All Pass no run Colts too easy to defend against

[JohnnyUnitas19]

I remember when Marshall Faulk  first debut with the Colts  he instantly made the entire offense better just by his presence. We are asking again Luck to make plays to win games with an above average line not a great one  ,No running attack to speak of and a slowing  aging defense....................

 

[a06cc]

Yes we have to find a way to run the football. For years that's been preached. 

[ReMeDy]

I do find it funny though because there were people last game complaining we should just do almost nothing but pass, and now that we did that, here's a topic about complaining we didn't run enough. I'm glad I'm not a head coach in times like this!

[GoColtsWin]

It seemed they were trying to set up the run game with the passing game first this week, which is what some were asking for after last week. 

[luv_pony_express]

With Luck usually having about a quarter of a second to distribute the ball, I couldn't figure out why we were constantly going downfield.

 

We don't have the kind of pass protection to do that -- and certainly not against a pass rush like the Broncos have.

 

Yeah, we need to find a ground game.  But what's that require?  Oh yeah, a decent offensive line.  Instead, we have a line that isn't decent...it's just offensive.

[Indi Warrior]

Personally the only problem I had with the play calling today was the number of down the field plays called. I like being an aggressive ariel threat, but our recievers have a lot of talent to work with in the YAC department. But I liked the way we set up the run with the pass as opposed to forcing a 1 and 2 yard run to start out every drive.

[Ja'Crispy]

The problem is when you are playing from behind, running the ball goes out the window. Now, we didn't fall behind by much against Denver like we did against Detroit, but with our line and that defense running the ball just was not working very well. 

 

Kudos to AC with his block on the toss to Turbin though. That was a very good run play. 

[luv_pony_express]

12 minutes ago, Ja'Crispy said:

The problem is when you are playing from behind, running the ball goes out the window. Now, we didn't fall behind by much against Denver like we did against Detroit, but with our line and that defense running the ball just was not working very well. 

 

Kudos to AC with his block on the toss to Turbin though. That was a very good run play. 

 

You're right that we never really fell behind by much -- not on the scoreboard, anyway.  So that couldn't have been the reason we kept going downfield.

 

I was hoping we'd spread the field open and hit quickies in the flat or dump to RBs out of the backfield.  This would clearly help counter their penetration.  The best play of the game was the pass to Gore.  But I can't recall another time he was targeted.

 

There's a reason our rushing game has been near the bottom of the league for some time: it takes a good offensive live to open holes.  Our line, meanwhile, always seems to be playing a yard or two behind the line of scrimmage.

[Smoke317]

Why don't we give Turbin more carries?  Gore is old. Still runs well between the tackles but he missed some big holes that a back with more burst (like Turbin) could turn into 10-20 or more yard runs. It's time for Gore to share those carries. 

[Myles]

7 hours ago, Smoke317 said:

Why don't we give Turbin more carries?  Gore is old. Still runs well between the tackles but he missed some big holes that a back with more burst (like Turbin) could turn into 10-20 or more yard runs. It's time for Gore to share those carries. 

Big holes?   

[lollygagger8]

Turbin and Gore need to have more of an even pitch count. 

 

[csmopar]

10 hours ago, GoColtsWin said:

It seemed they were trying to set up the run game with the passing game first this week, which is what some were asking for after last week. 

 

10 hours ago, ReMeDy said:

I do find it funny though because there were people last game complaining we should just do almost nothing but pass, and now that we did that, here's a topic about complaining we didn't run enough. I'm glad I'm not a head coach in times like this!

out of likes (somehow, i hadnt liked anything yet) but I agree fully.  Carolina didn't run on this denver D either.  This is a very very very elite D we played yesterday.  

[crazycolt1]

11 minutes ago, csmopar said:

 

out of likes (somehow, i hadnt liked anything yet) but I agree fully.  Carolina didn't run on this denver D either.  This is a very very very elite D we played yesterday.  

[Kyle]

13 hours ago, Ja'Crispy said:

The problem is when you are playing from behind, running the ball goes out the window. Now, we didn't fall behind by much against Denver like we did against Detroit, but with our line and that defense running the ball just was not working very well. 

 

Kudos to AC with his block on the toss to Turbin though. That was a very good run play. 

I'm pretty sure it was a DB he blocked on that play.  It's sad that we are complementing and excited that our star LT actually blocked a tiny DB.

