goodness, I knew the Colts would miss Robert Mathis, but I thought they'd generate a pass rush on occasion even if by accident.

Darren Effing Sproles. Little dude can ball, that's for sure. It feels like he'd be a first ballot Hall of Famer if he got to play against the Colts every week. It doesn't matter if he plays for the Chargers, Saints, or Eagles--Sproles is a bona fide Colts killer.

Adventures in playcalling, part one. It's curious that when the Colts need to play it safe and a field goal would do, they come out on 3rd and 9 and try to pass. The play ended up in an interception (and, maybe, it could've been pass interference), but why not swing it out to Ahmad Bradshaw or just hand him the ball? You know Vinatieri's going to nail that field goal, giving the Colts a two-score lead.

Adventures in playcalling, part two. On the Colts' final drive, Richardson picks up six yards with a decent run on first down. On 2nd and 4, the Colts run it again for a loss. This would've been a great down for a play-action pass or a nice, safe throw to Reggie Wayne. So, yeah, I complain in one situation because they passed when I thought they should've run, and then suggest they should've passed here instead of running. We're talking about two completely different game situations and two completely different parts of the field.

Maybe roll him out? The Eagles loaded up the middle and put a lot of pressure on the interior of the offensive line. Gruden talked often about how the rush was getting Luck off his "mark" in the pocket. Why not roll out Luck out on a handful of passes so the "mark" changes?

Robert Mathis tweeted during the game. It was kind of surreal to see tweets from Mathis show up on my timeline. Unfortunately, nothing No. 98 wanted to happen actually transpired. For example:





Still, it was a good effort and I'm glad he's supporting the team.

#GRIFFNATION! Griff Whalen will break a big punt return one of these days. It'll just take a flag-free performance by the rest of the special teams unit.

From the "At least we don't have to hear it anymore" department. "Andrew Luck hasn't lost back-to-back games in his pro career." Silver linings, people. Silver linings.

More than Toler-able. That interception at the end of the first half by Greg Toler was absolutely incredible.

Secondary concerns? The unit played pretty well for the most part. There were a few illegal contact flags and a huge one on Vontae Davis that set up a key Eagles score. I feel for these guys because they're out there covering receivers as long as they can because there's absolutely no pass rush whatsoever.

Horse collar call was horse s***. I don't know if the Colts would've stopped Philadelphia on 3rd and 6, but I do know they should've had the chance to try. The man I called LaWorthless last week made a great play. His reward? Automatic first down for Philadelphia.

Not time to panic. The Colts will pick themselves up. If there's anything we've seen from Chuck Pagano's team, it's resiliency. The team has lots of issues, though (shaky interior offensive line, no pass rush, safety play, to name a few).

How do you spell relief? J-A-G-U-A-R-S.
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Monday, September 8, 2014

Colts Observations, Week 1 vs. Broncos


Quick summary:

Colts show signature lackluster start before deciding it's actually time to play football. A furious comeback ensues, but such comebacks do not dwell in the House of Elway.

Another bad start. What do the Colts have to do to get motivated to play well in the first and second quarters? Should the scoreboard say "Away Team 50, Home Team 0" when they run out of the tunnel for home games? The absolutely awful starts are nothing new and neither are the comebacks. Andrew Luck's ability to rally the team is pretty cool until you consider that he has to do it every freaking game.

That said, at least they showed some moxie. They could've cashed it in early on this one, given up, and watched the Broncos roll to a 40-3 win or something like that. Instead, the team caught a few breaks in the second half and put in a superior effort on offense and defense. Even though they start about as well as my old 2003 Pontiac Grand Am, at least the Colts refuse to give up.

The running backs. Not much production in the ground game, though a lot of that is due to the "let's fall behind immediately and make it interesting in the end" strategy the Colts insist on perpetuating. Some fans will say Ahmad Bradshaw was fantastic and Trent Richardson was crap. Hate to break it to you, but neither back was particularly wonderful in the ground game. Both showed some flashes in the passing game, though, with Bradshaw hauling in 5 passes for 70 yards. Richardson had 3 catches for 31 yards.

So many weapons! Andrew Luck has so many weapons! Reggie Wayne, Hakeem Nicks, Coby Fleener, Dwayne Allen (who had a really nice game and a big TD grab), Donte Moncrief, GRIFFNATION, Ahmad Bradshaw, Trent Richardson!* But what good is a loaded gun when your hands are tied and it's lying on the ground? Or the defense is coming up the middle to kill you?


