And we are now back for yet another NFL season together following our beloved Indianapolis Colts. Let me kick things off by saying that this is probably the least optimistic start of the year I have been a part of since following the team. From every single standpoint, this seems like just a wasted year for the franchise, but because we love the team no matter what, we carry on. Hopefully the players and coaching staff can flip the narrative, winning on Week 1 for the first time in what seems like forever
would certainly help towards that goal.
Zaire Franklin vs. De’Von Achane
There has been a lot of talk about Zaire Franklin this offseason, especially after last year’s ending. To be honest I did not expect him to be back with the team, even more so after we changed defensive coordinators, but he is still the starting linebacker, team captain, and somehow the position managed to get even worse. Last season I believed that the Colts had perhaps the worst linebacker room in the entire NFL, and somehow it got even worse. The only player with meaningful experience is Franklin, and he is not a player I think is good for the team. They will be tasked with covering Jonnu Smith in the passing game, and preventing speedster De’Von Achane from reaching the second level. It will be really interesting to watch how Franklin performs with Anarumo, and if the linebacker position is not as bad as it seems.
Laiatu Latu vs. Patrick Paul
The Dolphins lost their best tackle in Terron Armstead, and now Patrick Paul will be taking over the left side. Last season Paul allowed 15 total pressures on just 229 pass blocking snaps, while Armstead allowed 16 over 501. An offensive line is only as strong as its weakest link, and for the Dolphins that seems to be Paul. Latu had a solid, albeit unspectacular, rookie season, but he has been reportedly among the biggest surprises at camp, and pressuring Tagovailoa consistently is imperative if the Colts are to get the win. It will also be really interesting to watch how Anarumo deploys the defensive line, and what differences there are with Bradley.
Josh Downs vs. Storm Duck
First of all, what a glorious name. I had to double check whether it was actually real or not, and indeed it is. The Dolphins traded Jalen Ramsey to the Steelers, getting Minkah Fitzpatrick back in Miami, and as a result Duck is now the starting cornerback, alongside newly acquired Jack Jones. Logic would indicate that Jones will mostly be lined up opposing Michael Pittman Jr., leaving Downs with a potentially easy matchup, as Duck was not impressive last season when on the field. The young wide receiver has had two productive seasons, even despite having to deal with several different quarterbacks, and is one of my potential breakout candidates this season.
Tyler Warren vs. Tyrel Dodson
There has not been a better linebacker in pass-coverage than Tyrel Dodson, a player I was hoping the Colts would target in free-agency. He never reached that instance, signing a two-year extension to remain in Miami and now fully entrenched as the starter, this will be a tough matchup debut for first round pick Tyler Warren. Dodson is a bit undersized for the position, which could really help Warren on one-on-ones, but Dodson is not only good at breaking up passes but will also be ready to capitalize on any Daniel Jones’ mistakes, as he had 3 interceptions (leading all linebackers tied with Zack Baun, despite playing 250 fewer coverage snaps).
Braden Smith / Bernhard Raimann vs. Chop Robinson
Chop Robinson was a productive pass-rusher last season, and is the Dolphins’ biggest weapon on that front. The Colts have two really good tackles in Raimann and Smith, and giving Jones consistent clean pockets is really important to allow the new starting quarterback to get into a rythm. The rest of the Dolphins’ pass-rushers are not that worrying to me, so the key to winning that battle will be on keeping Robinson in check.
Charvarius Ward vs. Tyreek Hill
Ward was given a ton of money to be the Colts’ new number one cornerback, and he has stated in the offseason that he will be shadowing the opposing team’s star receiver, which in this case is Tyreek Hill. Cheetah had somewhat of a down year last season, dealing with minor injuries and inconsistent quarterback play, but he is still a very dangerous weapon who can take the top off the defense on any given play. Good test for the start of Ward’s tenure in Indianapolis.