 

Our oline will not be fixed until AC is moved to RT and we get us a franchise LT

[PeterBowman]

4 hours ago, csmopar said:

 

out of likes (somehow, i hadnt liked anything yet) but I agree fully.  Carolina didn't run on this denver D either.  This is a very very very elite D we played yesterday.  

yeah this D hasn't missed a beat from last year and they were only a few spots of legendary. Getting anything at all against them is extremely difficult. Look at TN, they barely scored against Detroit but the Colts moved at will the last 65% of the game.

[coltsfanatic24]

We have the personnel of a pass first team. Luck should be in 4 to 5 WR sets to open up the game. The defense needs to be spread out to open up the run game. The problem is were trying to run the ball when the O-line can't run block. We're very predictable in the sets when running the ball. We can still run the ball but we have to do it when the defense doesn't know it's coming. I want to see more runs out of shotgun after 3 or 4 completed passes. 

[krunk]

10 minutes ago, coltsfanatic24 said:

We have the personnel of a pass first team. Luck should be in 4 to 5 WR sets to open up the game. The defense needs to be spread out to open up the run game. The problem is were trying to run the ball when the O-line can't run block. We're very predictable in the sets when running the ball. We can still run the ball but we have to do it when the defense doesn't know it's coming. I want to see more runs out of shotgun after 3 or 4 completed passes. 

I somewhat agree with this assessment

[ReMeDy]

17 hours ago, GoColtsWin said:

It seemed they were trying to set up the run game with the passing game first this week, which is what some were asking for after last week. 

 

I don't mind the approach, but they could have done a better job of it. I feel like Luck takes a while to warm up though, so they should have done screens and more out-routes to open up the run game that way, as opposed to all the intermediate routes.

[GoColtsWin]

1 hour ago, ReMeDy said:

 

I don't mind the approach, but they could have done a better job of it. I feel like Luck takes a while to warm up though, so they should have done screens and more out-routes to open up the run game that way, as opposed to all the intermediate routes.

You'll get no arguments to this. Frustrating to say the least, because they have the personnel to do this IMO. 

[JPFolks]

21 hours ago, GoColtsWin said:

It seemed they were trying to set up the run game with the passing game first this week, which is what some were asking for after last week. 

This.....

 

Our team isn't good enough to run first opening up the passing game.  We're not even good enough to be balanced.  Our only shot, at this time, is to pass the running game open, and to a small extent they did a little of that Sunday, but that D was so brutal that we simply were not good enough, especially without Moncrief, to scare them in the pass game.   No one could get open fast enough before Luck had to throw or get creamed. 

[Clem-Dog]

I agree that we need to open up the running game with the passing game.  The problem lies in the fact that at the beginning of games our running game is very, very predictable.  

 

This offense needs to develop a sense of urgency to score on every drive while becoming more unpredictable.

 

Unfortunately, Pagano seems to react to the competition instead of enforcing his team's will.  Those who react are easiest to predict.

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy 

[Smoke317]

13 hours ago, Myles said:

Big holes?   

Yes there were a couple runs where Gore simply plowed into the line where there was a cutback lane that opened to his right big enough to drive a Mini Cooper through on one play...  Lol. Even after the play they showed him watching the Jumbotron after the play and getting upset about it. On that play Gore was assured a 10 yard run minimum. A quicker back like Turbin may have turned it into more.  Only takes a run or two like those to change a game. You break off a run or two into the 2nd and 3rd level of the defense and then your play action passes work because you can influence the linebackers & safeties. Sure worked with Peyton and Edge. 

[Myles]

That is part of the issue.   The O-line opens up holes so infrequently that you get mad when you miss the 1.  

[Defjamz26]

18 hours ago, coltsfanatic24 said:

We have the personnel of a pass first team. Luck should be in 4 to 5 WR sets to open up the game. The defense needs to be spread out to open up the run game. The problem is were trying to run the ball when the O-line can't run block. We're very predictable in the sets when running the ball. We can still run the ball but we have to do it when the defense doesn't know it's coming. I want to see more runs out of shotgun after 3 or 4 completed passes. 

Not only that but we have no threat in the backfield. I know people will say Gore almost had 1,000 yards last season but didn't because of the line but he's still on the wrong side of 30 and doesn't have any juice left. Let's hope they draft a better back next year.