Grades: Week 15 vs Texans

[Superman]

 

Week 14 grades

Week 15 box score

 

Offense, B-: 69 plays, 331 yards, 19 first downs (9 passing,  6 rushing, 4 from penalty), 5/15 on third down, 2/3 in the red zone, 1 turnover, 23 points; improved start, kind of lost steam in the second half (these grades are practically the same as last week, the difference is in the gameplan)

 

QB: Nice job moving the ball early, with the handcuffs off. Lots of short passes, but mixed in the deep ball. A handful of over/under throws, and a late delivery or two (like the interception). Still needs to make his release point more consistent, maybe a less deliberate wind-up. Even the TD to Whalen wasn't placed perfectly. I like that he pulled the ball down and ran with it several times. The coaches want him to get down earlier, to avoid freak injuries like Brian Hoyer earlier this year, but he wants the yardage. He still didn't really take any hits. Luck managed the flow of the offense very well, getting the ball in his receivers' hands, and hopefully showed the coaches that they can allow the game to go through him. He's also masterful with the hard count, which the Texans seem to be particularly susceptible to. B-, interception could have been costly

 

Backs / receivers / tight ends, B-: 

Running game: This is a strong performance, and it started early because we ran trap plays, something that has worked whenever we've done it. This time, we started with it, and Donald Brown ripped off a long run. Still some poor carries, and some poor blocking, but the backs made big plays on the ground and fought for yardage after contact. I'd like to see a little more decisiveness on some of the straight ahead carries, not that it would make a whole lot of difference, but there's no sense tap dancing behind the line when you don't have the explosiveness to get to the outside. Just take what's there. C+, good running, took advantage of better blocking schemes.

 

Passing game: Given a chance, our receivers, backs and tight ends can gain yardage if you get the ball in their hands. Ran a bunch of quick hitters, screens, a few slants, etc., and put the burden on these fast skill guys to move the ball. And it worked. And then we opened up some windows down the field, with Whalen open up the sideline (he didn't run through the route, and Luck overthrew it), Whalen for the TD, Hilton for 41, etc. Rogers didn't do a whole lot, neither did Fleener, but Fleener drew a big penalty on the second TD drive.  B-, still missing a go-to guy on big downs

 

OL / blocking: I said last week that I can't keep hanging these performances on the line, and this game is the reason why. The line play still isn't great, and in this one, we used tight ends as fullbacks, so the power concepts still weren't working all that well (aside from a carry or three, mostly late in the game). But the trap plays (which is like pass blocking with a power pull) gave us a chance, we sealed the outside a couple times, and these minor adjustments gave the running game some much needed life. Not to mention having Satele on the sideline, but I honestly think these concepts would have worked with Satele just as well. Thornton and Nixon both had some nice blocks in the passing game and the running game, but both got beaten their fair share as well. I thought the tackles were phenomenal in both phases. Doyle and Saunders did okay as well, but neither are great as lead blockers. Still not a good enough unit to power the ball from jump, but the line doesn't have to hold us back as much as it has been. Just have to deploy them better. In all, the makeshift line did a solid job against a really good defensive front. B-, I bumped them up half a grade because we played a guard at center, lost a guard at the start of the game (who was a backup anyway, and played another guard as a rookie

 

Defense, B-: 63 plays, 239 yards, 12 first downs (6 passing, 6 rushing, 0 from penalty), 5/15 on third down, 0/1 on fourth down, 0/0 in the red zone, 2 turnovers, 1 point (adjusted for the safety); strong performance all the way through, but room for improvement

 

Defensive front: The numbers are good, but I didn't think we did a good job against the run. The edges were mostly shut down, but we were soft up the middle. That's scary when we don't have linebackers that get off blockers and sometimes take themselves out of position. If the Texans had a more explosive back (like Jamaal Charles, for instance), some of those carries for 4 or 7 or 9 yards could have been huge gains. The interior guys were getting pushed back and out of the way, and that's unacceptable, as they are the heart of the pass defense. The pass rush started to get it going later in the game, but wasn't really that much of a force earlier on. Mathis beat his man a few times but didn't get home. It took a blitz from Bethea to get to Keenum, although the pressure did lead to the two interceptions. There was some penetration here and there, but not consistent enough. We really need someone else to bring some pass rush, hopefully from one of the linemen. Kind of missing RJF at this point. The pursuit by the backers (and everyone in the front, really) was good, and the tackling was decent. B-, line play was kind of sloppy

 

