Colts on bye week after second win in a row

Locked in a tight battle for three quarters, the Colts finally pulled away in the fourth, scoring 21 unanswered points to take a victory in Oakland, 42-28. The Raiders and Colts traded blows for much of the game, but Indianapolis put together a game tying drive in the beginning of the 4th and never looked back. The 12 play, 75 yard drive lasted 5 minutes 14 seconds, as Marlon Mack capped the drive with a touchdown run on 3rd and Goal (his first of two touchdowns on the day).

The next Raiders drive was a three and out, which allowed Indianapolis to build on their offensive momentum. The Colts would take full advantage of this, as Andrew Luck and Jack Doyle were telepathic on this drive. Luck went 4-4 on the drive, completing all of his passes to Doyle (14, 11, 17, and 10 yard completions), the last of which was a touchdown.

The next Oakland possession would last just one play, as AFC Defensive Rookie of the year candidate, Darius Leonard, punched the ball out of the hands of running back Doug Martin. The Colts recovered the ball on Oakland’s 27 yard line, which set up Andrew Luck and the offense for another quick touchdown drive. Marlon Mack would score a one yard touchdown on the fifth play of the drive. Mack finished his day with 25 carries 149 all-purpose yards, and two rushing touchdowns (all career highs). This was the second week in a row that Indianapolis was able to reach over 220 rushing yards as a team, as they averaged 5.6 yards per carry.

With the improvements in the running game and offensive line, Luck was able to pass for another three touchdowns (23 on the year) and zero interceptions. Luck has also taken zero sacks for the past three weeks, behind a suddenly solid offensive line. The offense is looking stout at the right time. With the bye this week, and a slough of divisional games on the horizon, the Colts will need all the fireworks in the second half of the season, if they hope to make a playoff push.

At 3-5, Indianapolis is very much alive in the AFC South race. With Houston leading the division at 5-3 and the Titans and Jaguars at 3-4 and 3-5 respectfully, no one is really pulling away in the division. The Colts also have a favorable schedule ahead. Of the teams that they have left, (Jaguars, Titans, Dolphins, Texans, Cowboys, and Giants) only one (Texans) has a winning record. Excluding the Texans, the rest of the teams listed have a combined record of 10-20. Also, the Colts have an added benefit of playing 5 of their remaining 8 games in front of a home crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium (Including 3 home games in a row). Finally out of the first half gauntlet of 5 away games in 8 weeks, things look a bit brighter for Indianapolis moving forward.

The second quarter of the season is much improved from the first. Especially on the offensive side of the ball. There’s a list of high points to hit on, so I’ll go ahead and mark them down:

Andrew Luck: The front runner for comeback player of the year has to be Luck. Currently second in the NFL in touchdown passes, (23) Luck has proven that his shoulder injury is a thing of the past. He’s also showing more maturity and intelligence. Luck is protecting his body, and avoiding costly turnovers. Whether it’s throwing it away or stepping out of bounds instead of lowering his shoulder, he’s definitely playing more calculated football, and coaches and fans alike have taken notice.

Offensive Line: As mentioned earlier, Andrew Luck hasn’t taken a sack in three games. Quenton Nelson has just become the NFL’s first Guard to be named offensive rookie of the month, and is proving extremely worthy of being drafted at #6 overall. Braden Smith, the Colts other rookie guard, has made a successful transition to right tackle, and is doing a great job sealing the edge from pass rushers. After seeing 5 separate offensive lines in the beginning 5 weeks of the season, Indianapolis has finally found a lineup that works for both the passing and the run game.

Marlon Mack: It’s been awhile since the Colts had a back-to-back 100 yard rusher. Eleven long years in fact! Andrew Luck was still in high school the last time Indianapolis had a back-to-back 100 yard rusher, and the Colts were one season removed from their Super Bowl victory against the Chicago Bears. Mack struggled to stay healthy earlier this season, but has made the most of his starts. In just four games this season, Mack has 381 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns, and another 56 yards receiving and a touchdown catch. The Colts are 3-1 when Mack plays and 0-4 when he doesn’t, proving that an effective rusher is extremely important for success on the offensive side of the ball.

