Pre preseason thoughts on the team (so far)

[CR91]

This is based on what is going on currently with the team and where I see the team going thus far.

 

Offense

 

-From what I've read throughout training camp, Andrew is having no issues throwing the ball and has been performing like the andrew of old.

 

-The idea of the offense seems to be about focusing on the quick throws and then taking shots deep once we have the defense on their heels, but the formations has been more then two TE sets and has had a lot of bunch formation with the wrs and tes bunched together to create mismatches. There also seems to be a lot of reverses and jet sweeps to hines and cain which tells me there will be a lot of different ways we're going to attack defensives besides just relying on Andrew and the deep throws to hilton.

 

-The running game is as predicted, a lot of backs touching the ball trying to take advantage of different backs strengths in different situations. You have your two grinders in turbin and wilkins, you have your speedster in mack, and you have your overall weapon in hines. What is really interesting though is how much time Christain Michael is getting in terms of reps with the first team. I'm not convinced there is a spot on this team for Micheal, but it is something to watch.

 

-The o-line has stayed relatively the same through out TC with AC Nelson Kelly Slauson Howard. I would be shocked if this isn't the starting oline week 1 as no one is really pushing to start. Smith seems like he still has work to do and Good can't seem to stay healthy as he again has been hurt. Haeg has been all over the line playing on all three spots on the line which will come in handy during the season, but I can't see him pushing anyone to start. Hes our new Joe Reitz. To my surprise, Clark has been given some reps with the second team, but apparently can't even block Turay. I still don't think he'll make the team. Glowinski has a better chance to make the team imo especially with Mewhort retiring. 

 

Defense

 

-Defensive line has been consistenly Sheard Autry Woods Basham, however I do believe this formation will change a lot especially on third down and/or down and distance. For instance, on obviously running situation, I can see us subbing out Autry for Stewart to add more meat in the middle and Simon for Basham for more speed on the edge. For passing situations, I see woods being subbed for Lewis and the colts have actually practiced this type of formation in practice so its something to look at to create a lot of speed on the rush. I can also see a situation where we can try simon and Turay as stand up rushers with Basham and Sheard in the 3 point stand, a single high safety with a dime LB and Autry and Lewis in the middle to create a lot of pressure on a passing situation. 

 

-The LBers have been mostly sub packages with some base. Leonard has already seem to have taken one of the starting spots along with Walker before he got hurt. The SAM seems to be still wide open. IMO the best LBer corp would be Leonard at WILL, Moore at MIKE, Walker at SAM.

 

-CB has been a revolving door working with different formations with mostly Wilson and Desir on the outside and Kenny moore in the slot or moore on the outside and Hairston in the slot. Moore seems to be getting a lot of attention from the coaching staff and Ballard with Hairston maybe out of the starting lineup in the sub packages.

 

-Safety is obviously Hooker and Geathers. There is no competition. They will be starting week one.

[DaColts85]

Michael is getting some looks mainly because for 4 games we will not have Turbin, just my opinion anyways.

 

The o-line will hopefully be strong and healthy this year but I would not be surprised to see Haeg give Howard a strong push for the starting spot.

 

Good points on the defensive side.

[Smonroe]

Good summary @CR91   I think the O is going to be as good or better than it’s ever been in the Luck era.

 

For a lot of the reasons you stated (basically the scheme, and we don’t know the personnel yet) I think the D could be bottom 10 or worse.  We’re counting on speed and penetration, which can work against the pass but is going to get rolled against the run. 

 

The Tampa 2 scares no one, it’s old hat.  I dread a “bend don’t break” defensive approach.  I like the 4-3, it makes so much more sense on fast surfaces, but our D backfield is relying on a healthy Hooker (sorry, I had to laugh) in order to be efficient.  That’s a lot of pressure on a guy coming off an injury.

 

Hope I’m wrong about the D.  

[LJpalmbeacher2]

Team looks rock solid so far and the offense can strike at any time !

[richard pallo]

1 hour ago, DaColts85 said:

Michael is getting some looks mainly because for 4 games we will not have Turbin, just my opinion anyways.

 

The o-line will hopefully be strong and healthy this year but I would not be surprised to see Haeg give Howard a strong push for the starting spot.

 

Good points on the defensive side.

Haag couldn't beat out Good last year at RT.  Now he could beat out Howard.  I don't see that one coming.  

