Texans-Colts quick thoughts

[GoBigBlue88]

1. 100 percent the right call to go for it, just to get that out of the way. This is a 4-12 to 8-8 range football team. A tie does nothing for them or us. You play to win. That was the right call. Where Reich erred were not going for it the first time (bluffing, then calling TO then going for it) and the playcall itself, which couldn't have been less creative.

2. Andrew Luck couldn't have done anything else. Left it all on the field. I am so impressed with him. Don't know what else to say. Luck is not the issue at all.

3. IMO, Quenton Nelson and Marcus Johnson made the two biggest mistakes to cost the Colts the game. That's whatever for Johnson, who is a WR5 type guy. For Nelson, I remain in the camp that he'll never live up to #6 overall pick impact.

4. It's frankly inexcusable for the run game to be as bad as it is. I actually thought today was more on the interior line play and TEs than it was the OTs, at least when it came to the running game. There is no reason for the Colts to tally these putrid numbers in 2018. That's a failing of Ballard's so far, even if he's had his successes elsewhere.

5. That said, don't forget that Nyheim Hines continues to make plays for IND. People keep wanting to see Wilkins in the backfield, but I remain convinced Hines needs to be on the field at all times. Even when the Colts can't run, he's a weapon. Can't say the same about Wilkins.

6. Why can't Erik Swoope stay on this 53? Ryan Hewitt is patently awful in any area, and Mo Alie-Cox was just there today. This game was a really bad look from the TEs.

7. I don't have any illusions that Zach Pascal will be a real player for this team, but Pascal and Chester Rogers stepped up in the second half and played physical football. Colts BADLY need to upgrade at WR, but they got some good second half performances there today.

8. Can we officially say Ryan Kelly is a disappointment yet? I feel like he's benefitted from a bit of a tallest midget situation at center through the years.

9. Honestly, I don't have any major issues with the DL. I think Deshaun Watson is just SUCH a problem for defenses. You do have to stunt and mush rush him because you need to keep some element of contain. That doesn't lead to a lot of clean pass rush. I see what the DL was trying to do and don't really have many issues with their performance today.

10. Schematically, though, I have some issues with Eberflus' defense today. Eyeball test says today was almost exclusively Cover-2, where they've been mixing heavy Cover-1 and Cover-3 in weeks past. Their zone drops were just way too generous though. It's tough, because Watson is such a problem and you also usually have to dedicate a spy resource to him that can't drop deep in coverage. But still felt like Colts didn't quite get their inside drop depth right.

11. Thought this was a particularly bad game from the safeties. Malik Hooker is absolutely invisible in a Cover-2 defense; I think his skillset is totally wasted. Matthias Farley had a rough day, IMO, that had everything to do with angles and zones and nothing to do with his drop. Clayton Geathers was OK.

12. The Kenny Moore injury really hurt Indy. Chris Milton can't play in the base defense. Like, at all. We knew this last season.

13. For his standards, bit of a disappointing game from Darius Leonard. I get what they were trying to do by having him spy Watson, but I don't think he was very effective in doing so. I'd need a re-watch to really know, though.

14. Pretty crazy that the Colts really should have been beat by a bomb to DeAndre Watkins where, for the only time that day, it seemed like they were not playing a deep zone over top.

15. I think it's officially time to start asking questions about this team and hamstring injuries.

[Indiana V2]

Injuries are almost a bigger issue under this regime, than it was for Pagano's. Ridiculous.

[daedge]

Couldn't agree more with your first point.

[Indiana V2]

People keep saying they have no problem with the 4th down try, because we're not a playoff team. Why not?

As I said in the game thread, we blew a big lead to the Bengals. We beat Washington in DC. We had a good chance to win in Philly. We could have, and should have if it weren't for the 2 fumbles, won this game today. We aren't far off from possibly being undefeated, or at worst 3-1.

And we're freaking young, and missing key players due to injury, in theory, we should better as the season goes on. So why can't we be a playoff team?

[ukcolt]

Yep, absolutely the right call to go for it, a tie does nothing at all for us, might as well be a loss.

I too am really frustrated by our lack of ability to be able to get a consistent running game going. Saying that though we have played against some pretty good DL's to open the season....Bengals, Redskins, Eagles and Texans.

[njcoltfan]

Originally Posted by Indiana V2

People keep saying they have no problem with the 4th down try, because we're not a playoff team. Why not?

As I said in the game thread, we blew a big lead to the Bengals. We beat Washington in DC. We had a good chance to win in Philly. We could have, and should have if it weren't for the 2 fumbles, won this game today. We aren't far off from possibly being undefeated, or at worst 3-1.

And we're freaking young, and missing key players due to injury, in theory, we should better as the season goes on. So why can't we be a playoff team?

Lot of what if's, almost's and could of been's Truth is the Colts are 1-3 and tied for last in the division.

[Colts And Orioles]

Originally Posted by Indiana V2

People keep saying they have no problem with the 4th down try, because we're not a playoff team. Why not?

As I said in the game thread, we blew a big lead to the Bengals. We beat Washington in DC. We had a good chance to win in Philly. We could have, and should have if it weren't for the 2 fumbles, won this game today. We aren't far off from possibly being undefeated, or at worst 3-1.

And we're freaking young, and missing key players due to injury, in theory, we should better as the season goes on. So why can't we be a playoff team?

o


Yeah, I'd much rather be 1-2-1 than 1-3 this early in the season. If the Colts were 3-6 after 9 games, it would be pretty apparent that they are not a playoff team.......not at 1-2 after only 3 games, with both losses having gone right down to the wire.


The defense has had 4 either really good or pretty good games so far.

On the other side of the ball, this was by far Andrew Luck's best game of this still very young season.


With the defense playing as surprisingly well as they have been, and with Luck coming into his own in spite of the offensive line's troubles, I see no reason why Reich and the Colts should have necessarily written off the season after only 3 games, and give a game away instead of accepting a tie on such a risky decision.


o

[DragonTails]

[QUOTE=GoBigBlue88;83337]
3. IMO, Quenton Nelson and Marcus Johnson made the two biggest mistakes to cost the Colts the game. That's whatever for Johnson, who is a WR5 type guy. For Nelson, I remain in the camp that he'll never live up to #6 overall pick impact.

The 2 biggest mistakes were the bad snap and luck's fumble.

[Chromeburn]

I think we are a decent team and competitive. Not a great team though, we need a few more pieces and for the young guys to get more experience. Also, we need the early part of the schedule would be tough this year. Combined with new schemes and personnel. I expect us to have a better second half of the year. Another decent draft, some actual FA pickups, and I think we are on our way.

I was encouraged by the better pass blocking in the second half. I hope Nelson files that bitch slap away and uses it to fuel his next encounter with Clowney.

[daedge]

Reich on the 4th down call.

“I'm not playing to tie. I'll do that 10 times out of 10. That's just the way it's got to roll."

That's my kind of head coach.

Fuck ties.