Darius Leonard: Leonard is a bona fide beast. He leads the NFL in tackles with 88, is tied for a team leading four sacks, has two pass deflections, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. He’s already collected the award for Defensive Player of the Month in September, and has his sights set on Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Indianapolis has been searching for elite defensive players since Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis were terrorizing NFL offenses. I think Leonard will be a key face of the Colts franchise for years to come.

Adam Vinatieri: Not every team can say they helped a player break an NFL scoring record. Vinatieri did just that this past Sunday, as he broke Morton Anderson’s all time NFL scoring record. 2550 points, has made Adam Vinatieri an obvious choice for an eventual spot in Canton. When the Hall of Fame comes knocking, this GOAT will undoubtedly answer.

Overall, I give the second quarter of the season a C+. Big improvements in the rushing game, and the offense as a whole were very noticeable. Going forward, I’d like to see the Colts tighten up in the secondary. Derek Carr found plenty of holes in the Colts defensive backfield, on his way to 17 straight completions at one point in the game. Some of this can be attributed to injuries to Malik Hooker and other members of the secondary, but 17 completions in a row is too much at any level. Depth at Corner and Safety has been lacking for years in Indianapolis, and unfortunately it’s been more of the same this year. Perhaps that will be an area of emphasis during the offseason? The Colts will have plenty of cap space to work with, and a deep free agency pool to tap into. Once the time comes, it will be interesting to see what direction GM Chris Ballard and the Colts front office goes.

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Star

Game Preview: Colts @ Raiders

The Indianapolis Colts season may have hit a huge turning point last weekend. Throttling the Buffalo Bills 37-5 must have felt great for a team who has struggled to finish out games this year. At 2-5, the Colts are still last in the AFC South, but they have a bit of optimism from last week’s convincing win. Putting up 37 points is good any week, but to do it against a top 10 defense is even better. The Indianapolis offense exploded on the ground for 220 rushing yards, and was also incredibly efficient through the air, as Andrew Luck threw for four touchdowns and zero interceptions.

This week, they’ll take their momentum out west, when they travel to Oakland to play the Raiders. Oakland has been under construction this year, as their front office has gutted many of their star players. Trades of linebacker Khalil Mack to the Bears, and wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Cowboys have changed the identity of the Raiders completely. Oakland also received disappointing injury news, as they were forced to put running back Marshawn Lynch on the injured reserve. The trades were not without their rewards though. The Raiders now own 3 first round draft picks for 2019, and two more for 2020. That’s some serious leverage for potential trades during the offseason, but also amazing to have if they actually decide to keep the picks. Either way, it will be interesting to see how their choices unfold come April during the 2019 draft.

Draft picks won’t help them win this year though. The Raiders are 1-5, and seem to be on a collision course for the league’s worst record. It almost seems as if they’re intentionally throwing the season to set themselves up for the draft. A risky decision, that could turn out to be the Colts benefit this weekend.

Even before the Amari Cooper trade, the Raiders look pretty rough on paper, starting with quarterback Derek Carr. Carr’s stats, have been underwhelming this season, as his ratio of 7 touchdowns to 8 interceptions leave much to be desired. The running game hasn’t helped out much either, as Oakland is only averaging 92.5 yards per game on the ground (25th in NFL). With Indy’s defense showing up big last week with 5 turnovers, the Raiders may have to take a more conservative approach to stay competitive in this game. The offense of the Raiders hasn’t been there all year. Putting up just 18.3 points per game (28th in NFL), I don’t see them keeping pace with an Indianapolis offense that is 10th in scoring with 27 points per game. Even worse, the Raiders defense led by defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, is giving up 29.3 points per game, which ranks 29th in the NFL.