With the offensive line, it's like everyone is Hawkeye (cheap shot, I know)

Cornering it. I thought the corners played well. Sure, Greg Toler got flagged a few times, but the Colts corners showed some aggressiveness. That's about the only way to really slow down an offense like Denver's. The unit had a chance at a couple of interceptions early in the game. They've got to capitalize on those chances. Vontae Davis and Darius Butler were solid as well.

LaWorthless. I think I could've scrapped with Julius Thomas and provided better coverage than LaRon Landry, even if that meant tackling him before the ball was thrown and picking up an illegal contact penalty. It's like Landry looked across the line of scrimmage, realized Thomas was already having a good day, and then said, "Sure, go ahead. Have a touchdown. It's on me."

The QB sneak. I think this was a case of Andrew Luck trying to pull a fast one on the defense, but it was pretty clear the Broncos were stacking up the middle to combat the sneak on fourth and goal. I was shocked Luck didn't check out of it. The whistle was also a bit quick on the "handoff" to Ahmad Bradshaw, but based on the doomed nature of the play, it's probably for the best.

GRIFFNATION's punt return. You know the one I'm talking about. The one where Griff Whalen was clearly down twice and yet managed to return a punt for a touchdown. Imagine, if you will, a world in which scoring plays weren't automatically reviewed and John Fox had already used his challenges. Imagine this, and then smile at what could've been.

Reggie's back. In my preview post on the Colts' season, I said I'd have to see Reggie catch eight balls for 100+ yards before declaring him back. Nine catches for 98 yards is close enough for me. He had a scary moment after slipping awkwardly on the turf but appeared to be all right. Great to see No. 87 back.

Interior decorating. Inside line play was pretty rough for most of the night. I think most of us expected that. Luck still has that tendency to hold onto the ball a little too long sometimes, which certainly doesn't help. The makeshift trio of AQ Shipley, Jack Mewhort, and Hugh Thornton didn't do much to allay fears about the line play.

Solid bookends. On the plus side, Anthony Castonzo and Gosder Cherilus held down the edges fairly well. Castonzo had a tough assignment against DeMarcus Ware but did a good job overall. After a brutal preseason, Cherilus settled down and protected Luck well.

So many blown opportunities. Missed interceptions, dropped passes, an oh-so-close fumble recovery, missed tackles, and poor red zone efficiency made it extremely hard for the Colts to hang around. They managed to make it interesting, but some killer screw-ups--particularly the failure to recover the fumble and the inability to tackle Montee Ball in a critical first-and-goal situation--really hurt. The fumble came on what ended up being the game-winning drive. If the Colts recover it, things work out differently. Even then, if they could've held Denver to a field goal on that drive, they only need three points to tie things up at the end of the game.

The most...exciting...play...in...football! It was fun to see the Colts recover an onside kick at a critical moment. It wasn't so much fun watching the drive end in an interception after a pass bounced off of Coby Fleener's hands.

We got Fleenered! Targeted 8 times, Fleener caught 3 passes. His most memorable catches...were drops. He couldn't haul one in on the first drive, resulting in a botched field goal attempt that ended up becoming a punt. He couldn't make a tough grab on a touchdown pass; Al and Cris think he mistimed the jump. And, of course, he was good for that deflection interception, which was really, really awesome.

Peyton couldn't close. After Luck's second interception, the Broncos could've pretty much closed the door. Instead, they went three and out. I was really surprised Manning didn't pick up a first down. When Denver got the ball back after the Colts scored a touchdown, Denver went three and out again. Really couldn't believe it. I've seen No. 18 stick the knife in the other team plenty of times in similar situations.

Where's the pass rush? Aside from a couple of plays we'll call "flukes" based on the general lack of a pass rush, I don't know what the Colts will do. Things were going to be tough without Robert Mathis for 4 games. Now they'll be tough for the whole season, since Mathis tore his Achilles.