Pass defense: Not going to get too excited about this, against a young QB with limitations. The guys did a good job, played good coverage, much better than the matchup in Houston. Shut Johnson down, only gave up the one big one to Hopkins, were quick to bring down the receiver after catches. Only about 3.5 yards/pass play, adjusted, which is excellent, plus the two picks (could have been more). Landry with a nice breakup, showing off his range. Davis looked more like a potential shutdown corner again, rather than a burn unit victim. Need more of this. Butler was great, obviously. And the sacks were mostly because of good coverage. B, need to see this on the road against a better QB

 
Special teams: Sloppy coverage on the long kickoff, just missed a couple opportunities to pin punts (Sergio Brown > Josh Gordy). That's it. Vinatieri was 3/3, McAfee was solid, we even got a big punt return, easily the longest return of the season, from that slow, small guy that shouldn't be on our roster. B+

Coaching / playcalling, B:

Pagano mentioned in his presser how much easier it is to call a defense when you have a lead, and it showed in this one. Manusky varied his coverages, let his guys play more aggressive on the outside, and even brought Bethea on a couple blitzes. We played this game the way we started the Bengals game, only we didn't fall apart as the game went on. Given some breathing room and a home crowd, Manusky looks a lot better. Still too much cushion, but it doesn't stick out as much when the tackling is sound. B

 

These are the adjustments, guys. Like Herm said, WE CAN BUILD ON THIS! The gameplan doesn't have to be exclusively short passes, as we saw, but getting the guys the ball quickly opens the game up for everyone. And when we use blocking schemes that make things easier on the linemen, everyone benefits. It even makes the man/power schemes a little more successful as the game goes on. Rather than trying to pound it all game, make the defense chase you a little bit, then once you've worn them down, start firing off right into their chest. Keep It Simple, Stupid. This is the way our offense should be run for the rest of the year. Extra credit for the shovel pass; Pep has some nifty wrinkles in there, I have to admit. B

 

Good job on the challenge. Bad job with the timeouts at the end of the half. Not sure what Pagano was trying to do there, although it wound up not mattering. The fake punt was interesting. I wonder if we'll use it in a more meaningful spot, as we know we can get three yards out of it. B-

 

Game balls:

 

Griff Whalen, it's been a vicious cycle for him this season, from active roster to waivers, to practice squad, back to active roster again. He finally got in the end zone, and had the big punt return to put the offense in great position. He'll probably never have a better game for us, so here it is, while I have the chance.

 

Darius Butler, Pagano talked about how he was a menace in this one, and it's true. Even on the Redding bat down, Butler was in position to make a play on the ball. He dropped another potential pick, and had the two picks of course. The Texans didn't get into the red zone all game long, and Butler's excellent coverage is a big reason why.

 

Robert Mathis Sack Watch: I'm done with this, now that he's broken Freeney's records as a Colt (single season and career, in one fell swoop), and he has the stripsack record (secured earlier this year). He's very unlikely to get the all time record, or even get to 20 sacks, but he's been a monster practically every game, and deserves all kind of praise. Again, I'm exceedingly happy he stayed with the Colts.

 

Next up, @ KC. The Colts have been counted out of this game already. Sounds familiar. This team won the other three games that everyone said they had no shot of winning. With a good gameplan, solid coverage and sound tackling, they have a chance in this one also.

 

GO COLTS!!!

Edited December 17, 2013 by Superman

[Guest TeamLoloJones]

You gave the defense an overall D grade?  I know we didn't play as well as the score would indicate, but that's a little harsh IMO.

[Superman]

You gave the defense an overall D grade?  I know we didn't play as well as the score would indicate, but that's a little harsh IMO.

 

No, I forgot to change the total grades. I copied and pasted from last week. I'll fix it now. Thanks for pointing that out.

[BleedBlue18]

Imo, you was a tad bit harsh on the passing defense. I would've given pass defense an A- maybe even an A. Also, you said you need to see the pass defense on the road against a better team as your reasoning, but I think if you are grading THIS game, future games should be irrelevant. Just my 2 cents, otherwise great post.

[Superman]

Imo, you was a tad bit harsh on the passing defense. I would've given pass defense an A- maybe even an A. Also, you said you need to see the pass defense on the road against a better team as your reasoning, but I think if you are grading THIS game, future games should be irrelevant. Just my 2 cents, otherwise great post.

 

I just don't think they were tested that much in this game. They did well, absolutely, but there were some letdowns. 

