This is my first time really paying attention to Thornton

[Coffeedrinker]

He is impressive... very quick for his size, strong, understands his assignments, great position awareness.    I think the Colts found their starting RG.

 

I'm glad to see it because between Justice, Satele, and McGlynn I was beginning to think that Grigson has not idea how to pick good lineman.

 

Maybe he doesn't, maybe he let Gilbert have the primary say.

[austriancolt]

Decent first game for him after he missed several weeks with an injury

[GoodLuck]

Now when can we see Holmes?

[HtownColt]

Now when can we see Holmes?

Think they said he was a week behind Thornton, he practiced Thursday by the way

[PrincetonTiger]

He played really well tonight

[coltsdan]

he looked good tonight, good movement

[schwamm]

He looked very solid, but tripped up and blew coverage on Kruger, leading to pressure on Luck and his one pick. Overall, a very strong first appearance.

[Dark Superman]

Very strong first appearance.. He was even in there against starting material which is also promising. I'm going to be sold on this kid if he keeps playing like this.

[NewEra]

Looked really good!

[Smonroe]

Agreed, he's the future.

For what it's worth, Reitz did okay too.

[NewEra]

Agreed, he's the future.

For what it's worth, Reitz did okay too.

I thought so too. Didn't miss a beat when castanzo went out. Shows good potential depth.

[coltsfanatic24]

He looked great tonight, quick for a guy that's 320lbs.

[cbear]

I would replace Mcglynn right now and stick Thornton in there.  Even with a couple mistakes, he looked better than MM.

[markabrown96]

Liked his footwork. Tossing people around as well

[BOTT]

Loved this part of his scouting report from Scouts Inc:

Toughness 1 Aggressive mauler that blocks to the whistle and can get under defender's skin but doesn't appear to be a hothead prone to personal foul calls. Always looking for someone to hit and uncoils on linebackers at the second level. Looks to deliver kill shot when ever gets a chance to blind side defender in space or help guard out when no one comes to him in pass protection.

[Dark Superman]

Plus the dude is wearing 69..who can miss that?

[throwing BBZ]

Loved this part of his scouting report from Scouts Inc:

Toughness 1 Aggressive mauler that blocks to the whistle and can get under defender's skin but doesn't appear to be a hothead prone to personal foul calls. Always looking for someone to hit and uncoils on linebackers at the second level. Looks to deliver kill shot when ever gets a chance to blind side defender in space or help guard out when no one comes to him in pass protection.

 

He pulled very well, stayed in front of his man well in the pass, run blocked well, was alert to pick up the blitz & helped the man next to him very alertly.

One of the best Rookie pre-season O-Line performances i can remember. I think? ;)

 

We need to find a buyer for McGlynn ASAP.

[BronxColtNYC]

He pulled very well, stayed in front of his man well in the pass, run blocked well, was alert to pick up the blitz & helped the man next to him very alertly.

One of the best Rookie pre-season O-Line performances i can remember. I think? ;)

We need to find a buyer for McGlynn ASAP.

Buyer? I say we just leave him at a rest stop on the way to Cincinnati.

[NewColtsFan]

Buyer? I say we just leave him at a rest stop on the way to Cincinnati.

 

While it's not a slam dunk,  the likelihood is, McGlynn makes the team.....   if, for no other reason, that he can play both guard positions and center if need be....    that alone have value to a team.

 

Linkenbach plays multiple positions and so does Reitz....   all of that helps a team over the course of a 16-game season.

[RomanianColtsFan]

Loved this part of his scouting report from Scouts Inc:

Toughness 1 Aggressive mauler that blocks to the whistle and can get under defender's skin but doesn't appear to be a hothead prone to personal foul calls. Always looking for someone to hit and uncoils on linebackers at the second level. Looks to deliver kill shot when ever gets a chance to blind side defender in space or help guard out when no one comes to him in pass protection.

I actually noticed one of those qualities today when he didd't have any man to block and went ahead and found an unblocked linebacker and put his hands in him.

[GoColts8818]

After watching him tonight I would start him over McGlynn.  Even if Thornton doesn't play great I think he would at least be as good if not better than McGlynn has been for them and you get the upside of him being able to grow into the job with valuable playing time.  With that said tonight was one game so I am sure the coaches will look at everything in front of them but I am not going to be shocked if Thornton starts week one vs. the Raiders. 

[GoColts8818]

While it's not a slam dunk,  the likelihood is, McGlynn makes the team.....   if, for no other reason, that he can play both guard positions and center if need be....    that alone have value to a team.