*T.Y. Hilton was not included in this lineup, as there was no evidence that he showed up in this game.
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Thursday, September 4, 2014

10 questions (and one easy answer) about the Colts


Will Andrew Luck lift himself to elite standards? The quarterback position has been secure for more than a decade in Indianapolis (minus that...um...season featuring Kerry Collins, Curtis Painter, and Dan Orlovsky), due mostly to a certain No. 18 who now wears orange. The rift that divided Colts fans after Peyton Manning's departure has never fully healed and probably never will. Still, there's a lot to love about "the next guy," who's entering his third season under center for Indy. Andrew Luck is known for his clutch play and late-game heroics. Will he elevate his play to be "The Guy" and bring more consistency to complement his winning ways?

How much will they miss Robert Mathis? A lot. You can't replace a guy like Mathis. No matter how great Bjoern "I bring in da good stuff, coach" Werner has looked in camp and the preseason, Werner isn't Mathis. That's not the second-year player's fault, though. Simply put, no one is Robert Mathis. If the Colts can survive a four-game stretch without their premier defensive player, they'll set themselves up for a good year.

Is the secondary a primary strength? Vontae Davis got a huge contract. Greg Toler--when healthy--has shown flashes. Darius Butler is solid at the nickel. Man-to-man/press coverage should be a strength of this group. It's the back end that scares most fans. LaRon Landry delivers huge hits but commands a big salary. He's not a great cover guy. The second safety spot, anchored for years by Antoine Bethea, remains a huge question mark. It looks like veteran Mike Adams will get the start, and while he's got a terrific last name, it's hard to know what we'll get. Delano Howell, who filled in admirably last season, may not even see the field this year.

Can the offensive line keep defenders off Luck's back? This is the question. We're entering the third season of this being the question. Luck is adept at running and will make plays with his legs, but I'd prefer not to see him running for his life yet again this season. After a decade-plus of solid protection for Manning, the Colts can't get things figured out on the line. Injuries certainly play a role here, but some questionable decisions--like the big contract for Samson Satele and the team's stubborn delay in rectifying that situation--also contribute to chaos along the line. A young group will be responsible for keeping Luck's jersey clean. Will they be able to do it?

Will anyone in the AFC South challenge the Colts? It seems Indy is a lock to win the division, based on what I keep hearing. The Texans have great defensive talent but lack a top-caliber quarterback and underachieved last year. The Jacksonville Jaguars are biding their time until Blake Bortles becomes the everyday starter. The Tennessee Titans simply haven't been any fun since Jeff Fisher left. I can't predict if the Colts will run the table in the division but they're certainly capable of it.

Will Reggie be Reggie? From all indications, it seems like Reggie Wayne is back. I won't believe it until he goes off for about eight catches and 100+ yards. I certainly hope No. 87 is back in top form. The Colts looked lost without him last year until the lights came on for T.Y. Hilton. I hear analysts say Reggie's a "fringe" hall of famer. While I don't agree with that sentiment--I think he's worthy of the yellow jacket--a strong comeback would give his team a boost and help cement his legacy as one of the greats.

Will Colts fans ever get over Peyton? No doubt about it, it stings to see Peyton in orange. We're doing this for the third season, if you can believe it. He's still all over the place in commercials and NFL promos...and each time I see that orange jersey, it just feels wrong. I've made my peace with his departure, but many fans haven't. The Colts traded a jammed salary cap for youth. There's no way the team would've been able to keep Peyton and field a championship-caliber team. At the time of his release, it wasn't really clear if he'd regain his form even though everyone knew he'd do everything he could to come back. I think Colts fans took last year's Super Bowl implosion harder than Broncos fans. That's how much we love Peyton.

Will the defense finally dominate? The Colts were embarrassed by Kansas City before a miraculous comeback and were subsequently beaten to a pulp by New England. They showed flashes last year of being an elite defense...or at least a top 10 one. This needs to be the year everything comes together. There are no more excuses about new schemes or players who are unfamiliar with each other. Chuck Pagano is a defensive-minded coach. Let's see some pride from the unit.

Will Richardson prove his worth? You can't write about the Colts without mentioning Trent Richardson. The target of a major trade last season, Richardson is in the crosshairs. His blitz pickups are pretty good. He can catch the ball out of the backfield. He can...well...he's supposed to be able to run the football. It would be great to see him elevate his game. Let's face it, a strong running game (or at least the threat of it) would make life a lot easier for everyone on the team.


How can the Colts slow down the Broncos' offense? Amphetamines.
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