All of the stats seem to trend towards an Indianapolis victory this week. Andrew Luck is second in passing touchdowns, Marlon Mack is coming off a great rushing performance of 120+ yards, Jack Doyle is returning this week giving the Colts their healthiest offensive lineup this year, and the Indianapolis defense is fired up after forcing 5 turnovers last weekend. The Colts have a lot of momentum, and I don’t see this Raiders team getting in the way of that. I look for Indianapolis to take a much needed two game winning streak into the bye, and keep hope alive for their battle in the AFC South.

My prediction:

Colts: 35 Raiders: 20

Photo Credit: IndyStar.com

Mack finds the end zone twice as Colts roll over Bills 37-5

Missing their starting quarterback Josh Allen and watching running back LeSean McCoy leave the game with a head injury early on, the Bills struggled to find any offensive consistency against a stifling Colts defense. With both teams feeling each other out in the first quarter, the Colts offense took off in the second quarter. To cap a 13 play 75 yard drive, Andrew Luck found tight end Eric Swoope from 17 yards out for the game’s first score. A wobbly point after attempt by Adam Vinatieri was no good. This was the first of two missed extra points for Vinatieri on the day. Late Monday, Frank Reich told reporters that Vinatieri is dealing with a nagging groin injury. There’s no word on Vinatieri’s availability for next week’s game at Oakland.

The next Buffalo drive, the Bills were moving the ball quite well on the ground. Backup running back Chris Ivory rushed for 28 yards on two carries on the drive. With an opportunity to answer, tight end Charles Clay fumbled the ball at the Indianapolis 22 yard line after a big hit by safety Mike Adams. The ball was recovered by linebacker Darius Leonard at the 26 (the first of 5 Bills turnovers). Three plays later, Andrew Luck found running back Marlon Mack wide open in the flat for a 29 yard touchdown. The ensuing two point conversion put the Colts up 14-0.

A quick three and out by the Bills offense gave Indianapolis the ball back with just over 7 minutes left on the clock. Andrew Luck and the Colts offense took advantage of the opportunity, capping a 9 play 82 yard drive with another passing touchdown, this time to T.Y. Hilton.

With Indianapolis already up 21-0, Derek Anderson might have been feeling some pressure. Four plays into the drive, he tried to force a pass into a tight window to wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, only to be picked off by the Colts’ Mike Mitchell. This set the Indianapolis offense up at the Buffalo 32 yard line. Two plays later Nyhiem Hines would take a 14 yard scamper to the Bills 18 yard line, and set up a 36 yard Adam Vinatieri field goal, putting the score at 24-0 at halftime.

In the second half it was much of the same, turnovers by the Bills, and the Colts offense capitalizing on said turnovers. The Colts would add two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and roll to a 37-5 victory.

Marlon Mack and the running game played a big part in this game. Mack rushed 19 times for 126 of the Colts’ 220 rushing yards on the day; as well as, 33 yards and a touchdown on two receptions. The sudden explosion in the run game was pleasantly surprising Indianapolis has struggled to get the run game going this season, but were able to break out against a top 10 rush defense. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come, as all three Colts running backs (Mack, Hines,Wilkins) rushed for more than 6 yards per carry on Sunday. Having an effective running game allowed the passing game to take a more conservative approach. Andrew Luck and his receivers were effective and efficient as he completed 17/23 for 156 yards and 4 touchdowns.

With the Colts finally getting their second win of the season, it begs to question if this is the start of a long winning streak for Indianapolis. The Colts will travel to Oakland to face the Raiders next weekend, and there’s a lot of reason to be optimistic of the matchup. Defensive star Khalil Mack was traded to the Bears earlier in the season, the Raiders’ number one wide receiver Amari Cooper was traded to the Cowboys for a first round pick today, and starting running back Marshawn Lynch has been placed on IR. The Raiders’ misfortune, could be a great opportunity for the Colts to get a much needed victory before heading into their bye week. With a tight race in the AFC South, a win would put the Colts right back in the division mix to keep playoff hopes alive. Here’s a look at the current division standings:

Houston 4-3

Tennessee 3-4

Jacksonville 3-4

Indianapolis 2-5

Photo: Thomas J. Russo/ USA Today Sports

Game Preview: Colts (1-5) vs Bills (2-4)

The Colts are sitting at the bottom of the league standings at 1-5, but miraculously aren’t too far outside of the playoff picture due to poor records in the rest of the AFC South. With the rest of the division at 3-3, mid-season has become crunch time for Indianapolis.

