9/21

[JAFF]

Gardner just loves the ball':

INDIANAPOLIS — Gardner Minshew ended up being the right backup quarterback for the Colts for a lot of reasons.

His background as a starter in Jacksonville. His history with Shane Steichen’s offense in Philadelphia. The relationship he’d been building with a Florida quarterback named Anthony Richardson was a bonus.

Minshew was also signed for situations like the one the Colts found themselves facing last week.

When Richardson was taken out of last week’s win over Houston due to a concussion, Indianapolis held a 14-7 lead in a divisional game that was still far too early to call.




“Any time you have a backup quarterback, I think one of the big things for myself, personally, that I look at is, can a guy come in and play on limited reps throughout the week, and be prepared the way he does?” Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen said. “That’s the type of guy he is.”

Minshew had zero practice snaps last week.


If he has to fill in for Richardson against Baltimore this week — the Colts rookie did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, although the possibility still remains that he could emerge from the concussion protocol before Sunday’s game — Minshew will have an entire week of practice under his belt.

Doyel:Colts QB Anthony Richardson should sit Sunday and this isn’t about concussions


“You just get a little tighter with the communication with the guys, get a little more reps, time on task,” Minshew said. “I feel really good about how the coaching staff prepares us and always feel ready to go.”

The coaching staff plays a role.

But a big part of the reason that Minshew always feels ready to go is that he’s always thinking about football, particularly the passing game.


“I think Shane said it the other day, but I’ll steal his line: It is like talking to another coach,” offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said. “Gardner has watched all the tape. You can say, ‘Hey, Gardner, did you see that blitz?' … And he’s like, ‘Oh yeah, they brought this and did this, and I think we can do that to it, I think I can see that.'”

Ultimately, that’s how a backup quarterback earns the trust of his teammates, gives them the feeling that they can still win even though the most important player on the team is on the sidelines.

“Gardner just loves the ball,” middle linebacker Zaire Franklin said. “I mean, he’s the type of guy who could sit in the cafeteria and talk about schemes and offensive philosophy for hours.”

Franklin’s not exaggerating.

Minshew’s only 27, and he likely still has a long career ahead of him.



But it sounds like the quarterback is already well on his way to a career as one of the NFL’s next up-and-coming offensive minds.

“He’s always around the building, he’s watching tape, he’s always drawing up new pass ideas,” Cooter said. “If you guys want any pass ideas, go ask Gardner and he’ll give you 10 of them. He’s got ideas on top of ideas, but that’s because he loves the game and loves being a part of the thing and thinking about the team, and trying to find those little advantages that can help him succeed and help us succeed.”

Minshew’s love of the X’s and O’s began at Brandon (Miss.) High School, where the Bulldogs ran an Air Raid offense that allowed the quarterback to make a lot of calls at the line of scrimmage. The same was true in college at Washington State; Minshew got used to trying to find answers to the defense in real time.

If he has to start Sunday against Baltimore, Minshew’s love of the cerebral side of the game is going to come in handy against a Ravens defense that brings pressure from all angles, putting pressure on the quarterback to identify and recognize blitzes.

And he might have to carry an even larger share of the load than usual, considering that veteran center Ryan Kelly is in the concussion protocol — Kelly didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday. If Kelly does not play, second-year offensive lineman Wesley French will likely be making the first start of his NFL career, and the center is responsible for making a lot of protection calls at the line of scrimmage.

More:Need a burger with that Colts offensive line? Introducing French Fries

Having Minshew behind him would help.

“He knows the defense, the looks, the adjustments and maybe the ‘tells,’ if you will,” Cooter said.

Minshew relishes the challenge.

Relishes the chance to be on the field. While he doesn’t quite have Richardson’s youthful joy, Minshew plays with his own brand of excitement, celebrating plays as they happen.



“When you get a guy like that, I mean, (he) could play with anybody,” wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. said. “Every single time he’s in there, he’s juiced up, and he’s ready to play.”

If he has to play this week, at least he’ll know when he wakes up on Sunday morning.

[JAFF]

Colts mailbag: How does the offense change if Gardner Minshew starts over Anthony Richardson?

