Why the Colts can be the next Green Bay

[BProland85]

I see a lot of similarity between the future Colts and the current Packers. And I am about to explain why. Here is an in depth look...

1. Andrew Luck is a lot like Aaron Rodgers and has been compared to him just as much as Peyton. Both Luck and Rodgers make their OL better than they are, by their escapability and ability to get rid of the ball quickly. This is one reason why I dont see us as needing a great OL. An average OL would be fine as long as we surround Luck with great playmakers around him at WR. That is why if I were running the Colts, I would sign a free agent OL or two, and then in the draft we could be in position to get WR Keenan Allen to be our future #1 WR and could make an immediate impact. We would then have some crazy weapons at Luck's disposal to throw to. How could anyone stop our passing game? We wouldnt need to run the ball too much, just enough to be respectable, like the Packers do now.

2. I dont know if I buy into this team saying they're going to be a ground and pound team on offense. I say that because we hired Bruce Arians, and he liked having a great passing game utilizing his talented WRs in Wallace, Brown, and Sanders. Yet another simliarity with the current Packers. There will be differences, for example we will be hopefuly employing the 2 TE set like New England, but overall this offense could be made to spread out the opposing defense.

3. Defensively, we have similarites as well. We both have great pass rushers, and Hughes could be the next very good DE/OLB for us. If CB Vontae Davis can turn out to be our Charles Woodson, then our secondary will be that much better. And I hope NT Josh Chapman turns out well also.

Now, back to the OL. This is just me being hopefull that we wont have to address this as much as people think next year. If Ben Ijalana returns he has the immediate talent to start at OG for us right away. If that happens, we have a pretty decent OL with this lineup...

LT Anthony Castonzo

LG Mike McGlynn

C Samson Sateele

RG Ben Ijalana

RT Joe Reitz

That is a OL that has potential to be very adequate given they stay healthy.

[coltsguy510]

I say we trade down, in the process we pick up a second, and draft Chance Warmack in the first round, than we should get Aaron Dobson or Cordarelle Patterson in the second round. Both are talented, big receivers.

[Gavin]

I went back the and looked at Pittsburghs runs attempts per game to perhaps get a good idea of the number of attempts we should expect to be running the ball and from his Pittsburgh Offensive Coordinator days the last 4 years here are the average runs per game a year

2007 Pitt-31.9

2008 Pitt-28.8

2009 Pitt-26.8

2010-Pitt 29.4

2011-Pitt 27.1

combined total of run attempts during that time period for Pitt

2007-511

2008-460

2009-428

2010-471

2011-434

combined-2304

2007-Pass Attempts-442

2008-Pass Attempts-506

2009-Pass Attempts-536

2010-Pass Attempts-479

20011-Pass Attempts-539

combined-2502

Combined plays-4806

52.0 Pass percentage, rounded up 52.1

47.9 Pass percentage

Now thats just Arians pass numbers from the past and combined, you can read into that what you want but its my hope we dont go pass pass happy because

1.we dont have the O Line for that

2.if teams expect it down after down after down then the best teams will begin to be able to plan for that

3.Playaction element or element of surprise decreases greatly

[21isSuperman]

I sincerely hope Reitz does not play RT. And I'm not sold on McGlynn either.

[The Peytonator]

I sincerely hope Reitz does not play RT. And I'm not sold on McGlynn either.

Just curious.....since everyone seems to be split on this one. Why don't you think Reitz could play RT? I'm all for at least testing it out if the season looks to be bust after a few weeks and Justice is sucking it up. I love the guy at LG, but he's definitely got the body and athleticism to play RT. When he came into the league he was a project OT bouncing from PS to PS, but he found a home at Guard with us. I also feel like Justice would make a better Guard than Tackle because he seems to lack the athleticism against speed rushers, but has some immense strength and length that would be better suited inside. I feel like moving Reitz to RT and Justice to RG could kill two birds with one stone. There would be a hole at LG, but that could be filled with any number of options in the offseason.

I strongly agree about McGlynn though......he's nothing more than a stop gap for the year.

[21isSuperman]

Just curious.....since everyone seems to be split on this one. Why don't you think Reitz could play RT? I'm all for at least testing it out if the season looks to be bust after a few weeks and Justice is sucking it up. I love the guy at LG, but he's definitely got the body and athleticism to play RT. When he came into the league he was a project OT bouncing from PS to PS, but he found a home at Guard with us. I also feel like Justice would make a better Guard than Tackle because he seems to lack the athleticism against speed rushers, but has some immense strength and length that would be better suited inside. I feel like moving Reitz to RT and Justice to RG could kill two birds with one stone. There would be a hole at LG, but that could be filled with any number of options in the offseason.

I strongly agree about McGlynn though......he's nothing more than a stop gap for the year.

I haven't been sold on Reitz' play at guard. And tackles must be more athletic and technically sound than guards; it's generally a harder position to play. I just think that if he isn't very good at guard, he won't be that great at tackle. Now, with that said, I haven't been able to watch many of the games this preseason, so I don't have the best judgement on how his play has been this year. And it is also possible that he would be a better tackle and guard is just not his position.

[Gavin]

He's played good at LG in terms of not giving up any sacks although he gave up a a couple pressures I think in the preseason but in terms of the run game he isn't the answer at Left Guard, he doesnt have the strength and he is not a mauler

[Andy]

I think our best bet for this O-line is to spend our 1st round pick on an OT next year. I'm thinking Taylor Lewan, or Ricky Wagner. Then, once drafted make him the RT for the season and then move him over if Castonzo isn't performing that well (and move Anthony to RT).

My point is: don't expect the guys we have now to get much better.