Some growing pains were to be expected this year. 2018 has been a roller coaster for Indianapolis. Starting way back in the February-March timeframe, longtime New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels had verbally agreed to become the next coach of the Indianapolis Colts. He had brought in a number of assistants that would be his coaching staff, only to back out of the agreement last minute. The Colts, left scrambling, decided to retain the McDaniels leftover coaching staff, and bring in their backup plan in now head coach Frank Reich.

The backup role is familiar to Frank Reich. For much of his NFL playing career, Reich was a backup quarterback in Buffalo, he’s been picked second on multiple assistant coaching job searches, and he was the offensive coordinator of the Eagles last year, as they knocked off Tom Brady and the Patriots in the Super Bowl with a backup quarterback (Nick Foles).

Now Reich has the reins. He’ll lead the Colts into Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday to face the Buffalo Bills. While this Bills team is far different than the ones that appeared in four straight Super Bowls in the early 90’s, Frank Reich’s feeling of coming full circle is not lost on him.

This year’s Buffalo Bills team seems pretty easy to pin down. They’re a solid defensive team ( top 10 rush, pass, and total yards against ), but rank near the bottom of the league on offense. They have lacked the ability to put up points, as they average just 12.7 points per game this year (32nd). They have also struggled to move the ball with any real effectiveness. They rank 31st in total yards per game with a measly 222.5.

Last week’s game against Houston was a mess for Buffalo. Josh Allen left the game early due to an elbow injury that will keep him out for several weeks, and then quarterback Nathan Peterman threw two late interceptions to help the Texans stage a comeback. Peterman’s play has been so bad, it prompted the Bills to retrieve 35 year old veteran quarterback, Derek Anderson from his beach vacation. Anderson will get the start against Indianapolis this Sunday.

Keys to Indianapolis victory:

1) Contain LeSean McCoy: While the Buffalo Bills fun game has been missing since the beginning of the season, McCoy’s track record in previous seasons shows that he’s capable of breaking a game open at any moment. Indianapolis ranks 16th in average rushing yards against their defense this season. However, they are 4th against yards per rushing attempt with just 3.7.

2) Make Derek Anderson wish he was still on vacation: With just under a week to prepare for a road game in Indianapolis, Derek Anderson will be under center this week for the Bills offense. Getting pressure up front and disrupting passing lanes is a must against the journeyman veteran who has spent 12 years in the league.

3) Don’t turn the ball over: The Bills aren’t doing many things right on the offensive side, but on the defensive side, the rank 3rd in total yards against, 6th in pass yards against, and 8th in rush yards against. All of that, while forcing 12 turnovers ( 7 fumbles/5 interceptions), and compiling 19 sacks (tied for 5th) make Buffalo a serious defensive opponent. If Indy hopes to win this game, protecting the ball in critical.

Game Prediction:

With little time to prepare, I think Derek Anderson will be the determining factor in this game. I think these teams are pretty evenly matched, but I think with Anderson coming in to the huddle from his vacation will make him a bit rusty. The Indianapolis defensive front should have ample opportunities to get pressure on Anderson against a Bills offensive line that has given up 23 sacks on the year.

My prediction:

Bills: 17 Colts: 27

Another 4 touchdown day by Andrew Luck spoiled by turnovers and drops

At some point GM Chris Ballard and head coach Frank Reich have to realize they need to surround their franchise quarterback with quality players. Surprisingly, tight end Eric Ebron has been Andrew Luck’s most consistent target. After being released by the Lion’s in the offseason because of sub-par production and many drops, he’s quickly become the Colts most reliable receiver. With 30 receptions, 326 yards, and 6 touchdowns Ebron has been one of the few bright spots in the Colts offense.