[Franklin County]

What a difference a week makes.

[BleedBlue18]

I just don't think they were tested that much in this game. They did well, absolutely, but there were some letdowns. 

That is true... with Foster being out Johnson is really all they had to worry about. I didn't really think about that. And Case Keenum lol

[SkyBane]

That is true... with Foster being out Johnson is really all they had to worry about. I didn't really think about that. And Case Keenum lol

Gameplan for beating Case Keenum:

1) Blitz him

2) ???

3) Profit

He's a bad QB. Probably wont even be on the roster next year.

[Superman]

Gameplan for beating Case Keenum:

1) Blitz him

2) ???

3) Profit

He's a bad QB. Probably wont even be on the roster next year.

 

He's not bad, but he's not good, either. 

[Jason_]

I also think that Butler playing well early on gave Manusky a lot more confidence to call some additional blitzes, especially in regards to the safety blitzes.

[OLD FAN MAN]

 

 

Week 14 grades

Week 15 box score

 

Offense, B-: 69 plays, 331 yards, 19 first downs (9 passing,  6 rushing, 4 from penalty), 5/15 on third down, 2/3 in the red zone, 1 turnover, 23 points; improved start, kind of lost steam in the second half (these grades are practically the same as last week, the difference is in the gameplan)

 

QB: Nice job moving the ball early, with the handcuffs off. Lots of short passes, but mixed in the deep ball. A handful of over/under throws, and a late delivery or two (like the interception). Still needs to make his release point more consistent, maybe a less deliberate wind-up. Even the TD to Whalen wasn't placed perfectly. I like that he pulled the ball down and ran with it several times. The coaches want him to get down earlier, to avoid freak injuries like Brian Hoyer earlier this year, but he wants the yardage. He still didn't really take any hits. Luck managed the flow of the offense very well, getting the ball in his receivers' hands, and hopefully showed the coaches that they can allow the game to go through him. He's also masterful with the hard count, which the Texans seem to be particularly susceptible to. B-, interception could have been costly

 

Backs / receivers / tight ends, B-: 

Running game: This is a strong performance, and it started early because we ran trap plays, something that has worked whenever we've done it. This time, we started with it, and Donald Brown ripped off a long run. Still some poor carries, and some poor blocking, but the backs made big plays on the ground and fought for yardage after contact. I'd like to see a little more decisiveness on some of the straight ahead carries, not that it would make a whole lot of difference, but there's no sense tap dancing behind the line when you don't have the explosiveness to get to the outside. Just take what's there. C+, good running, took advantage of better blocking schemes.

 

Passing game: Given a chance, our receivers, backs and tight ends can gain yardage if you get the ball in their hands. Ran a bunch of quick hitters, screens, a few slants, etc., and put the burden on these fast skill guys to move the ball. And it worked. And then we opened up some windows down the field, with Whalen open up the sideline (he didn't run through the route, and Luck overthrew it), Whalen for the TD, Hilton for 41, etc. Rogers didn't do a whole lot, neither did Fleener, but Fleener drew a big penalty on the second TD drive.  B-, still missing a go-to guy on big downs

 

OL / blocking: I said last week that I can't keep hanging these performances on the line, and this game is the reason why. The line play still isn't great, and in this one, we used tight ends as fullbacks, so the power concepts still weren't working all that well (aside from a carry or three, mostly late in the game). But the trap plays (which is like pass blocking with a power pull) gave us a chance, we sealed the outside a couple times, and these minor adjustments gave the running game some much needed life. Not to mention having Satele on the sideline, but I honestly think these concepts would have worked with Satele just as well. Thornton and Nixon both had some nice blocks in the passing game and the running game, but both got beaten their fair share as well. I thought the tackles were phenomenal in both phases. Doyle and Saunders did okay as well, but neither are great as lead blockers. Still not a good enough unit to power the ball from jump, but the line doesn't have to hold us back as much as it has been. Just have to deploy them better. In all, the makeshift line did a solid job against a really good defensive front. B-, I bumped them up half a grade because we played a guard at center, lost a guard at the start of the game (who was a backup anyway, and played another guard as a rookie

 

Defense, B-: 63 plays, 239 yards, 12 first downs (6 passing, 6 rushing, 0 from penalty), 5/15 on third down, 0/1 on fourth down, 0/0 in the red zone, 2 turnovers, 1 point (adjusted for the safety); strong performance all the way through, but room for improvement

 

