My take: Colts Preseason Game

[darrelgreenie]

I had a lot of time on my hands today and watched the preseason game again.

I did a quick breakdown and wanted to hear other peoples opinions.

Here's my humble opinions/oberservation that stood out to me from the game:

Defensive Scheme: Base Cover 2 (man/zone), Blitz, Cover 0, Cover 1/3

I was surprised that we mixed the defense up that much for a preseason game.

I think it makes it a bit harder to evaluate the players when you deviate from the base D. In comparison the Colts played their base Cover 2 with almost no variation. But, I guess the blitzing could have been a response to the overall lack of pressue generated from the D-line.

D-Line:

After Alexander and Golston came out we got virtually zero push up the middle.

I thought that Rob Jackson looked good. He was the quickest of our D-line off the ball. He had one sack and a batted ball. I thought he showed decent burst, good leverage and flashed an inside move, something that Chris Wilson needs to pick up.

I thought that Ryan Boschetti struggled at DT but got some pressure from the DE spot with hustle and bull rusing straight into the QB, but once there it seemed like he wasn't able to control his body enough to make the move for a sack.

Huntley once or twice got good pressure from the edge.

I thought Oshinowo held his ground well.

Linebackers:

K. Campbell looked good, hustled to bring the force on stretch runs and made some tackles with some pop.

It seems like the other backers kept getting caught up and didn't make much of an impact. New LB Fincher showed good recognition and shed some blocks and hit with some pop in limited action.

Gatewood seemed active but didn't make as many plays as he was in postion to make. He may have had the biggest pop of the game in the 3rd quarter when he came up on a stretch run and crushed the pulling guard (#53).

DBs:

I wish our safeties were challenged more downfield so we could get a guage of their help recognition and hash to sideline range.

I thought that Reed/Fox played okay, both made some tackles and missed at least 1 tackle, both had 1 hit with some pop and Fox blitzed effectively once. Neither one was really challanged down field in the passing game.

I thought Westbrook had a good showing. He had tight coverage, broke up a pass, came up quickly to make a tackle on a stretch run.

Smoot and Spring both came up to stop the strecth run and made tackles. Smoot made a great break on a ball in the endzone but dropped the pick.

Tryon struggled. He was in position to make a play on a long pass in man to man but played the man instead of the ball and was called for interference.

Between him and the erstwhile FS Stu Schweigert got toasted in Cover 2 and gave up a TD. I thought that Stu didn't get to the sideline fast enough, but Tryon should have carried the WR longer since there wasn't anyone in the zone under him. But, he did make a few tackles and broke up a pass.

Leigh Torrence had tight coverage. Had nice pop on hit on H-back Robinson. LT made a nice break on a pass quick out to Gonzo from the slot, he almost got a hand on the ball, but made the tackle stopping a first down. He blitzed once from the slot got decent pressure.

In brief duty in the 4th quarter Matteral Richardson quickly read a screen and came up to make the tackle for little gain. Matty Rich showed tight coverage but allowed a catch. He also broke hard on an slighty errant pass and took it to the house for 6.

Horton had a monster game. I thought he was the defensive player that showed the most energy. He always seemed to find the ball carrier and most of his hits had pop; he also blitzed twice for 2 sacks. Horton covered the sideline well on 2 long passes and was between to the sideline once but the WR dropped it.

Offense:

I-Form 2 WR 1 TE/3 WR; Singleback 2 TE 2 WR, 3 WR 1 TE, 4 WR, 5 Wide 4 WR with RB on the line, Zone run blocking/PA

QB/WR looked in sync.

Rock/Mason looked quick and shifty.

WR looked sharp, ran nice routes. Made an effort to block downfield.

O-Line looked strong.

Jasen looked a little rusty and combined with Heyer to give up a sack. Heyer looked like he was having trouble with Marcus Howard's speed coming off the edge then breaking hard inside.

We have a back-up center! Justin Geisinger played well and seemed to control the DT/nose tackle with ease. Rinehart looked like he belonged.

Fred Davis can block. He made several chip blocks on the DE before moving to the second level to get the LB. He was even left alone against the DE twice.

Yoder looks dare i say swift?

Jason Goode bailed out Colt's ricky pass over the MLB head with a nice grab.

Hail!

Opinions?

[ewmartin7776]

WHAT? No Colt Brennen outpouring of his play?

[dfitzo53]

I thought that Rob Jackson looked good. He was the quickest of our D-line off the ball. He had one sack and a batted ball. I thought he showed decent burst, good leverage and flashed an inside move, something that Chris Wilson needs to pick up.

If you're talking about that move he pulled on the tight end, keep in mind it was a backup tight end. I don't see any starting left tackle in the league getting beaten like that by Jackson.

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

WHAT? No Colt Brennen outpouring of his play?

I've got a huge mancrush on Zorn and Brennan

[Thinking Skins]

If you're talking about that move he pulled on the tight end, keep in mind it was a backup tight end. I don't see any starting left tackle in the league getting beaten like that by Jackson.

I buy that for one play, but the guy was doing well for most of the time he was in there, particularly against the pass. Are you saying that each time he did well, it was up against a TE?

[darrelgreenie]

If you're talking about that move he pulled on the tight end, keep in mind it was a backup tight end. I don't see any starting left tackle in the league getting beaten like that by Jackson.

Thanks for the reply.

Robinson is actually the Colts starting H-back. A TE blocking a DE is a common occurance and Jackson made the play to get the sack. Also, I thought Jackson got pressure on more than that one play.

Originally Posted by

Colt looked good.

[dfitzo53]

I buy that for one play, but the guy was doing well for most of the time he was in there, particularly against the pass. Are you saying that each time he did well, it was up against a TE?

No, clearly that's not what I'm saying.

I'm saying that the one time he made an inside move that made someone look silly, it was against a lone tight end.

And to whoever said it was common to leave a tight end alone in pass-blocking duties against a defensive end, that's simply not true unless you have a top-flight blocking tight end. Usually you give the guy help, whether he funnels the guy in to the tackle or has a back assisting him.

Yes, Robinson is their starting H-back, but he's also a first-year player who spent last year on the practice squad.

I think Jackson could provide some nice depth for us, but other than the time he beat Robsinson and the sack that got called back for his offsides, I didn't notice him getting all that much pressure.

[darrelgreenie]

I'm saying that the one time he made an inside move that made someone look silly, it was against a lone tight end.

And to whoever said it was common to leave a tight end alone in pass-blocking duties against a defensive end, that's simply not true unless you have a top-flight blocking tight end. Usually you give the guy help, whether he funnels the guy in to the tackle or has a back assisting him.

Yes, Robinson is their starting H-back, but he's also a first-year player who spent last year on the practice squad.

We essentially agree that Jackson still has more to prove before he gets anywhere on this D-line.

But, dude. Give the kid some credit for making a nice play.

I gotta disagree with you about the TE blocking. NFL TE are often matched up 1-on-1 w/ DE. We commonly have Yoder, Sellars, Cooley block DE 1-on-1.

*Rookie* Fred Davis a 'pass catching TE' made several good blocks, and at least 2 of them were 1-on-1 with the DE. Below is (center of pic) Fred Davis 1-on-1 vs a Colts DE:

HTTR!