 

Linkenbach plays multiple positions and so does Reitz....   all of that helps a team over the course of a 16-game season.

I agree as much as the fans might dislike McGlynn I don't think he's going to go from starter to cut over the course of four weeks.  I think Thornton should start unless he just doesn't have the offense down to the point it limits the play calls but I don't think that will be an issue but I could be wrong.  However, I think McGlynn is at worst going to be his back up.  They need Reitz at left tackle with Castonzo's injury concern for the time being, Thomas is going to start at left guard and Link will probably be the general back up there as well as right tackle.  Take two spots for Satele and Holmes at center plus CG and that gets you to eight o-lineman without McGlynn.  I don't think two more guys have proven to be better than McGlynn as this point and more importantly I am not sure if anyone else has really stepped up enough at right guard to take his job completely. 

 

I am not high on McGlynn but I am trying to be realistic here and I am also not going to let the fact that I don't care for McGlynn as a player influence who I think our best guys are.  Right now, I think McGlynn is probably one of our nine best o-lineman still.  The good news I don't think he's one of our five best lineman anymore like last year which is a step in the right direction. 

[Superman]

He looked very solid, but tripped up and blew coverage on Kruger, leading to pressure on Luck and his one pick. Overall, a very strong first appearance.

 

That was a weird play. It looked to me like Thornton was pulling to the left side as a part of the backside play fake. The play was similar to Spider Y Banana, with that little variation.

 

Thornton did trip, but I don't think he was going to block Kruger either way. Kruger would have had that pressure even if Thornton had stayed on his feet. That's what it looked like to me. 

 

I do agree, however, that Thornton played well. A couple of mistakes, just got beat a couple other times, but for his first action, he was good. Better than McGlynn, even if I grade Thornton like a veteran.

[Sova!]

[UKColt13]

He looked real good tonight. Big, quick, smart. My three favourite words when it comes to scouting.

He certainly put in a big claim to start next week. And put McGlynn on notice...

[schwamm]

That was a weird play. It looked to me like Thornton was pulling to the left side as a part of the backside play fake. The play was similar to Spider Y Banana, with that little variation.

Thornton did trip, but I don't think he was going to block Kruger either way. Kruger would have had that pressure even if Thornton had stayed on his feet. That's what it looked like to me.

I do agree, however, that Thornton played well. A couple of mistakes, just got beat a couple other times, but for his first action, he was good. Better than McGlynn, even if I grade Thornton like a veteran.

If you've reviewed the play, I'll defer to you on this. And I certainly am not intending any of this as a knock in a guy experiencing his first ever NFL start.

What I saw on the previous couple plays, though, was Thornton engaging the DE with Satele, then slide over to help Cherilus. On the pick play, it looked, in live action, as if Thornton was lined up too far outside, that he tripped trying to get back to the correct spot, after the snap, to engage the DE.

I then thought I saw Cherilus move to his left in response to seeing Thornton go down, losing his proper position to deal with Kruger.

But that was just an impression from live action.

[Superman]

If you've reviewed the play, I'll defer to you on this. And I certainly am not intending any of this as a knock in a guy experiencing his first ever NFL start.

What I saw on the previous couple plays, though, was Thornton engaging the DE with Satele, then slide over to help Cherilus. On the pick play, it looked, in live action, as if Thornton was lined up too far outside, that he tripped trying to get back to the correct spot, after the snap, to engage the DE.

I then thought I saw Cherilus move to his left in response to seeing Thornton go down, losing his proper position to deal with Kruger.

But that was just an impression from live action.

 

I did review it, but it's the first time I can remember us running anything resembling that play, so I'm not sure how it's supposed to be run. If they want the play side guard to pull to the backside as a part of the play fake, then I'm sure we'll see that the next time we run that play. If not, then it's just Thornton tripping up.

 

Like I said, I thought the play was a little weird. Some plays are designed to bring the defensive end in unblocked, like a screen or a read option. That could have been the case. Really, the play still should have worked, if Havili had made the catch, but the pressure did get in on Luck a little faster than he expected.

[Gavin]

Buyer? I say we just leave him at a rest stop on the way to Cincinnati.

He is familiar with Cincy ya know...since they also let him go

[Gavin]

That was a weird play. It looked to me like Thornton was pulling to the left side as a part of the backside play fake. The play was similar to Spider Y Banana, with that little variation.

 

Thornton did trip, but I don't think he was going to block Kruger either way. Kruger would have had that pressure even if Thornton had stayed on his feet. That's what it looked like to me. 