Defensive front: The numbers are good, but I didn't think we did a good job against the run. The edges were mostly shut down, but we were soft up the middle. That's scary when we don't have linebackers that get off blockers and sometimes take themselves out of position. If the Texans had a more explosive back (like Jamaal Charles, for instance), some of those carries for 4 or 7 or 9 yards could have been huge gains. The interior guys were getting pushed back and out of the way, and that's unacceptable, as they are the heart of the pass defense. The pass rush started to get it going later in the game, but wasn't really that much of a force earlier on. Mathis beat his man a few times but didn't get home. It took a blitz from Bethea to get to Keenum, although the pressure did lead to the two interceptions. There was some penetration here and there, but not consistent enough. We really need someone else to bring some pass rush, hopefully from one of the linemen. Kind of missing RJF at this point. The pursuit by the backers (and everyone in the front, really) was good, and the tackling was decent. B-, line play was kind of sloppy

 

Pass defense: Not going to get too excited about this, against a young QB with limitations. The guys did a good job, played good coverage, much better than the matchup in Houston. Shut Johnson down, only gave up the one big one to Hopkins, were quick to bring down the receiver after catches. Only about 3.5 yards/pass play, adjusted, which is excellent, plus the two picks (could have been more). Landry with a nice breakup, showing off his range. Davis looked more like a potential shutdown corner again, rather than a burn unit victim. Need more of this. Butler was great, obviously. And the sacks were mostly because of good coverage. B, need to see this on the road against a better QB

 

Special teams: Sloppy coverage on the long kickoff, just missed a couple opportunities to pin punts (Sergio Brown > Josh Gordy). That's it. Vinatieri was 3/3, McAfee was solid, we even got a big punt return, easily the longest return of the season, from that slow, small guy that shouldn't be on our roster. B+

Coaching / playcalling, B:

Pagano mentioned in his presser how much easier it is to call a defense when you have a lead, and it showed in this one. Manusky varied his coverages, let his guys play more aggressive on the outside, and even brought Bethea on a couple blitzes. We played this game the way we started the Bengals game, only we didn't fall apart as the game went on. Given some breathing room and a home crowd, Manusky looks a lot better. Still too much cushion, but it doesn't stick out as much when the tackling is sound. B

 

These are the adjustments, guys. Like Herm said, WE CAN BUILD ON THIS! The gameplan doesn't have to be exclusively short passes, as we saw, but getting the guys the ball quickly opens the game up for everyone. And when we use blocking schemes that make things easier on the linemen, everyone benefits. It even makes the man/power schemes a little more successful as the game goes on. Rather than trying to pound it all game, make the defense chase you a little bit, then once you've worn them down, start firing off right into their chest. Keep It Simple, Stupid. This is the way our offense should be run for the rest of the year. Extra credit for the shovel pass; Pep has some nifty wrinkles in there, I have to admit. B

 

Good job on the challenge. Bad job with the timeouts at the end of the half. Not sure what Pagano was trying to do there, although it wound up not mattering. The fake punt was interesting. I wonder if we'll use it in a more meaningful spot, as we know we can get three yards out of it. B-

 

Game balls:

 

Griff Whalen, it's been a vicious cycle for him this season, from active roster to waivers, to practice squad, back to active roster again. He finally got in the end zone, and had the big punt return to put the offense in great position. He'll probably never have a better game for us, so here it is, while I have the chance.

 

Darius Butler, Pagano talked about how he was a menace in this one, and it's true. Even on the Redding bat down, Butler was in position to make a play on the ball. He dropped another potential pick, and had the two picks of course. The Texans didn't get into the red zone all game long, and Butler's excellent coverage is a big reason why.

 

Robert Mathis Sack Watch: I'm done with this, now that he's broken Freeney's records as a Colt (single season and career, in one fell swoop), and he has the stripsack record (secured earlier this year). He's very unlikely to get the all time record, or even get to 20 sacks, but he's been a monster practically every game, and deserves all kind of praise. Again, I'm exceedingly happy he stayed with the Colts.

 

Next up, @ KC. The Colts have been counted out of this game already. Sounds familiar. This team won the other three games that everyone said they had no shot of winning. With a good gameplan, solid coverage and sound tackling, they have a chance in this one also.

 

GO COLTS!!!

 

good post. posts like this make the forum enjoyable. I like to hear others opinions about their take on what they saw. good job.

[Superman]

good post. posts like this make the forum enjoyable. I like to hear others opinions about their take on what they saw. good job.

 

Thanks.