This week we are joined by Chris Shepherd of our Colts sister site, Stampede Blue, to help us preview this week’s matchup against Indianapolis.
Despite the lack of (any) preseason hype revolving around the team in Indy due to their quarterback situation, it has somehow ended up being one of their biggest strengths. Daniel Jones is playing the best football of his career and he’s a major player in why the Colts are 5-1.
Before we go to far, let’s go ahead and jump right in! Enjoy!
1.) The Colts have
been ON FIRE offensively behind Daniel Jones and his resurgent season at quarterback. Having Jonathan Taylor running the football helps too, but no team has this level of success without a good quarterback leading the huddle. How has Jones found so much success so soon in Indy? What can you attribute it all to thus far?
The first thing I would point to is just how good Shane Steichen has been. Steichen seemingly has built in an answers for anything a defense throw at Jones on every single play he calls. He’s giving Jones easy choices and wide open receivers, consistently.
Secondly, the Colts offensive roster is really good. The offensive line is probably a top 10 unit, Jonathan Taylor is playing like the best back in the league, Michael Pittman Jr isn’t a superstar but he’s a tough, dependable reciver who consistently makes catches through contact, breaks tackles and gets surprising yards after the catch, Alec Pierce is seemingly uncoverable once he’s 15 to 20 yards down field and rookie tight end Tyler Warren is the most complete, pro ready, tight end i can remember watching. Daniel Jones has been really good this year and he might be the worst starter on the offense.
The third thing is Jones himself deserves credit. My first two points are true, but we saw this offense with guys like Richardson, Minshew, Richardson (again), Flacco and Richardson (again, again) and the rosters were similarly strong with those guys playing QB and it was nothing like this. Jones’ preparation is quickly becoming a story in Indy. Peyton Manning’s film study was the stuff of legend and in the six months he’s been in town Daniel Jones film study habits are already being talked about in a very similar way. It’s possible that the Giants were just so awful from top to bottom, that Daniel Jones was always better than anyone thought.
2.) This team is scoring a lot of points but it also helps when your defense is allowing nearly two touchdowns less than what the offense is putting up. What makes this team so stingy on defense?
I’d love to wax poetic about the construction of the defense the same way I just did the offense but I can’t. The fact of the matter is the Colts point differential is so good for two reasons:
1.) The offense scores a ton of points
And
2.) The Colts have played games this year against the Dolphins and Raiders.
That’s really it. They beat the Titans by 21 points but Tennessee still scored 20 points. Outside of those three games they have a 1 point win (Broncos) a 7 point loss (Rams) and a 4 point win (Cardinals).
3.) If you were Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, how would you attempt to attack this Colts defense? Which matchups/players would you try and exploit?
The first thing to know is the Colts have a really strong interior defensive line. DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart are going to make things tough for my interior offensive line. The next thing to know the Colts are so injured at cornerback Greg Roman probably doesn’t even know the names of the guys who will be on the field for Indy this weekend.
We can’t let Grover Stewart murder Bradley Bozeman on live television but we can’t afford not to double team Buckner, either. With those things in mind I’m dialing up quick hitters with plenty of designed RAC opportunities. Make Indy play tight coverage (they can’t) and make them prove the can tackle after the catch (not as bad as their coverage, but still not good).
4.) If you were Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, how would you go about stopping this Colts offense? Which players would you have to put a cap on early and often?
If I’m Jesse Minter I’m just glad my team is 4-2 and no matter what happens this weekend, nobody’s getting fired. After I finished feeling good about that, I would call the league office and ask for an emergency repeal of the 1978 rule change regarding illegal contact beyond five yards. Assuming the NFL went with my suggestion of rolling that nearly 50 year old rule, I would just load the box and take Jonathan Taylor away, while instructing my corners and safeties to just beat the Indy receivers to death running down the field next to them.
If the league doesn’t repeal that rule, then I hope Ad Mitchell will play a big role and take two different Colts touchdowns away from two really dumb plays (that’s a week four reference), because so far Ad Mitchell fumbling and holding have been the only things that have limited this Colts offense so far.
It’s just so hard to stop. Take away the run? Fine. Cover five good receiving options running routes designed by a premiere play caller, then. Keep the box light to take away those receiving options and the leagues leading rusher will gash you.
The only thing I’d feel good about the Colts if I’m Minter is that Indy slot receiver Josh Downs is going to miss this week’s game with a concussion and Ad Mitchell is likely going to get a lot of burn.
So you know, the Chargers defense might have a chance after all.
5.) Go ahead and give us a few lines on how you see this game shaking out in Los Angeles and make sure to top it all off with a final score prediction.
Justin Herbert is going to have a big day statistically despite being battered by the Colts defensive line.
Jonathan Taylor is going to have a big day running the ball for Indy.
Ultimately I expect to be very disappointed with the Colts defense while the offense scores a hundred points.
Final Score: Chargers 31, Colts 34