With over $50 million in cap room, many wonder what Ballard’s long term plan is for Indianapolis, and why the Colts are so hesitant to make a splash in the form of a trade or big free agent signing. With injuries piling up, and receivers dropping passes left and right, the now 1-5 Colts have to be feeling some aggravation. With wide receiver Dez Bryant still a free agent, the Steelers reportedly interested in a trade of Le’Veon Bell, and recent news of the Raiders shopping wide receiver Amari Cooper, an assortment of options are certainly out there for Indianapolis, they just have to be willing to deal.

Indianapolis was competitive at times in today’s game, even holding the lead 13-10 in the first quarter (albeit for just 8 minutes or so). However, they found themselves down 30-13 just a few minutes into the second half, and couldn’t do enough to overcome the Jets big lead.

Cutting the Jets lead down to 6 points in the 4th, the Colts couldn’t get out of their own way as they saw the Jets score just enough to keep them at bay. A late Indianapolis touchdown would bring the score to 42-34, but a failed onside kick would allow the Jets to kneel down and bring the game to an end.

A few of the big things Indianapolis is struggling with right now are the following:

Turnovers: With 3 interceptions on the day (two due to drops), Andrew Luck and the Colts offense can’t seem to find rhythm. Adding in a Robert Turbin fumble brought the turnover total to 4 on the day. You can’t win the game, if you can’t control and protect the ball. Indianapolis’ wide receivers added another 6 drops this week, and have the coaching staff and fans missing the consistency of T.Y. Hilton even more.

Time of possession: Echoing my last point, you can’t win if you don’t have the ball. The Colts are averaging less than 25 minutes with the ball and failed to eclipse 23 on Sunday. While 34 offensive points is impressive with the amount of time used, the 4 offensive turnovers gave the Jets short areas to work with, and allowed them too many opportunities to extend their lead.

Injuries: We get it…its the NFL and injuries are inevitable. However, there’s a difference between having a cold and having the plague. This Indianapolis team unfortunately has the latter. With stars like pro bowlers Jack Doyle, Matt Slauson, and T.Y. Hilton on the sideline, the “next man up” mantra is starting to sound like a broken record. It’s already difficult to win in the NFL, but when you’re working with 2nd and 3rd stringers instead of the regular starters, it makes it that much harder.

Preview for next week:

The Colts’ next contest will be a home game against Buffalo next Sunday. Buffalo may be without starting quarterback Josh Allen, as he injured his elbow late in the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans. The Colts will look to get more key players back next week. T.Y. Hilton has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury, and Jack Doyle hasn’t been active since Indianapolis’ win against the Redskins in week 2. Stay tuned for a game preview later this week to highlight the Indianapolis vs Buffalo matchup.

Week 6 preview: Colts (1-4) @ Jets (2-3)

With their fourth away contest in the first six games, Indianapolis will travel to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. Awaiting them will be a young Jets team coming off a big, 34-16 win against the Denver Broncos in week 5. This Jets team, led by rookie quarterback Sam Darnold, is a bit of a mystery. After destroying the Detroit Lions in week 1 by a score of 48-17, the Jets had been on a 3 game slide before their win against Denver.

Sam Darnold has just been so-so since taking the reins in week 1. His first career game started off great. Completing 76% of his passes and throwing 2 touchdowns in his debut, he seemed to be making a smooth transition to the NFL. Now having completed just 55.7% of his passes on the season, those stellar week 1 numbers have heavily declined. Darnold ranks 33rd among eligible quarterbacks in completion percentage, 21st in passing yards (1,066), and is tied for 20th in passing touchdowns with 7.

Where the Jets are succeeding however, is on the ground. New York has two of the top twenty running backs in Isaiah Crowell and Bilal Powell. Crowell, coming off a career high 219 rushing yards (15 carries) on Sunday, finds himself ranked 3rd in the NFL in yards (390), 2nd in yards per attempt (6.8), and tied for 2nd in touchdowns with 5. Powell adds another 264 yards (18th) on 59 carries, as a right hook in the Jets 1-2 punch.

