My run-heavy fears were unfounded

[oldunclemark]

  .....Okay I admit it...

 

All winter I worried that we'd obsess on the run and not use Andrew Luck and all the receivers..

 

..stubbornly running into a brick wall on defense..

 

Is it too early to admit I was wrong??

 

47 passes in week one vs. Buffalo in a game where we trailed

 

..vs NYG:  28 passes..33 rushes (in a game where we led) and a couple of them were called passes..

 

.....early snap judgment?   we throw shorter passes but we don't throw less passes..

 

..we throw to the RBs more...

 

Its all good

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

I like that we still are pass heavy, but with that in mind i still would LOVE to see our o line give our guys a chance to bust one out for more than 1-2 yards. 

[chad72]

The RB involvement in the passing game is a must and that will be the biggest difference from last year, IMO, especially given the health issues with our TEs.

[BOTT]

I never once thought the Colts would become a run first team, bit I wish the first team offense would stick to the run game a little more. You don't become a good running team overnight.

[GoDeep]

I would love for us to do both well.  Our problem is that our struggling run game made us so one dimensional.  3rd and 4? Colts are throwing.

 

We need to be balanced and ABLE to mix things up and exploit personnel match-ups.

[YOUR GM]

I'm not a fan of all the 2 back sets if we're not able to run consistently out of it. I'm all for a fullback involved in the offense, but we're using them way too much, in my opinion. Every snap the fullback is on the field, we're taking away a better receiving threat. I'm all for that, so long as we're getting decent yardage out of the ground game. We are NOT getting that so far. I honestly don't know if this is what our offense will look like going forward, so I won't say anything definitive yet. What I've seen so far is pretty vanilla and not innovative at all.. And maybe Pep is doing that intentionally, as to not show our hand in preseason. At least I hope

[OffensivelyPC]

I'm not a fan of all the 2 back sets if we're not able to run consistently out of it. I'm all for a fullback involved in the offense, but we're using them way too much, in my opinion. Every snap the fullback is on the field, we're taking away a better receiving threat. I'm all for that, so long as we're getting decent yardage out of the ground game. We are NOT getting that so far. I honestly don't know if this is what our offense will look like going forward, so I won't say anything definitive yet. What I've seen so far is pretty vanilla and not innovative at all.. And maybe Pep is doing that intentionally, as to not show our hand in preseason. At least I hope

I think a lot of it has to do with Dwayne Allen, to be honest.  We all know that Fleener isn't exactly the best blocker.  You could be right in that we run a 2 RB set more often, but I would like to think that we wouldn't except in short yardage situations or in goalline. At least I hope that is going to be the case.  Having a FB I think tends to just give the defense more room to push the line back, whereas if we had a TE who could block, the point of contact with the defender will be on the LOS instead of the backfield.

[Coltswarriors]

We're just not a power running team. We're not. We don't have the OL to be one.

 

It would be nice to have SOME sort of running game to help out Luck & our WRs. Hopefully with Ahmad coming in that'll happen. We'll see.

[TKnight24]

Times like this I wish we could take Satele out & pop in A.Q. Shipley. Say what you want, but our running game always seemed to improve when Shipley got in the game. I don't know what it was or wasn't but we ran better when he got in the game. Guess those days are over now though

[jskinnz]

Making any determinations of scheme, ability to run, line cohesiveness at this point is beyond premature.

[OffensivelyPC]

To the OP's post, I think any assessment now other than the 2RB concern that HireBA stated, is going to be premature or at least off the mark for two reasons.  I'm not saying you are wrong so much as that the typical observer doesn't have the information available to them (it's known primarily only by Colts staff and players). 

 

First, and most obvious, it's pre-season.  Colts aren't going to show their hand in games that don't have any impact on the regular season.  So we can't know the full scope of their plans for the running game.

 

Second, Ahmad Bradshaw is not taking reps. I don't know how the offensive sets and play calling will change with Ahmad Bradshaw in the backfield.  Maybe we run more play action and stretch plays with Bradshaw since he is a better blocker and a quicker RB (IMO) than Ballard.  Maybe the different offensive sets and playcalling is minimal.  Again, i'ts impossible to know this either. 

[Albaby]

Another aspect of this is, our run defense won't get any better until our run offense improves.  It's kind of like a vicious circle.

[HtownColt]

I knew what Pep meant the whole time, he just wants to be effective when we do run the ball more of the quality of runs rather than the quantity, and be able to control the clock with a lead late in games. Well that's how I been interpreting Pep this whole time.

