53 Passing Attempts

[Mr.Debonair]

That is not the recipe to continue the season with. Running game needs to improve Big time. If we have to do that all year, we will be in even more trouble.

[lance_m8]

alot of quick short passes 3 years ago it was 50 attempts all downfield and luck would get knocked down 40 times

[Tsarquise]

We don't have much of a run game. Pass to win. 

[MPStack]

1 minute ago, Tsarquise said:

We don't have much of a run game. Pass to win. 

One day the Colts will find that 4,5 or 6th round RB that grows on trees everyone talks about.

[Flash7]

Collectively, the Colts averaged about 3.4ypc and as a whole were outrushed by just Mixon by himself. Mixon averaged 5.6 ypc.

[ColtsLegacy]

A lot of those passes were essentially runs.

[markabrown96]

O line needs to block better, we couldnt get anything.

[ColtsBlitz]

8 minutes ago, MPStack said:

One day the Colts will find that 4,5 or 6th round RB that grows on trees everyone talks about.

Mack? He’s pretty good

[King Colt]

Luck 39/53- 319 yds.- 2 TDs 1 INT Yes, too many tosses but hollar at Reich for that. If they don't beat Washington next week then it is Philly, Houston, NE ........... 0-5?

[jvan1973]

8 minutes ago, MPStack said:

One day the Colts will find that 4,5 or 6th round RB that grows on trees everyone talks about.

The run blocking is the issue,   not the backs

[NewColtsFan]

10 minutes ago, MPStack said:

One day the Colts will find that 4,5 or 6th round RB that grows on trees everyone talks about.

 

It isn’t the RB...

 

It’s the o-line.    And some of the play calling.     Taking a RB high in the draft is still a few years away.

 

[RollerColt]

2 minutes ago, King Colt said:

Luck 39/53- 319 yds.- 2 TDs 1 INT Yes, too many tosses but hollar at Reich for that. If they don't beat Washington next week then it is Philly, Houston, NE ........... 0-5?

It’s very possible. This was a game we needed and should have won.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

We can fix the running game next draft. We can spend a couple High Draft picks on Guards AND take a RB very late...yeah that's what we should do.....AGAIN. Lol

[aaron11]

i think we would have been better with frank or peterson 

[BOTT]

1 minute ago, aaron11 said:

i think we would have been better with frank or peterson 

I don't get the love for frank on this board.  Old and slow is not going to help the running game.

[VaAllDay757]

11 minutes ago, LJpalmbeacher2 said:

We can fix the running game next draft. We can spend a couple High Draft picks on Guards AND take a RB very late...yeah that's what we should do.....AGAIN. Lol

Nothing wrong with that even tho we were missing our 2 starting tackles and runningback....it's just week 1 calm down

[Aluckiswolverine]

14 minutes ago, LJpalmbeacher2 said:

We can fix the running game next draft. We can spend a couple High Draft picks on Guards AND take a RB very late...yeah that's what we should do.....AGAIN. Lol

I think our guard situation is fixed. Smith will beat out Slauson and start this year. LT and RT are another problem.  

[aaron11]

4 minutes ago, BOTT said:

I don't get the love for frank on this board.  Old and slow is not going to help the running game.

hes not done yet, he had 6 carries for 50 yards in a rain delayed game today 

[Shive]

Wilkins looked great when he had even average blocking.

[sawolfman1]

Did anyone else notice the right tackle go down like he was shot on the fumble return TD? Hamstring or Achilles injury more then likely. So the O-line will be even thinner next week.

[austriancolt]

Well lets face it this roster still has a lot of holes and thats not changing over one offseason. I hope we found with Nelson and Smith our solutions for the guard position and draft a talented tackle with one of our first picks nex year. OL is still a work in progress with Ballard ignoring to spend money on some quality free agents.

[coltsfansince65]

16 hours ago, sawolfman1 said:

Did anyone else notice the right tackle go down like he was shot on the fumble return TD? Hamstring or Achilles injury more then likely. So the O-line will be even thinner next week.

Interesting.....There's only one player on the injury report this morning & it's not our right tackle.

[John Waylon]

17 hours ago, jvan1973 said:

The run blocking is the issue,   not the backs

 

It has literally been a thing since the Bush administration. 

[LockeDown]

Pass blocking is harder than run blocking for most o linemen, so I suspect we will get the running game going soon. But if Luck is able to spread the ball around to every receiver like he did, that’s gold.

[Valpo2004]

17 hours ago, Aluckiswolverine said:

I think our guard situation is fixed. Smith will beat out Slauson and start this year. LT and RT are another problem.  

 

We're ok at LT with Castonzo.  Right tackle will need to be fixed.

 

Makes sense to me to draft a tackle high, let him break in at RT and then when Castonzo slows down it's an option to move him to LT.  Or he could even potentially beat out Castonzo in year 2 and we can flip them.

 

 

[Defjamz26]

I said it in another thread but I’ll mention it again. The running game we have is not going to cut it. I’m not sure if the returns of Mack and Castonzo are going to completely resolve those issues, but we’ll have to wait and see. If not we’ve got to start scouting Jonathan Taylor and AJ Dillon.

