With Braden Smith at RT, will our run game improve?

[ColtsBlitz]

As we know, our offense has been relying HEAVILY on the passing game. Luck had passed the ball over 100 times in the last two games, and the balance on offense just isn’t there. 

 

With Smith playing so well at tackle, will he start next game too? And will our run game improve with another guard on the field? I know Good was also a guard, but Smith has a higher ceiling than Good does. We will need to balance the offense out throughout the season and Reich wants to. Will Smith help us do that along with the return of Castanzo?

[Freenyfan102]

Given the 10 days of practice, I could see why not

[richard pallo]

Smith almost won the RG job in camp.  They want him to be Slaussons  eventual replacement. He just helped out because of Goods loss or Good would have started. .  He did not do well in the preseason games where he played RT that's why they moved him back to guard.  I expect Good to be back at RT.  

[Solon]

Our running game won't improve till Mack gets healthy. Wilkins has decent vision, but lacks explosion. I would've thought Hines would have more explosion, but he doesn't. He has potential, but we need to get Mack on the field.

[Hoose]

I think the better question is when Castonzo returns, will they give the RT job to Clark? He's played decently at LT over the past few games. I expect them to go that route. Smith is a backup for now, and the future RG; the more experience he gets, the better. He'll start when he's ready. He's not ready yet. Good either isn't healthy or just not that good.

[HarryTheCat]

4 minutes ago, Solon said:

Our running game won't improve till Mack gets healthy. Wilkins has decent vision, but lacks explosion. I would've thought Hines would have more explosion, but he doesn't. He has potential, but we need to get Mack on the field.

Mack might be an improvement over the current JAGs at RB, but I don't think he's "the answer" to improving the running game. Like Hines, he's only good for two yards, a cloud of dust, and a wasted down between the tackles. We probably won't have a chance to do that before free agency and/or the draft next year, then hope that Ballard makes some better decisions. 

[MikeCurtis]

I think so

 

He was a decent run blocker in college

 

If we ever get our LT back... and Smith improves to GO ALONG with out improved internal OL, it almost HAS to get better

 

Part of the reason we can get a running attack going IS OL, but when people arent scared of your deep ball, they stack the line to stop the run

 

I think we need to do a few deep balls a game, to keep the DBs a bit more honest and not parked close to the LOS

[Mr.NotSoCreative]

Reich has his work cut out for him here. This is a huge problem, going into week 6, the oline situation is a mess. Is this guy a guard, maybe play this guy at tackle. WTH, injuries sure have played a role and Im not saying we dont have good players because I think we do. But not having a clue where to put them is nonsense. Smith was a guard in college, correct? Natural position, correct? To me seems an easy decision. We dont need all of our oline to be swiss army Haegs. Clark is a tackle. Good a tackle? Now to run game. With Turbin back shouldnt see Hines between tackles too often and I say we use our young, athletic guards more for pulling around edges. Young backs need space. Some time to heal and figure it out and winnable games coming up. Get er did Reich. 

[masterlock]

10 hours ago, HarryTheCat said:

Mack might be an improvement over the current JAGs at RB, but I don't think he's "the answer" to improving the running game. Like Hines, he's only good for two yards, a cloud of dust, and a wasted down between the tackles. We probably won't have a chance to do that before free agency and/or the draft next year, then hope that Ballard makes some better decisions. 

In fairness to Mack (and the other running backs), it doesn't help that the run-blocking isn't there. It also doesn't help that they continually call predictable runs up the middle when they lack the personnel to be effective. 

[Creekside]

The run game and pass pro will not be where it needs to be until the Colts field 5 quality starters on the O-Line. 

 

Good, Haeg, and Clark are back-up quality players. Slauson is ok in pass pro but not ok in run blocking. Hopefully Smith will soon assume his projected role as a quality RG for years to come.

 

The long-term answer at RT is not yet on the team.

[Boiler_Colt]

Smith ws the RT out of necessity. I doubt he continues to start there. Once AC is back, I expect he and Good at tackles.

[Jdubu]

12 hours ago, Solon said:

Our running game won't improve till Mack gets healthy. Wilkins has decent vision, but lacks explosion. I would've thought Hines would have more explosion, but he doesn't. He has potential, but we need to get Mack on the field.

I have to wonder if Hines lack of explosion is because he is concentrating so hard on not dropping the ball after what we all witnessed in his preseason play. So far though, Hines has outplayed what we expected from him after the preseason showing but I think we all expected bigger plays from him in an open field and that has yet to materialize. Of course this was the thought post draft. 

[jameszeigler834]

12 hours ago, HarryTheCat said:

Mack might be an improvement over the current JAGs at RB, but I don't think he's "the answer" to improving the running game. Like Hines, he's only good for two yards, a cloud of dust, and a wasted down between the tackles. We probably won't have a chance to do that before free agency and/or the draft next year, then hope that Ballard makes some better decisions. 

Hines had a few nice runs against the pats so did wilkins but the o-line in terms of the running game has to be better opening running lanes.

[Luck 4 president]

It might improve a little but will still be terrible. I'm calling it right now, we won't have a 100 yard rusher this year. I just don't see it happening with our backs. 

[aaron11]

2 minutes ago, Luck 4 president said:

It might improve a little but will still be terrible. I'm calling it right now, we won't have a 100 yard rusher this year. I just don't see it happening with our backs. 

mack is our only hope for that, but he will need a long run or two to get it

 

it looks like 10-15 carries is the absolute max he can handle and 15 is probably pushing it