[BPM_Colt]

Never really thought we would abandon the passing game completely. The organization knows 12 is the real deal and we have to get everything out of him. We win and lose by Luck, that's all there is to it. Even though we won't be run heavy like things were made out to be during months leading to the season, we still have to be somewhat effective.. 1-2 yards won't cut it. Have to use the run game to open up the pass

[JoKeR]

Last night kinda tells me that being a run heavy/power running team just isn't in the teams nature yet. Perhaps they shouldn't fight it and be a pass heavy team, which we should be very good at. I' ll give the team more time but once the regular season starts, no point in being stubborn about wanting to be run heavy OR power running team ( different scheme could be a fix ), if its not working.

[Superman]

Last night kinda tells me that being a run heavy/power running team just isn't in the teams nature yet. Perhaps they shouldn't fight it and be a pass heavy team, which we should be very good at. I' ll give the team more time but once the regular season starts, no point in being stubborn about wanting to be run heavy OR power running team ( different scheme could be a fix ), if its not working.

I just want us to be able to run on 3rd and short, in goalline situations, and late in the game with the lead. I don't really care about the ratios and all that, so long as the offense is efficient and effective.

[JoKeR]

I just want us to be able to run on 3rd and short, in goalline situations, and late in the game with the lead. I don't really care about the ratios and all that, so long as the offense is efficient and effective.

Yeah, 3rd and 4, we should be able to run that. But we might have to make changes at RG in order for that to be possible though.

[Superman]

Yeah, 3rd and 4, we should be able to run that. But we might have to make changes at RG in order for that to be possible though.

We were all hoping for a great competition at RG and C this camp, but Thornton and Holmes have been out of commission. McGlynn has, to me, been awful this preseason, and I would hope to see someone else grab that spot away from him. Satele has been unimpressive as well, and there's no injury for us to excuse him with at this point. On one of Brown's bad runs yesterday, both McGlynn and Satele got beat by the same guy on the same play, one right after the other.

Someone has in their signature line a quote from another poster, I think it was Smonroe, who said that if our o-line was a poker hand, he'd pull three. We pulled two, and we're still dealing with some weak links. It's getting frustrating.

To the positive, though, our rag-tag group of linemen closed out the game against the Texans last year on probably the most impressive long drive of the season. So there's potential there, when everything is clicking.

[oldunclemark]

Another aspect of this is, our run defense won't get any better until our run offense improves.  It's kind of like a vicious circle.

I don't understand

[oldunclemark]

Never really thought we would abandon the passing game completely. The organization knows 12 is the real deal and we have to get everything out of him. We win and lose by Luck, that's all there is to it. Even though we won't be run heavy like things were made out to be during months leading to the season, we still have to be somewhat effective.. 1-2 yards won't cut it. Have to use the run game to open up the pass

I never feared we would abandon the pass game completely but I want us to do most what we do best.

 

We have an elite QB and a Hall-of-Fame receiver...2 good catching TEs and 3 good WRs.....plus Donald Brown...who is better catching and running than he is running from scrimmage...I hear Bradshaw is too

 

I know where our coach and GM and OC are from but I'm pleased that so far they recognize that we have one of the better passing teams in the NFL and one of the worst running teams..

There is no formula for winning. Do what you do best,

[BPM_Colt]

I never feared we would abandon the pass game completely but I want us to do most what we do best.

 

We have an elite QB and a Hall-of-Fame receiver...2 good catching TEs and 3 good WRs.....plus Donald Brown...who is better catching and running than he is running from scrimmage...I hear Bradshaw is too

 

I know where our coach and GM and OC are from but I'm pleased that so far they recognize that we have one of the better passing teams in the NFL and one of the worst running teams..

There is no formula for winning. Do what you do best,

I agree 100%. When you have a Luck caliber QB, you take advantage of that. We have quite a few weapons in the passing game and I'm ready to see it put to work. Extremely bright future to the passing game in Indy

[Restored]

The running game and in particular the system the Colt are trying to establish does not happen in two preseason games. It'll honestly be around mid season where we really get to see this team do what they want to do in terms of running the ball.

Having a very good run game and defense with an elite QB increases your chances for post-season success. Being one dimensional does not. Ask the Green Bay Packers the past two seasons.

As Troy Aikman and others have eluded to, the Colts may be a "new" trend setter in going to a more balanced approach offensively. Play action is something that Luck is lethal at using but he will need a running game to do that.

[NewColtsFan]

  .....Okay I admit it...

 

All winter I worried that we'd obsess on the run and not use Andrew Luck and all the receivers..

 

..stubbornly running into a brick wall on defense..

 

Is it too early to admit I was wrong??

 

47 passes in week one vs. Buffalo in a game where we trailed

 

..vs NYG:  28 passes..33 rushes (in a game where we led) and a couple of them were called passes..

 

.....early snap judgment?   we throw shorter passes but we don't throw less passes..

 

..we throw to the RBs more...