The keys to success for Indianapolis, will be as follows:

1) Make the rookie throw: Taking away the running game, and forcing the Jets to be one-dimensional will be critical for a Colts defense who has given up 534 yards on the ground. With Sam Darnold’s passing stats not especially spectacular (7:6 TD/INT ratio), forcing him to throw is the Colts best chance at stopping this Jets offense. Hopefully, after a 10 day break between games, the Colts can return several starters. A brutal barrage of injuries has set them back for the past two games. With all of those injuries, Indianapolis only managed to get one quarterback pressure on Tom Brady in their week 5 game against the New England Patriots. After a few weeks of heartbreaking 4th quarter and overtime losses, the Colts are desperately searching for some good fortune.

2) Don’t drop the ball: Watching the Colts fall behind 24-3 in the first half of last week’s game was rough. Watching wide receiver Zach Pascal drop and deflect a pass that led to an interception on a potential game tying drive, was gut wrenching. Andrew Luck can’t be expected to catch his own passes, and this injury ridden Colts receiving core is dropping a lot of passes. Conservatively counting, the Colts have dropped over a dozen passes in the last two games. A few of those being first downs, while others were dropped in the end zone. Cleaning up the drops is a necessity any week, but especially now, due to Indianapolis being at the bottom of the AFC South and quickly falling out of playoff contention.

3) Control time of possession: Colts rank 30th in time of possession with an average of 27 minutes and 12 seconds, and over the last 3 games its hovered around 25 minutes. Less time with the ball, means less opportunities to put points on the board. What I think we would all like to see is a nice methodical approach, and long lasting drives that end in touchdowns.

4) Continued pass protection: Indianapolis has only given up 10 sacks this year, despite the carousel on the offensive line. Andrew Luck will see his fifth different offensive line this season on Sunday. Rookie guards, Quenton Nelson (6th overall pick) and Braden Smith (37th overall) have performed even better than anticipated and pass protection is excellent so far this year. Luck has had a clean pocket to pass from for most of the season. Solid run blocking however, has been hard to find. Indianapolis ranks 29th in average rushing yards per game (74.4), 27th in yards per attempt (3.7), and tied for 28th in rushing touchdowns with a single Nyheim Hines score. With the return of left tackle Anthony Castonzo and running back Marlon Mack this week, the Colts will hopefully have a boost in their rushing attack.

5) Rush the ball effectively: See point number 4. The Colts can’t seem to get out of their own way when it comes to running the ball. Sometimes it seems as if they’re being stuffed on every attempt, while other times they’ll be breaking off good chunks of yardage, but fumbles or holding penalties negate the good plays. The Colts need to find away to get pressure off of Luck so he won’t have to throw 50+ passes a game, and the easiest way to do that is finding a way tote the rock.

Overall, I think this game will be a grind, but as long as the defense can contain the run, I have Indianapolis squeaking out a win late.

I’m calling this one 23-20 Indianapolis.

Photo Credit: Colts.com

The good, the bad, and the ugly of Colts loss to Patriots

Falling to 1-4, the heavily injured Colts just couldn’t keep pace with Tom Brady. Starting the game off, New England marched down the field with a 12 play, 75 yard drive that lasted just over six minutes. This drive, capped by 3rd and Goal pass from Brady to wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, would set the tone for the rest of the game. With 9 players missing to start the game, and several more injured throughout Thursday’s contest, the Colts were scraping the bottom of the depth chart by the end of the night.

The Patriots never trailed in this game. Tom Brady would score four total touchdowns (3 passing 1 rushing), including his 500th passing touchdown of his career. Aside from 2 tipped passes that led to interceptions, Brady played flawlessly. Taking advantage of Colts turnovers, and picking the secondary apart for most of the night, Brady was classic Brady, and that was unfortunate for Indianapolis, as the end of the game favored New England 38-24.

