Why is Donald Brown a starter?

[Thewholefnshow28]

DB is probably one of the more frustrating players I have ever watched.

He just cannot consistently put things together out there week in and week out. This week he could not catch a cold out there and I bet next week he will have a great game. Then the week after that he will follow it up with a game where he is just blown on and falls down.

I am not going to get on the guy about his running on Sunday because the OL did not help him or Ballard at all. Those two drops though were just inexcusable and just optimizes his inconsistency out there.

[GoDeep]

Brown is a good running back when he is able to do his job.. He can't open up holes and block for himself too!!

Barry sanders would struggle getting yards with our O-line doing the blocking.

[IndyD4U]

I just want him to catch the flipping ball!!!!!

[Jay Roland]

it is not Brown's fault the OL cannot block for the passing game or the runnign game. Colts haven't run blocked in a long time. Colts need to address the OL NO one ran the ball with authority or for a lot of yards yesterday

[smittywerb]

See, this may sound strange, but DB is not one of those running backs that can create for himself. Some running backs can take a crappy line and make it look like the best in the biz. DB NEEDS a good oline to do what he do because he is the type of RB that shows his skills in space. DB's skills don't have the skills that show up in the backfield or at the LOS, but in space once he is in the second level. If given the chance to get to the 2nd level, he can produce. But if not, he will get stuffed. He can not break tackles at all.

[GoColts8818]

Since Brown can't keep his eyes on the ball when it's thrown to him from the backfield, why wasn't Moore thrown in to try on that? Isn't that what he's supposed to be really good at?

He was towards the end of the game after the second drop

[Fatboyslim11]

I was never high on Donald Brown as a starting RB in the NFL. He is too light to get the tough yards and he is a terrible pass catcher and poor at pass blocking. Our O line - for now, is offensive in every sense of the word but I think they will improve as the season progresses. I think Brown has reached his ceiling as a RB and that is not good for the Colts. My interim, stop gap solution would be to start Ballard, bring in Carter and Moore depending on down and distance and/ or run or pass. I would make Brown a situational back.

[GoColts8818]

I was never high on Donald Brown as a starting RB in the NFL. He is too light to get the tough yards and he is a terrible pass catcher and poor at pass blocking. Our O line - for now, is offensive in every sense of the word but I think they will improve as the season progresses. I think Brown has reached his ceiling as a RB and that is not good for the Colts. My interim, stop gap solution would be to start Ballard, bring in Carter and Moore depending on down and distance and/ or run or pass. I would make Brown a situational back.

Guys other than carter they tried these other backs yesterday and guess what they were worse than brown. The biggest problem isn't the running back its the oline. When they blocked yesterday what do know brown could run. Till they do that regularly it doesn't matter who the running back is they will struggle.

The passes brown dropped yeaterday are a different story both of those are on brown and just can't happen at the nfl level let alone twice. I was glad they yanked him in passing situations after that teaching moment.

[chrisfarley]

Brown's ability to catch a ball can't be judged on this game alone. he has caught passes before.

[GoColts8818]

Brown's ability to catch a ball can't be judged on this game alone. he has caught passes before.

I don't think most are with that said the drops yesterday were inexcusable even if you were Reggie Wayne or Donald Brown or any other player on the team for that matter and I think they would be the first ones to tell you that.

[mystrymaster]

The drop passes were bad but I think Brown is and explosive runner that if you can get past the first wave (O-line, D-line) he can make things happen.

[OJl]

Should've kept Darren Evans.....

Yes we should have kept a practice squad RB. LOL!

Donald Brown sucks but he's playing because everyone else sucks more. Why did Donald Brown have his hands surgically removed in the off season? I don't understand that one at all.

Besides it doesn't matter who you play at RB, the O-line can't open up holes. We just don't have the guys up front. Jim Brown, Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith couldn't run behind our O-line.

[Mouthfire]

I did a quick, simple analysis of DB's running game yesterday. See:

[GoColts8818]

Should've kept Darren Evans.....

Why is he going to play o-line? That's the issue.

[Superman]

I was never high on Donald Brown as a starting RB in the NFL. He is too light to get the tough yards and he is a terrible pass catcher and poor at pass blocking. Our O line - for now, is offensive in every sense of the word but I think they will improve as the season progresses. I think Brown has reached his ceiling as a RB and that is not good for the Colts. My interim, stop gap solution would be to start Ballard, bring in Carter and Moore depending on down and distance and/ or run or pass. I would make Brown a situational back.

Brown showed what his value is yesterday, despite the drops. He can rip off big yards when he gets a little blocking, and he can get open in the passing game. When you give him a crease, he can go.

Brown is also a very good pass catcher. The drops are unacceptable, but that's something that he's never had an issue with in his three years in the league.

I'm not excited by Donald Brown. I am excited by Vick Ballard. As a runner, that is. But the problem isn't the back right now. It's the line. Given the fact that we're obviously going to throw the ball a significant portion of the time, it seems much more logical to start Brown and utilize him in the passing game, getting him the ball in space, and then mix in carries for Ballard throughout the game. I don't see any reason to use Carter or Moore at this point, except situationally. If Brown continues to drop passes, which he's never been prone to do, then you adjust at that point.