[richard pallo]

I just read a few quotes from Reich on Wilkens.  He was surprised to see how well he could catch the ball out of the backfield and he is "GOOD" at pass protection.  That sounds like a guy who could be our starter and maybe a three down back.  I know we are supposed to be RB by committee but his ability to pass block should bode well for his playing time. 

[a06cc]

58 minutes ago, Smonroe said:

Good summary @CR91   I think the O is going to be as good or better than it’s ever been in the Luck era.

 

For a lot of the reasons you stated (basically the scheme, and we don’t know the personnel yet) I think the D could be bottom 10 or worse.  We’re counting on speed and penetration, which can work against the pass but is going to get rolled against the run. 

 

The Tampa 2 scares no one, it’s old hat.  I dread a “bend don’t break” defensive approach.  I like the 4-3, it makes so much more sense on fast surfaces, but our D backfield is relying on a healthy Hooker (sorry, I had to laugh) in order to be efficient.  That’s a lot of pressure on a guy coming off an injury.

 

Hope I’m wrong about the D.  

Great point about Hooker. He needs to stay healthy. I have a weird feeling our defense is going to be great. I could be wrong. Only time will tell. 

[ColtsGermany]

What I hear and read sounds good. Not in a "we are definitely a playoff contender" good. But promising for the future. For the first time in the last 4 years I see some promising things that are giving me hope. What i like the most is that it looks like the organization seems to have a change of mentality, finally. 

But I'm patient. 

I think 8-8 would be ok if i look at the team as a whole (defense will need to step up). 

[DaColts85]

16 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

Haag couldn't beat out Good last year at RT.  Now he could beat out Howard.  I don't see that one coming.  

How many games did Good sit due to injury? Haeg started all but 1 at RT if I am not mistaken. Good played more at RG than RT so other than opening day I wouldn't say Haeg couldn't beat anyone since he was the starter. Now if he has improved he might give a push to Howard. Especially since the first team line had Howard with the two's and Haeg with the 1's recently. The coaches will let them battle hints why I say he is the only one to give a push for it.

[Bshultz]

I think the offense can compete with anyone. I think the defense will have some growing pains. I think if Basham, Turay, and Lewis can give consistent pass rush, we could be better than expected. 

[richard pallo]

6 minutes ago, DaColts85 said:

How many games did Good sit due to injury? Haeg started all but 1 at RT if I am not mistaken. Good played more at RG than RT so other than opening day I wouldn't say Haeg couldn't beat anyone since he was the starter. Now if he has improved he might give a push to Howard. Especially since the first team line had Howard with the two's and Haeg with the 1's recently. The coaches will let them battle hints why I say he is the only one to give a push for it.

Good was the starting RT opening day and he won it over Haag.  It was his job until he was injured.  Good has his injury issues no doubt but if he can get by those then he is the guy who is going to challenge for the RT spot.  I think Haag has to improve big time to be a starter.  Now they are trying him at center to see if he can handle the backup duties there.  I don't see him as a starter but as a swing backup like Reitz if he makes the team. 

[DaColts85]

1 minute ago, richard pallo said:

Good was the starting RT opening day and he won it over Haag.  It was his job until he was injured.  Good has his injury issues no doubt but if he can get by those then he is the guy who is going to challenge for the RT spot.  I think Haag has to improve big time to be a starter.  Now they are trying him at center to see if he can handle the backup duties there.  I don't see him as a starter but as a swing backup like Reitz if he makes the team. 

Haeg was messing around at Center during OTA's. He is the swiss army knife of the line no doubt similar to Reitz. Good does have injury issues and I have been hopefully for him but that is what costed him the starting spot. Once he was healthy he did not beat Haeg for that same spot. Instead they put him at RG. The competition this yea for the RT spot hopefully is very good (no pun intended). I hope for everyone to feel like they can be replaced at any time.

[Defjamz26]

On 8/3/2018 at 10:39 AM, a06cc said:

Great point about Hooker. He needs to stay healthy. I have a weird feeling our defense is going to be great. I could be wrong. Only time will tell. 

What’s with all the talk about Hooker as if he’s injury prone? He wasn’t injured last year before the ACL. He had surgery at the end of his college season to repair a torn labrum and hernia. Both of which were injuries he played through his final season at OSU.  The ACL was his first injury in the NFL and came from what I thought should have been a flagged hit by a guy who dove straight into his legs on a play where Hooker didn’t even have the ball.

[#12.]

Just based on odds I am hoping the defense improves.  You couldn't possibly change GMs over and over and still have the same defense for 30+ years, right?  

 

At some point....

 

At some point, a GM is going to hit on a number of players.  It has to happen.