Quick Thoughts - Week 5
 

Good game. Definitely want to re-watch since I was in a noisy bar for 3 quarters, but I actually felt like they played better than the final score.


RICHARDSON:
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-Elephant in the room out of the way... In five games, AR has finished one game, missed one game, and been knocked out early in three games. Yes, he needs to protect himself better... but this is something that just comes with the territory.

He's a running QB. Yes, he has arm talent and can make some impressive throws. But we drafted him at #4 because he 250lbs. and runs a 4.4. If you're going to build around that skillset, you don't stop calling plays for him because you (or he) is scared.

I don't want to hear that running QB's aren't any more likely to get injured. I understand pocket QB's can also get injured, but it's simple math... there are more opportunities for a QB like Richardson to get hurt. Not just big hits, but awkward falls, twisted limbs, non-contact injuries, etc.

Again, he absolutely needs to protect himself better... but it is what it is. Glad the X-Ray was negative, but that doesn't mean he'll be back soon. Hopefully, because he always looks good while he's in.


OFFENSE:
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-Zack Moss is a fucking football player. I'm glad the JT stuff is behind us, but Moss once again made the case that Ballard could've not paid JT (yet) and I'd be ok with it.

-Water under the bridge, and now that we have both JT and Moss in the backfield... if/when JT returns to form, how scary is that? That's not even considering AR when he hopefully stays healthy. Dangerous backfield.

-Offensive line so far has made some of those off-season conversations seem ludicrous as I'd hoped/expected. The vets look better, Raimann (pre-injury) and Fries improved, and our backups have been a pleasant surprise. French and especially Freeland have impressed stepping up.

-Minshew continues to be a nice (and needed) luxury. Super efficient again and thankfully mixed in some deeper shots. This caliber of QB play is all this team has needed for a couple years.

-That final drive was fantastic, 14 plays, 7:03, end with a FG, and go up by 7 with 1-minute on the clock.

-Downs was the standout today. Kid looks better and better. A very Manning-era type receiver. MPJ had a couple good plays, Pierce didn't do anything until that final drive where he had a two big 3rd downs (PI and first down catch).

-I like Steichen's calling. I know people didn't like the 4th down at the end of the half, which I don't dispute... but it's hard for me to criticize because I like the aggression, and the play was there all day (Granson was held a bit which led to Minshew leading him too far).


DEFENSE:
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-Overall pretty good, aside from that shit coming out of half time. I feel like the biggest thing I noticed was just solid tackling. Am I wrong about that?

-Front 7 still super solid. Henry was 13 for 43yds. Solid tackles, never let him spring one. Only one sack, but 8 QB hits and felt like much better pressure in the 2nd half.

-4th down stop was tremendous. Buckner and Franklin absolutely stonewalled Henry.

-Need to re-watch the secondary, but I thought they played fine mostly. Hopkins made it look bad at times, but he's good at beating zones and a couple times the pass-rush just allowed too much time.


What else?

ZACH “my backup makes 42 mil” MOSS

Fuck Tennessee

Brents covered DHop pretty well. Just a veteran knows how to win those catches. Brent’s will be a stud CB for us. DHop made the interior defense look like trash, though. That’s what he has always done to us. Glad we won despite this.

I said in the game thread that Downs remind me of TY. He just gets open. Hasn’t gotten the flash TD yet, but I think it is coming.

Simmons was a non-factor, but Buckner was a menace with Franklin behind him. I like the defensive trend. Should be even better by the end of the year if we don’t lose players.

Speaking of losing players, Paye was out, and we still played solid defense. If he had played, I think he’d have sacked Tannehill at least once. Also, Stuard played well spelling Speed in the absence of Leonard. Our defense has some solid depth, outside of the CB group.

After god knows how many years the colts only fell for a few of the Titans counter plays.

Hey Coach, kick the field goal with less than 10 secounds in the first half.

I think so far this team has proven at least one point:

In the offseason (and last season) debate about whether the bad team was because of Ballard's roster or Reich's coaching, I think we know the answer.

Position wise the only big change has been QB. But the bigger change is cleaning house in head coaching and offensive coaching/scheme. It's been a world of difference.

There were a lot of prognosticators expecting the Colts to be a bad football team. Power rankings had us at 29 or 30. Well it wasn't that bad. The defense was good and just needed help from an offense that can score, and about as important, keep drives alive.

How did the tackle Freeland look? Titans didn't get many sacks so he must have been decent

The O line was pretty good. Head coach needs to stop throwing away points

I didn't see Freeland lose too many battles at all.

Don't you think that a ton of this has got to be coaching and play calling?

I've been a Colt fan since the Unitas days. For the first time since Shula I actually feel like we may have an advantage at head coach. I have always felt since then that we won when we did because we had better players, never felt like we out coached people. Steichen makes me feel like we start with an advantage most games. If AR can turn out not to be as brittle as he appears we should be in for a really fun run.

Some, but not facing Aaron Donald helps a ton also.