The Indianapolis Colts are on the street to tackle the Houston Texans for his or her week eight recreation, Sunday at 1 p.m. EST.
The Colts come into week eight having received 4 of their final 5. Plenty of Colts followers (and writers/bloggers/podcasters/YouTubers) have been using that top and I really feel like I’m dwelling on an island, on their own, with my agency perception that this Colts workforce is not so good as it’s document. Don’t get me fallacious, I’m actually blissful this workforce is above .500 in late October. That is implausible. However had the Colts not performed a rookie in his third recreation (Caleb Williams), a retread that has since been benched for what’s left of Russell Wilson (Justin Fields), Will Levis and the all-star combo that was Tyler Huntley and Tim Boyle final week in opposition to the Dolphins, nicely I’m unsure this workforce would have received any of these video games. However the truth of the matter is, you may solely play who’s in your schedule and the Colts went out and received these video games.
So I don’t imply to take something away from the workforce.
This week I’ve seen individuals level out that the Texans solely received by two factors in week one and the way final week C.J. Stroud threw for a profession low 86 yards. They’re lacking a terrific broad receiver in Nico Collins and their protection is lacking a number of star gamers as nicely. And that’s all true however this Colts protection is dangerous. Very, very dangerous. Zaire Franklin is taking part in the worst soccer of his profession. He isn’t getting off blocks and I don’t care what number of tackles he ended up with final week, what number of of them got here earlier than the again was 4-6 yards past the road of scrimmage? You don’t want to truly go look, it wasn’t many. Even the protection’s finest performs from per week in the past have been from fluky fumbles that have been prompted after a Miami again had already picked up an enormous chunk of yards.
Had the Colts performed higher quarterbacks, frankly, I don’t know that they might have received a single recreation this 12 months. And sure I simply obtained carried out lambasting the run protection and also you could be questioning how I’m making that connection. That’s honest. However when the Colts do handle to forestall the opposing working again from selecting up a primary down on both first or second down runs, usually that opposing workforce chooses to throw on third down. Dangerous quarterbacks don’t usually convert on third down. C.J. Stroud, regardless of his play final week and Collins’ absence, is sadly, an excellent quarterback.
After watching Anthony Richardson final week, I additionally really feel fully alone within the on-line Colts world. First let me say, Richardson was dangerous. There. Bought that out of the best way.
However it’s wild to me the best way individuals are speaking about why he was dangerous.
I really feel like I’m the one one who remembers week two in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers. When he was crusing passes to broad open receivers after which when requested about it, he kind of mentioned that he was working by way of issues too shortly, getting excited and attempting to hurry the throw which was making the ball come out wildly.
So final week was it the identical factor? No! His throws have been totally on goal. He had one or two off track throws, however each quarterback may have one or two they’d like again. So what was it final week? Every part he threw got here out late. He slowed down, method down, too gradual. He labored his reads, discovered the open man, obtained his ft proper and threw the ball. The issue wasn’t his accuracy it was that from the time he discovered his receiver to when he really made the throw it took an excessive amount of time, permitting the defensive backs to make a soar and break up the passes.
THIS IS FANTASTIC NEWS!
Not as a result of the end result was dangerous. Not as a result of the balls have been deflected. Not as a result of we needed to hear to a different week of narrative based mostly “evaluation” however as a result of he took an issue he had the final time he performed a full recreation and he fastened it within the subsequent one. He’s working by way of an issue he (and doubtless his coaches) recognized and he’s fixing issues week to week. That is what development appears like. It isn’t at all times that issues simply get higher. Typically it’s a must to suck at one thing another way earlier than you determine what works and the method is going on proper in entrance of our eyes and it certain appears like everyone seems to be lacking it.
Little recognized on-line truth about me (I believe) I coached gymnastics for nearly a decade. I largely coached bars and flooring (I’m an enormous man who was good at recognizing the children, I used to be most helpful on these two occasions) however now and again I’d discover myself working with youngsters on vault or beam. I, after a close to decade of teaching, nonetheless don’t know that a lot about beam, I received’t get into it right here however simply know, I don’t. The one factor I do know is that when a child is studying a brand new talent and is persistently falling off of the beam on the identical facet, you persuade them to fall off of the beam on the opposite facet. Each time I instructed a child to fail, however simply in another way, I’d get confused appears and each time they efficiently fell off the beam on the “different” facet, I’d then inform them to separate the distinction and land on the beam the following time they did the talent. And guess what? Usually that labored.
Typically it’s a must to fail a number of methods to grasp how one can succeed, earlier than you really succeed.
I don’t know if Anthony Richardson goes to be a superb quarterback. I hope he might be. However I’m certain that he’s progressing and it appears like nobody within the soccer world is noticing.
Both method I anticipate the Colts to lose this recreation, largely as a result of protection. Until Richardson places all of it collectively this week (unlikely) and the offense is dominant, I anticipate this to be a tough look ahead to Colts followers. I hope I’m fallacious.
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Colts Inactives
That is your week eight open thread so hang around right here, chat, have fun, commiserate, and argue within the feedback! Go wild (inside motive)!
Go Colts!