Colts mailbag: How does the offense change if Gardner Minshew starts over Anthony Richardson?
Nate Atkins
Indianapolis Star





SKIP




The Colts are in the win column. The 31-20 victory over the Texans on Sunday was the first victory of the Shane Steichen and Anthony Richardson tenure, even though it came tinged with some concern as Richardson left with a brain injury.

We'll be monitoring his status all week, though it's hard to project much with this type of injury. So much revolves around the quarterback and that makes theorizing about Sunday's game against the Ravens a bit of a challenge, but we'll do it nonetheless.

And part of that means reading the mail. Feel free to email questions to me at natkins@indystar.com, or follow me on Twitter, where I put out the call each week.

Let's get to it:

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew could make his 25th career start on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens if rookie starter Anthony Richardson isn't able to play.
Question: "How does scheme for Sunday’s game against the Ravens change if Gardner Minshew is starting?" -- AarBagg via Twitter

Answer: Even though Richardson and Minshew have very different physical skill sets, the passing game plan for the rookie has felt like it should be for Minshew all along.




In two game scripts, the Colts have had Richardson throwing early and often, operating from the pocket on quick-hitting plays where the first read is primarily open on crossers, hitches, screens and swings. It's been their way of easing him into the less experienced part of his game to make it feel more natural.

It's the kind of menu that Minshew has operated with for much of his career -- shotgun, run-pass-option, three steps and throws to a primary read within 15 yards of the line of scrimmage.




The obvious difference is the loss of designed runs by the quarterback. The Colts get to those after an initial wave of passing with Richardson, but they're not going to get to them at all with Minshew -- partly because he doesn't have the same wheels but also because they can't afford for him to go down. You'll see an emphasis to keep him in the pocket, where the ball comes out before he scrambles, as he's not nearly as effective throwing on the move.

GO DEEPER: 10 Colts film thoughts on Anthony Richardson, Gardner Minshew and a struggling secondary


What will likely change is how the defense guards against him. Opponents have been using lots of zone coverage with Richardson so they can keep eyes on him and contain as he scrambles. Minshew isn't the same threat, so we should see more man coverage. Baltimore runs plenty of that anyway, with a heavy stream of blitzes, so I expect the Colts to counter with quick wins in the passing game such as hitches, slants, outs and hot routes.

The run-pass-option game should stay, minus the part where Richardson reads the end to decide whether to run it himself. With Minshew, the ground game has to fall more on the shoulders of Zack Moss, who just played 98% of the snaps Sunday. When offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter faced this kind of dilemma when I covered him in Detroit, he often used the slot receiver (then Golden Tate) as an extension of the run game with quick hitters and passes into space near the line of scrimmage.

I expect Josh Downs to have more of a role with Minshew than he did with Richardson. The two have some chemistry from their days on the second team during training camp.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie could see a gadget role this season as the team's fourth wide receiver.
Question: "I’m surprised with the lack of 'gadget plays' designed for McKenzie. Do you think we will see more of that as the playbook gets opened?" -- Chris Taylor via Twitter

Answer: The Colts initially started McKenzie in a battle with Downs for the starting slot position, which is a high-snap, stable role to provide singles to the offense. Downs won that battle, and so McKenzie became the fourth receiver on a team that starts three. He's not an outside option, so to get value for him offensively while Downs is healthy, they'll need to incorporate some specific designs around his shiftiness and speed.



We saw it as they motioned him from out wide into the backfield and threw a swing pass. I think we could see some more backfield looks like that with motion that reveals whether the defense is in man or zone. Those plays can also be an extension of the run game.

It's something that has to unfold bit by bit with a rookie quarterback trying to master the basic levels of the playbook first. Wednesday practices are about installing first- and second-down plays, so the more Wednesdays they get with McKenzie, the more packages they can look into for him.

Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson is currently in the NFL's concussion protocol.
Question: "What are some of the hurdles Anthony Richardson and Ryan Kelly are going to have to clear to pass the concussion protocol?" -- Steve via Twitter

Answer: The protocol has five stages players must work through in order to return from a brain injury:

Rest and recovery
Light aerobic exercise
Introduction of strength training
Football-specific activities
Full clearance of football activities by an independent neurologist

Players must get in a non-contact practice as well as a full-contact practice in order to play. Richardson and Kelly sat out Wednesday's practice, but they have Thursday through Saturday to clear these steps.

Because Richardson is a quarterback, he really just needs two non-contact days, since all practices are in the red non-contact jersey at that position. He was at Wednesday's practice in street clothes, which is at least a sign of early progress, as teams don't allow players around teammates and out in the sun if the symptoms are too severe.

It's all impossible to predict because everyone has different levels and timing on symptoms, different baselines of functions they have to return to and different histories with brain injuries. Richardson and Kelly have both been diagnosed with at least one before, but it depends on the severity of the previous ones as well as the current one.

GO DEEPER:Inside Anthony Richardson's brain injury and the toughest decision for a rookie to make



Just because they clear the protocol by Saturday does not mean they're automatic to play. Tight end Drew Ogletree did that this week and the Colts held him out. Of course, they need Richardson and Kelly more. But it's a risk to play a road game on little practice time, too, especially with the blitzes Baltimore will throw at them. This will all be part of the calculation on what to risk this week.

Question: "What is Chris Ballard's view on Minshew’s trade value as of now?" -- Justun Bonham via Twitter

Answer: I understand why teams would make calls on Minshew, who has 24 career starts. But from the Colts' perspective, I really don't see trading him as an option this season, short of some offer they just can't refuse, like a second-round pick.

It's not an option with Richardson in the concussion protocol, and the fact that he's exited two games in two weeks with injury concerns shows how important that backup position is going to be with his style of play. It helps to have an experienced backup with a playing style his offensive coaches know and trust.


But perhaps just as important is what Minshew can do for Richardson when both are healthy. Remember, Minshew was the backup to Jalen Hurts for his first two seasons starting for Steichen. They did so much together, from dissecting Hurts' film to breaking down opponents to talking through the playbook to working on their drop-back and throwing mechanics, and Hurts did nothing but improve on that week-to-week grind. A veteran voice in the room is always a piece of developing a raw, young quarterback (see what Alex Smith did for Patrick Mahomes, Tyrod Taylor for Justin Herbert, Tony Romo for Dak Prescott, etc.). I think you'll find that a number of busts never had a reliable teammate at the same position to help navigate the immense weight of the position.

Whatever the Colts could get in return isn't likely to match whatever positive impact he can make on the new face of the franchise.

Indianapolis Colts All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor has yet to practice this season.
Question: "The hell is going on with JT (Jonathan Taylor) lol?" -- Logan Sparks via Twitter

Answer: That is the million-dollar question, and it can't be answered quickly. Heck, I wrote 5,000 words on it in one sitting because there's so much to unpack.

The short, up-to-date version is that Taylor is on the Physically Unable to Perform List at least through next Sunday's game against the Rams. The Colts are hopeful they'll get their All-Pro runner back in Week 5, which is why they haven't pulled the trigger on a bigger running back addition. But it's still just hope, as they haven't been in control of where he's been or when he's returning since this standoff began.

GO DEEPER: Jonathan Taylor and the Colts were a perfect marriage. Can they avoid a messy divorce?

Taylor is out with "pain in the ankle," according to general manager Chris Ballard, and only one person can say when that clears. Taylor is steadfast in wanting a market-rate, multi-year deal with guarantees ahead of a possible injury, like he suffered three times to the ankle last season. The Colts want to see him return to health and deliver his value in Steichen's scheme first. The franchise tag remains the elephant in the room, and the Colts haven't been willing to promise not to use it, and Taylor hasn't been willing to budge as a result.

Will that clear up in 10 days? I have doubts that it's all going to get rosy again, short of a major extension coming down. And I wouldn't rule out a trade if things don't seem to be getting any better, which they haven't yet, seeing as he's not even around the team during games.



If no trade happens by the Oct. 31 deadline, I do expect to see Taylor on the field. How much and in what mood he's in are up in the air.