The Good: Andrew Luck is possibly playing his best football of his career. Completing 78 of 123 pass attempts (An NFL record for passes in a five day stretch), Luck has been incredibly efficient. He has thrown for over 800 yards and has a 7:2 touchdown to interception ratio in the last two games. What’s crazy, is that Colts receivers have dropped over a dozen catchable balls in the two game stretch. If he and the receivers can get on the page going forward, this could be a career year for Luck and the Indianapolis offense.

The Bad: As good as Luck is playing, he can’t do everything. The lack of a running game, and injuries piling up, have the Colts forcing Andrew Luck to pick up the slack and put the team on his surgically repaired shoulder. Although the Colts did manage to rush for 4.0 yards per carry on Thursday, the 24-3 deficit in the first half kept them from consistently running the ball. Luck knows passing this much is not sustainable, and head coach Frank Reich echoes those thoughts. Drops that lead to turnovers and drops that could’ve been touchdowns have plagued Indianapolis since the beginning of the season as well. The Colts have dropped over a dozen passes the last two games, and with the depleted receiving core, it doesn’t look to get better.

The Ugly: I’ll say it louder for those in the back…INJURIES! Missing the likes of T.Y. Hilton, Jack Doyle and Marlon Mack is tough. Then you add in all the defensive absences, and you have a big problem. Injuries to Darius Leonard, Kenny Moore II, Nate Hairston and Quincy Wilson have the Colts looking very deep in their depth chart. The Colts preach next man up, and expect all members of the team to perform as if they were starting, but you’ve got to admit that the lack of primary players played a huge difference in Thursday’s matchup. Only 44 players were dressed for Thursday’s game due to the amount of player who are banged up.

Looking Ahead:

Indianapolis’ next test will be in the Meadowlands, as they travel to New York to face the Jets. This will be the Colts 4th away game in 6 weeks. Indy has a 10 day gap in action, so hopefully the extra time to prepare will allow them to get healthy. The Jets are the first of three, 1-3 teams that the Colts will face before the bye. Indy faces rookie quarterbacks over the next two weeks, and will travel to Oakland to face the now Khalil Mack-less Raiders in week 8. They have a good opportunity to go streaking, and put some check marks in the win column before a week 9 bye week. Perhaps they can pull it around and reach 4-4?

Picture Credit Jim Davis/ Boston Globe

Inactive list for the Colts grows to 9

Both cornerback Nate Hairston and standout rookie linebacker Darius Leonard have been listed as OUT for Thursday Night Football. This leaves Indianapolis extremely vulnerable. Already missing other stars, such as wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and tight end Jack Doyle, Indianapolis has become a shell of what they were just a few days ago. The Colts are only able to dress 44 players tonight due to the barrage of injuries (46 are allowed).

Good news however, left tackle Anthony Castonzo will make is season debut, after missing the first four weeks with a hamstring issue. The Colts will need all the help they can get, as they go into Foxboro as 10.5 point underdogs.

Colts hobble into Thursday as 7 players declared out

With fans still trying to cope with the questionable call that led to an Indianapolis loss on Sunday, another game has quickly arrived. Tomorrow evening, the Colts will face the New England Patriots. Well…most of the Colts. With a lengthy list of injuries, Indianapolis’ biggest obstacle on Thursday will be keeping their players healthy. Multiple positions have been spread thin due to injuries, not to mention the unfortunate loss of tackle Denzelle Good, who will miss an undisclosed amount of time while coping with the death of his brother.

Those missing time with injury are as follows:

T.Y. Hilton (chest/hamstring)- Hilton is Indianapolis’ leading receiver with 294 yards. Normally a picture of health, this will be only the third game Hilton has missed in his 7 year career. Wide receivers Ryan Grant and Chester Rogers are expected to split Hilton’s would be snaps. Running back Nyhiem Hines may find more time in the slot, to give more receiving options to Andrew Luck. He’ll look to build on Sunday’s team leading 9 reception, 2 touchdown performance.

Marlon Mack (hamstring)-Mack has only played in one game this season, but it was a good one. Playing in the Colts’ lone victory against the Redskins, Mack tallied 10 carries for 34 yards and a single reception for 2 yards. While the numbers aren’t impressive, his big play ability from last year has been, and will be missed.