 

I do agree, however, that Thornton played well. A couple of mistakes, just got beat a couple other times, but for his first action, he was good. Better than McGlynn, even if I grade Thornton like a veteran.

Looked like to me Thorntons right foot tripped over Sateles feet, It looked like Lucks first read was to Wayne then Cunningham before he threw it to Havili, either way I dont think he thought Kruger would be on him that fast and Havili has to catch that pass, it was coming in hot but not THAT hot, good play call just poor execution

[HarassedOffTheSite]

I would replace Mcglynn right now and stick Thornton in there. Even with a couple mistakes, he looked better than MM.

This

[lollygagger8]

Thornton is a tank. I could not believe he could move like that for a guy his size. Paint me pleasantly surprised.  

 

 

I would start Thornton in front of McGlynn all day everyday, but McGlynn will still make the cut. Period. As bad as he is at guard, I do remember him playing center decently when called upon. 

[mvbighead]

He is impressive... very quick for his size, strong, understands his assignments, great position awareness.    I think the Colts found their starting RG.

 

I'm glad to see it because between Justice, Satele, and McGlynn I was beginning to think that Grigson has not idea how to pick good lineman.

 

Maybe he doesn't, maybe he let Gilbert have the primary say.

 

Only comment I will make to this is that Grigson didn't have much of a choice on those three.  They were all cheap and fit the puzzle pieces that we needed to get by.  It's pretty evident with Justice already being gone, Thornton being drafted, and Holmes being drafted.  All in all, it is shaping up that those three stop gaps will be replaced sooner or later.

[YOUR GM]

Only comment I will make to this is that Grigson didn't have much of a choice on those three.  They were all cheap and fit the puzzle pieces that we needed to get by.  It's pretty evident with Justice already being gone, Thornton being drafted, and Holmes being drafted.  All in all, it is shaping up that those three stop gaps will be replaced sooner or later.

 

 

And by "stop gaps" you mean, "they had a pulse," right? Because they for **** sure didn't keep Luck from taking numerous hits or open up any run lanes. Could've signed the fattest person standing outside of Lucas Oil and had relatively the same result, and for a lot cheaper price

[mvbighead]

And by "stop gaps" you mean, "they had a pulse," right? Because they for **** sure didn't keep Luck from taking numerous hits or open up any run lanes. Could've signed the fattest person standing outside of Lucas Oil and had relatively the same result, and for a lot cheaper price

 

Nah, actually a good amount of that had to do with scheme.  Arians wanted to throw deep, and often.  I am not at all saying these guys were good.  Just that they were better than some of the guys we had.

[YOUR GM]

Nah, actually a good amount of that had to do with scheme.  Arians wanted to throw deep, and often.  I am not at all saying these guys were good.  Just that they were better than some of the guys we had.

 

I agree wholeheartedly that Arians demanding (and predictable) scheme was a big part to blame for their overall ineffectiveness last year, but they really don't seem to be doing that much better under a more sensible scheme so far this season either. I think the truth is, they're being asked to do more than their limited talent allows of them. They're backups posing as starters

[Superman]

Looked like to me Thorntons right foot tripped over Sateles feet, It looked like Lucks first read was to Wayne then Cunningham before he threw it to Havili, either way I dont think he thought Kruger would be on him that fast and Havili has to catch that pass, it was coming in hot but not THAT hot, good play call just poor execution

 

It was a misdirection play, so it's hard to tell. But either way, I'm sure the plan wasn't for the RG to wind up on his butt after the snap.

[NewEra]

I agree with Thorton looking a real good as soon to be starting rg. But why wouldn't we keep mcglynn as a versatile back up? He would be a good back up at least.

[Jason_]

I agree with Thorton looking a real good as soon to be starting rg. But why wouldn't we keep mcglynn as a versatile back up? He would be a good back up at least.

 

Exactly...Mcglynn isn't going to go from starter to cut while the guys who were backing him up are still on the roster. lol 

[Coffeedrinker]

Agreed, he's the future.

For what it's worth, Reitz did okay too.

I thought Reitz looked okay at LT, but he is still somewhat scary there, IMO his feet are kind of slow.  But at least this line is starting to look like they have some good starters and some decent depth, that is not something the Colts have had since CJ was the primary back-up at all positions except center.

[Gavin]

I thought Reitz looked okay at LT, but he is still somewhat scary there, IMO his feet are kind of slow.  But at least this line is starting to look like they have some good starters and some decent depth, that is not something the Colts have had since CJ was the primary back-up at all positions except center.

 

Castonzo is the one with the slow feet i think