Colts’ Inventory Up/Down: Week 7 @Chargers

Miss me with the game-manager tag, Daniel Jones is a legit franchise quarterback. He does the whole lot inside the Colts’ offense so effectively, hitting all components of the sphere, and this time was lastly correct within the redzone, delivering a floater above a defensive linemen to MPJ to transform on 4th and a pair of, scoring the landing, and in addition placing a ball proper on the cash for Tyler Warren at the back of the endzone. What evokes me essentially the most is that he’s doing this with a preseason and coaching camp the place he was new to town and combating for the beginning quarterback place. Think about his ceiling as he will get used to town and the scheme.

Tanor Bortolini / Matt Goncalves

Each Goncalves and Bartolini struggled in opposition to the Cardinals final week, however they bounced again in an enormous manner on Sunday in opposition to the Chargers, not permitting a single stress all through the afternoon and opening up working lanes that have been extra like highways. Heart and proper guard have been thought-about query marks for the Colts earlier than the season began, however Bortolini and Goncalves have established themselves as the long run starters for the staff, and an enormous motive for the offensive success.

Pierce led the staff in targets for the primary time this season, and confirmed he’s greater than only a deep menace catching passes within the quick & intermediate components of the sphere. I didn’t anticipate him to be this good this yr as I assumed that he benefitted from Richardson enjoying quarterback final yr, and that he would regress with Daniel Jones, however he continues enhancing and is now a should re-sign for the Colts this offseason.

I’ve been very critic of Zaire, each previously and this season too. He performed a tremendous sport in opposition to the Chargers, together with what was a tremendous pass-defense on a ball thrown down the center in opposition to Ladd McConkey. Franklin has performed higher this season, and whereas I nonetheless suppose that the Colts may use an improve on the linebacker place, I’m glad that #44 is enjoying some good ball.

I used to be unsuitable, I used to be actually unsuitable, and Steichen was proper. When Daniel Jones was named the starter I used to be prepared to surrender on the staff. I simply didn’t see the upside, I didn’t see the imaginative and prescient. This offense appears to be like unstoppable. It’s the definition of effectivity, driving down the sphere with ease, you simply by no means know which manner they will go. Situational play-calling, gamemanship, challenges, getting his offensive linemen in house, his use of Tyler Warren… I may go on and on, however there’s a motive why Steichen is the main candidate for COTY.

This isn’t as a result of they struggled, which is comprehensible in opposition to an elite quarterback like Herbert and in opposition to receiving group, however as a result of neither Johnathan Edwards nor Mekhi Blackmon have been in a position to present something to make the Colts consider them increased. Cornerback is a large gap for the Colts. Having Moore again helps, but when Jaylon Jones and Charvarius Ward don’t get better from their accidents at the very least after the bye-week, then the staff must make some strikes on the place, as a result of this proper now just isn’t working.

Badgley missed the extra-point try after the Colts’ first landing of the sport. Each the Packers and the Payments needs to be releasing their kickers within the short-term after their starters return, and each of Lucas Havrisik and Matt Prater seem to be higher choices than Badgley for the time being. We are going to see what occurs, however when you find yourself kicking on your job, any miss would possibly imply your launch.

Ebukam is entrenched in a battle with Kwity Paye and now rookie J.T. Tuimoloau for the opposite edge rusher spot alongside Latu, and whereas each Paye and JTT took benefit of the straightforward matchup on their fingers, Ebukam struggled in opposition to the run and generated only a single hurry in pass-rushing whereas additionally struggling a minor damage. Edge rusher snap counts are value monitoring within the upcoming weeks.

The powerful season continues for Mitchell, as even with Downs and Dulin out for the sport he was not part of the Colts’ offense. He completed the sport with only one catch for 8 yards, and performed simply 5 snaps on the afternoon. With each Downs and Dulin in all probability again subsequent week, there may be simply no path for Mitchell to see the sphere a lot, and his future with the Colts is up within the air.