[stitches]

IMO the absence of both starting tackles is forcing Reich to go with a quick passing game in the dink and dunk mold - it accomplishes several things - they are usually high percentage passes, which keeps the drives going and generally on pace, it alleviates the pass-protection issues because it doesn't require the OLine to hold in protection for too long, and it doesn't rely on the run game which is hurt by not having one of the best run blocking OTs in the league in Castonzo. Good is pretty good at it too. It also gives Luck time to gradually get into the groove and pace of the NFL rather than asking him to throw bombs from the very start with a shaky line. I'm generally OK with this approach until we can get the injured guys back and get them integrated and adjusted to their new teammates. I think on the whole this is a very reasonable strategy but I don't expect it to keep going like that if the O-line is healthy and able to be better in pass-protection.  

[pgt_rob]

Normally I am 100% in disagreement with taking a RB in the 1st round. I would MAYBE consider it within the 2nd round. However, looking at some of these 1st round running backs, most have made a huge impact for their team right away. If we have another 8 win season or something, maybe look into our options. However, it always revolves back to the main issue, protecting Andrew Luck or finding a monster on defense.

[Smoke317]

What's messed up is that most considered us to be pretty far away from being a playoff contender.  I know that with a healthy Andrew Luck we are ALWAYS a contender.  He's proven that already in his short career.  That being said, a weapon like LeVeon Bell would have been perfect yesterday.  I'm not advocating to trade for the guy unless the Steelers would do it for a 5th or 6th but I'd surely be investigating signing him next offseason. 

 

It would have been nice to have that "Bell" (pun intended) cow back to offset Mixon.  And I'm not knocking our young rookies, they put forth great effort and are learning on the job but I imagine that Bell would have turned some of those catches out the backfield into BIG gainers.  Be interesting to see what Mack can do if he catches one in space with only 1 defender to beat?  His speed would have made a huge difference too.

[Smoke317]

And so much for easing Luck back into the saddle...  53 pass attempts...  Wow.  Like someone said upthread, that's not a consistent recipe for success but it's good to know that Luck can handle the load.  Also, it sure helps that it was a much quicker passing attack.  53 attempts under the old regime and Luck would have been battered from pillar to post.  But let's give Frank some time.

 

He's still learning which pieces are most effective and in what situation.  TY and Doyle got the most targets but I'd like to see it more balanced with Rogers & Ebron getting more looks because soon teams will take TY away and they're gonna find that we'll be more than capable and willing to kill em with all our other weapons...

[Peterk2011]

21 hours ago, Mr.Debonair said:

That is not the recipe to continue the season with. Running game needs to improve Big time. If we have to do that all year, we will be in even more trouble.

 

This is THE recipe to help the running game. Cca 20 of those 50+ passes were essentially run plays, except the ball was not handed over but lobbed/passed a few yards.

 

This is how the Patriots play. This is actually, state of the art, modern offense, I love it. One week you see the QB pass it 55 times, next week - when the opponent game plans for these plays - you run it 40 times down to their throat and pass only 25 times. It needs a good QB, because many of these plays have to be called at the LOS. That is why Brady is sooo freaking effective in it. But Luck has the smarts and all the talents to be as good as any QB. 

 

Honestly, I had my own doubts regarding Reich's promised offense. Not the scheme - it's fine -, but whether he will be as good running it as I / we hoped. Yesterday most of my doubts disappeared. Of course this was only one game. We have to wait until opponents will have enough tape on the Colts, a little doubt remained there, until I see Reich being able to handle opposing game plans. But I am more optimistic about him and this offense than I ever was since he signed his deal in february. This offense will be fine. 

 

[a06cc]

We have RB’s on this roster capable. It’s the offensive line that needs to improve.

[Jdubu]

4 hours ago, Valpo2004 said:

 

We're ok at LT with Castonzo.  Right tackle will need to be fixed.

 

Makes sense to me to draft a tackle high, let him break in at RT and then when Castonzo slows down it's an option to move him to LT.  Or he could even potentially beat out Castonzo in year 2 and we can flip them.

 

 

I’d say the RT spot needs to come from FA next season. I think the offensive side is that close to being complete next year although I will respect others opinion on the need for a high quality 2nd wr, even if I think Cain can be that guy and Fountain can be the 4th wr or maybe even #3 with this coming offseason. 

 

The defense has a bit more work to go though. If this team can’t get a more consistent pass rush, I don’t care if we have 3 Dion Sanders in his prime, we have to generate more sacks and more consistent pressure when it’s 3rd and 10+. Hard to evaluate the defense because it’s a new scheme and so many new players to mesh together so we just have to patient and see what develops over the season. The draft and free agency will plot itself out over time. 

[Rally5]

On 9/9/2018 at 4:26 PM, Mr.Debonair said:

That is not the recipe to continue the season with. Running game needs to improve Big time. If we have to do that all year, we will be in even more trouble.

Where I agree with you, you also have to take what the defense gives you and go with what's working.  In this case, it was the short passing game miss matches our backs were providing. I don't doubt for a second Coach R would agree with you in theory. It was nice to see an effective short passing game we've all been pining for for years!  Remember too, Cincy has one of the best defensive fronts in football.

[horseshoecrabs]

Can we just all agree that the offensive line and whom ever is running the ball need to improve?

 

[MFT5]

On 9/9/2018 at 4:31 PM, MPStack said:

One day the Colts will find that 4,5 or 6th round RB that grows on trees everyone talks about.

 

Jordan Wilkins

[MPStack]

1 hour ago, MFT5 said:

 

Jordan Wilkins

I hope he is that guy, because I’m tired of waiting for an established RB.