FanPost

Ask A Colts Fan


Greetings Pats fans! I'm stopping over to answer questions about the Colts and chat ahead of the big game in Indy this Sunday. The Colts could pose the last significant hurtle to the Pats getting a 1st round bye; a bye that the Colts would very much like to claim as their own. The Colts have looked stellar at times this season and other times have been hamstrung by some glaring deficiencies. I'll give a run down of the Colts team this year as well as some detail on each side of the ball.

Colts Grade Sheet

Offense

QB: A
RB: B-
WR: A
TE: B+
OL: C

Overall Pass Attack: A
Overall Rush Attack: C+
Overall Red Zone: C-

Defense

DL: B
LB: B-
CB: A
S: D+

Overall Pass Coverage: B+
Overall Rush Defense: B
Overall Pass Rush: B-

Offense

Andrew Luck will be the best QB of the next generation, but he isn't there yet. Don't get me wrong, even now he is just below the elite tier of (Manning, Brady, Rodgers, Brees) but he isn't perfect. There are times when he holds the ball too long trying to make a play. Sometimes this works to perfection and other times it results in a turnover. He is not easily rattled by the pass rush and is still very effective with a cluttered pocket. Even so, the offense is greatly aided when he is afforded some time.

The WRs are probably the best and deepest group on the team. Reggie Wayne is not the threat he once was, but is still an excellent route runner and can find space for himself. TY Hilton has rounded into an all purpose WR and will really pose a matchup problem for bigger CBs (do not try to cover him with Browner). Rookie Donte Moncrief has a tremendous future ahead of him and it is baffling to many Colts fans that OC Pep Hamilton isn't using him more in place of a lackluster Hakeem Nicks. Dwayne Allen is also a valuable weapon in the passing game and is often the lone threat in the red zone outside of Ahmad Bradshaw. Coby Fleener also continue to be used regularly much to the chagrin of most Colts fans.

The running game is not game defining, but is adequate. Bradshaw is clearly the 1A to Richardson's 1B, but this is a case where the total is greater than the sum of the parts. Neither could carry a game on their own, but together they are fairly effective. The OL is opening more holes for them than last year, which granted doesn't say much but it makes the running game at least notionally viable.

Defense

The Colts run defense is about league average if not a little better. Nothing to hang your hat on, but this is a big improvement over years past. Arthur Jones has been hurt most of the year but Ricky Jean Francois has been admirable in relief. Teams have had sporadic success against this unit, but I have yet to see a team sustain a drive solely on the strength of their running game.

The pass rush really struggled the first two games with Robert Mathis out. There is no single player who can generate pressure on his own. However, credit must be given the DC Greg Manusky for dialing up some effective blitzes. As such, the Colts have accumulated a respectable 24 sacks this season. The problem arises when a team can pick up the extra rusher as we saw in Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger didn't have a hand laid on him all night. That coupled with Vontea Davis' injury spelled disaster for the defense.

Speaking of the pass coverage; it has to be addressed in two parts. The corners are amongst the best in the league. Vontae Davis is playing like a top 5 player at the position (don't be surprised if LaFell has under 40 yards this game). Greg Toler is a more than adequate CB2 even if he does draw quite a few penalties. Darius Butler (while useless on the outside) may well be the best slot corner in the league at this point. Spread formations have not typically been effective against this unit. The other side of the coin, is the safeties and ILBs. Oh dear god... they can't cover to save their lives. Mercifully, Laron Landry will not be allowed to start at SS this game as he was the worst offender. Sergio Brown is taking his place, but is really better suited for special teams duty. ILB D'Quell Jackson has been a major disappointment in coverage. They tried to put him on Julius Thomas the first game and the results speak for themselves (7 for 104 and 3TDs). They have yet to cover a decent TE all year and something drastic is going to need to change if that is to improve. There is no secret to beating this defense. Teams that throw outside lose. Teams that throw over the middle win.

Prediction

This is a frustrating game because I think man for man the Colts roster is just as good as the Patriots if not even a little deeper given injuries. However, the matchups are ugly. The Colts need to throw on offense to win. While they may be able to exploit the weakness in the Pats run D to a degree, it won't generate enough points to win. The matchup for the Colts defense is going to be an absolute horror show. Gronk is going to have 3TDs this game. Probably two more for Edelman and Luck will give you a pick-6 in there somewhere. The Colts ability to score points can't be underestimated, but not enough this time. Pats 51 Colts 38.

I'll stop in periodically to answer questions and chat about the game. Good Luck!

The views expressed in these FanPosts are not necessarily those of the writers or SB Nation.