Jack Doyle (hip)- Indianapolis’ leader in receptions from a year ago has had a rough start to 2018. After fumbling away the ball on a potential game winning drive in week one, Doyle had a very average outing against Washington where his injury occurred. Putting up just 9 receptions for 80 yards this year, Doyle’s production has been severely missed.

Quincy Wilson (concussion)-The injury bug has plagued this young cornerback his whole career. In just his second season, nagging injuries have limited Wilson to just 9 games (out of a possible 21). In two games played this season, he has tallied just one tackle.

Kenny Moore II (concussion)-Moore has logged an interception, 1 pass deflection and 14 tackles this season. Starting all 4 games for the Colts this year, Moore will be missed in a group of inexperienced group of corners that will try to slow down the likes of Patriots receivers Josh Gordon and Julian Edelman (who makes his return from a four week suspension this week).

Hassan Ridgeway (calf)-A preseason stud who hasn’t stayed healthy, Ridgeway just hasn’t been lucky so far this season. After tallying 4 sacks in the first two weeks of the preseason, Ridgeway’s only regular season action came during substitution work in a week 2 win over the Washington Redskins. Ridgeway hasn’t logged anything on the stat sheet yet this season, but when healthy, he can be a valuable rotational player on the defensive line (3 sacks in 2017).

Colts 1-3; Quarterly review

The first quarter of the 2018 season is over. A somber tone has set in amongst the Colts fan base. Some fans are already calling it in, and are optimistic for next year, while others still cling onto small shreds of hope and pride. Sunday was a heartbreaker. After battling back from an 18 point deficit, the Colts could only watch, as Houston Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn nailed a 37 yarder to win in overtime. Now Indianapolis finds themselves at 1-3, and last place in the AFC South. Weeks 1-4 weren’t pretty, but there are pieces to build on moving forward.

1) Andrew Luck’s shoulder is healthy, and this past Sunday was proof. 40 completions on 64 attempts for 464 yards (all career highs) 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions against Houston. He played as well as you could as for, against a solid defensive team in the Houston Texans. Yes, there were some early miscues, but overall, this was classic Andrew Luck, and let’s hope he’s here to stay.

2) Nyheim Hines is stepping up as a quality receiving back. Whether it’s snaps from the slot, or coming out of the backfield, Hines has shown that he belongs in this Indianapolis offense. At 22 receptions after four weeks, the rookie is on pace to catch 88 passes this year. That production will likely taper off, as I don’t see Luck throwing 62 passes again anytime soon; However, it’s good to see Luck has found another reliable target.

3) It’s not just Darius Leonard making noise on the defense. While the rookie did perform admirably on Sunday, several others joined in what was a festival of sacks on Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson. Indianapolis sacked Watson 7 times with 8 Colts registering at least 0.5 sacks on the day. They also registered 11 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and 11 quarterback hits. Indianapolis also recorded 2 pass deflections and an interception by cornerback Pierre Desir.

My grade for this quarter is D+. While there are plenty of positive takeaways, the Colts need to finish their work. 17 sacks in 4 weeks is great, a 9:3 TD to INT ratio for Luck is great, but it means nothing if they don’t register W’s.

The Colts do however have something to work with. They have a foundation, a ton of young talent, and a bunch of cap space to make waves in the off-season or potentially before the trade deadline. With whispers of trade interest in Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell have being heard, as well as, the need for wide receiver help, the Colts look like a potential landing spot for big acquisitions. While Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard has long been focused on building the team through the draft, you have to wonder if he’ll want to spend at least some of the Colts’ hard earned nest egg. Names like Bell and Dez Bryant have been tossed around, but plenty of big names are set to be on the free agent market in 2019. Names like Green Bay wide receiver Randall Cobb, Detroit wide receiver Golden Tate, Dallas defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, and Houston outside linebacker Jedeveon Clowney are all set to be unrestricted free agents. It’s hard to predict what Ballard will do, but it’s fun to think about the possibilities.