I should start by acknowledging just how foolish my declaration that the AFC was not the same gauntlet that it has previously been during the Mahomes/Chiefs heyday. The rumors of their demise were greatly exaggerated and I helped exaggerate them. The Chiefs, Bills and Ravens all announced their presence with authority last week. The Bills added another big win on TNF. If you count us as a threat, it means that all three teams took down quality opponents. The Texans, Jags and Bengals didn’t disappoint
either, so we may be looking at the Usual Suspects, when handicapping this NFL season in the AFC.
A week’s worth of games sees us with a lot of catching up to do. I am taken back to the courtroom scene in A Few Good Men, when Col. Jessup has had to detail his plans for leaving the base. He tells Kaffee “Please tell me that you have something more, Lieutenant. These two Marines are on trial for their lives. Please tell me their lawyer hasn’t pinned their hopes to a phone bill.” I feel the same about the Colts. Please tell me that there is a plan for better LB play. Please tell me that the entire off-season was not dedicated to one scripted series of plays. Please tell me that there was some truth to how well Walley plays in practice.
At least outwardly, I believe we are being told that changing the green dot from Bynum to a LB will improve the LB play and possibly the secondary’s as well. Less distance for communication to travel and such. I still did not see a Colts player that I would trust stop Kelce from getting whatever he wants in the middle of the field? I’m also not sure that the entire unit will hold up any better against K-9, than they did against Henry.
Then there is the matter of trying to beat the mad blitzer in Spagnuola. Please tell me there is a play to beat the all-out blitz that we will surely see. Actually, I’d hope that there were multiple plays to beat this and that they are called when the situation warrants, not after we see what looks to be 17 guys at the line of scrimmage. If the situation calls for a blitz, you can rest assured that one will be dialed up.
I did think we put better pressure on Jackson last week, than I have seen us show in a good while. Mahomes is just as elusive and you have to stay on your feet, or he’s around you. He will even simulate a pass once he is across the line of scrimmage and make it work. When teams beat the Chiefs, they usually do so with a relentless pass rush, so we not only need to keep him moving, but get him on the ground when in arm’s reach.
Shane, please tell us that if scripting plays is this easy, you will script at least a half’s worth. Getting us off the rails should not be as easy as it was last week. We have to take some shots and if Pierce cant succeed in that role yet, figure out a way to get Downs downfield. Heck, anyone for that matter, but you have stretch the field vertically, as well as horizontally.
Lastly, tell me that the O-line has more tools available. Chop blocks are illegal, but cut blocks are not. Get a guy to the ground and maybe the next wave of rusher has to at least move around a pile of 650 pounds worth of players. You may also get a little line of site for that slant that I am still waiting to see.
You all know me as an optimist and I remain so. I do have some fear that we could look a lot better than we did last week and still come up short. KC in Arrowhead has been as hard as it gets, especially over the last 10 Mahomes years. I’ll be honest, I saw it more achievable before seeing our struggles and watching the Chiefs not be the team ready for a decline. One thing to ponder. Jones 19 – 31, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2 Sacks. Mahomes 15 – 27, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 2 Sacks. Somehow Mahomes is back, but Jones is still injured? One win changes a lot, so I’m thinking we feel much better about Jones after this week.
What are your thoughts on what the Colts have to do to come back to town 1 – 1?