 

Its all good

 

Honestly,  OUM.....

 

I think it's way, WAY too early for any of us to know what this offense is going to look like....   the first team has barely played more than 1/2 of an entire game after two weeks....

 

The running game is not even close to what Pep wants.     Not.    Even.     Close.

 

We are a work in progress.   And it starts up front.    The OL is still getting blown up from the middle.   Our C and two guards are getting pushed back.    The ability to run between the tackles is almost non-existant.   

 

This offense is so far away from what Pep has in mind.    I doubt we'll even be close to what he wants by the start of the regular season. 

 

This will be a roller coaster ride....    some fun highs and some scary lows....    But, eventually it should be a highly efficient, highly productive offense.     The question is......   when?

[deedub75]

Didn't we have a pretty good running game the year Peyton threw 49 TDs?  I want the team to play like that, except I want a defense to go along with it!

[BOTT]

Didn't we have a pretty good running game the year Peyton threw 49 TDs?  I want the team to play like that, except I want a defense to go along with it!

Oh, that's all you want lol

[BlueShoe]

  .....Okay I admit it...

 

All winter I worried that we'd obsess on the run and not use Andrew Luck and all the receivers..

 

..stubbornly running into a brick wall on defense..

 

Is it too early to admit I was wrong??

 

47 passes in week one vs. Buffalo in a game where we trailed

 

..vs NYG:  28 passes..33 rushes (in a game where we led) and a couple of them were called passes..

 

.....early snap judgment?   we throw shorter passes but we don't throw less passes..

 

..we throw to the RBs more...

 

Its all good

 

I am not going to hate on you. I took a gamble and drafted Luck (second round) in a new keeper league the other night, because I did not believe we were going to become a run first offense. I think the talk is more about emphasizing the run. We came out last night and ran on some series and passed on others. We might see a good mix as well in the regular season.  

[deedub75]

Oh, that's all you want lol

 

And a great special teams too!  That is all I want. 

[ericdcoltsfan]

The run game requires the O-Line to be in sync and that will tek some time so I won't pass judgement on it just yet.

[Albaby]

I don't understand

What I was trying to say is.  Our defense can only practice on running plays that our offense run when they play 11 on 11.  Otherwise, it's just working on fundamentals.  Oppositely, our offense can only practice on their running plays when they play 11 on 11.  Otherwise, they are just working on fundamentals as well.

 

When trying to improve your running.  You need to practice against a stronger opponent to challenge your skills (and visa versa).  Hense the catch 22 situation.  I hope that Bradshaw can help change the trend. 

[oldunclemark]

Honestly,  OUM.....

 

I think it's way, WAY too early for any of us to know what this offense is going to look like....   the first team has barely played more than 1/2 of an entire game after two weeks....

 

The running game is not even close to what Pep wants.     Not.    Even.     Close.

 

We are a work in progress.   And it starts up front.    The OL is still getting blown up from the middle.   Our C and two guards are getting pushed back.    The ability to run between the tackles is almost non-existant.   

 

This offense is so far away from what Pep has in mind.    I doubt we'll even be close to what he wants by the start of the regular season. 

 

This will be a roller coaster ride....    some fun highs and some scary lows....    But, eventually it should be a highly efficient, highly productive offense.     The question is......   when?

No NCF.....I dont think its too early...to see what we're trying to do..

 

 

..and its still a passing offense.  We cant be a power running team simply because we want to be and we work really hard at it...

 

Mr. Pep will realize that, to win, we have to be a pass first team...because we have an all-pro passer and it would be a crime to take the ball out of his hands 2 of every 3 plays

 

I think its obvious that we shouldnt sacrifice passing attempts and completions for the illusion of balance.

 

But we ran from a lot more formations in the first two swcrimmages...I'd like to see Hilton and Brown in motion...and we throw to backs more... pseudo-running plays

 

But we obviously wont be running the ball 70% of the time...its not what we do and its not what ALMOST anybody does anymore. 

 

That's what I feel good about

[Jason_]

 

But we obviously wont be running the ball 70% of the time...its not what we do and its not what ALMOST anybody does anymore. 

 

 

 

who ever said the colts would be running the ball 70% of the time?  No team runs the ball 70% of the time so I have no freaking clue why you would have ever thought in the first place that that's what the colts would be trying to do.  Do you have any idea what Pep and Luck did at Stanford?  they're play-calling was roughly 55-45 run to pass.  I don't think the colts will reach that type of ratio.  I expect more of a 50-50 or 45-55 run to pass.  

[schwamm]

And a great special teams too! That is all I want.

Picturing Steve Martin in The Jerk...

[GoodLuck]

I like thosr Pep Hamilton press conferences. I see why Dilfer called him a rock star. He has star potential if his Offense looks good of course.