Hold Your Horses

The lucky horseshoe has not been favorable to the Indianapolis Colts. Part of the that problem has been the lack of competent quarterback play. If there are any Indianapolis Colts fans out there who think Carson Wentz is the answer, I’ve got some bad news for you. With that move alone they got worse, but they also had a poor draft besides drafting Kwity Paye. Let’s break it down.

An Offense Slow Out of The Gate

Reports from Eagles insiders said Wentz did not respond well to coaching and deflected the blame a lot for bad plays. They also cite a lack of mental toughness. Is this really the person you want as your QB? Wentz is a bust and will hold this offense back. Watch out for backup QB Jacob Eason. He started at Georgia, got hurt, and lost his job to Jake Fromm. He then transferred to Washington and did very well. Eason is in his second year. This makes the drafting of Sam Elingher in the sixth round from Texas even more puzzling. If he waited on more year, he could have actually had a chance as an NFL quarterback. Now, he’s basically in a Taysom Hill role at best.

Who is the starting running back for the Indianapolis Colts? It’s a crowded backfield with Jonathan Taylor, Marlon Mack, Nyheim Hines, and Jordan Wilkins. They all had their moments last year, except for Mack due to injury. No one emerged as the clear cut starter. Fantasy owners, stay away from this backfield.

But, don’t stay away from Michael Pittman. He is the best receiver on that team. Yes, I am saying that even with TY Hilton on the roster. It is make or break time for the former second pick Paris Campbell. He has barley played due to injury. Mike Strachan was drafted in round seven from Charleston, and likely won’t do much. Jack Doyle and Mo Allie-Cox are back at tight end, which isn’t good. They were not used regularly and didn’t make a difference in the passing game. Both are pretty slow. Look for fourth round pick Kylen Granson from SMU to beat them out. However, more should have been done to address this need.

Work Horses Up Front

The line is in decent shape. The one noticeable question mark is Eric Fisher. Fisher, who is 30, suffered an achilles injury in the AFC championship game. We shall see if he still has what it takes to block the blindside. Quenton Nelson as the left guard is the best of the bunch. Right tackle Braden Smith is only 25 with plenty of upside. Right guard Mark Glowinski and center Ryan Kelly are also getting older and likely will need to be replaced soon. But, the line as chemistry and continuity which will be very important, especially if they want to get that run game going again. Seventh round pick Will Fries could replace Glowinski if he can move up the depth chart. But again, why was a guard not picked sooner?

This Defense is Going To Get Tired

Be ready to see a lot of this defense – in the sense that the offense will be unproductive with Wentz. What I mean is that the defense will get gassed because the offense won’t be very helpful. But, this defense is mostly young. That is very helpful. From left to right on the defensive line, Kwity Paye, DeForrest Buckner, Grover Stewart, and Al-Quadin Mohammad make up a sturdy front. The pick of Paye in the first round from Michigan was odd. He’s great player, but the Colts should have spent the pick on a guard or taken a shot at a tight end to help the offense. Second round pick Dayo Odeyingbo from Vanderbilt will also have to find a role.

Next up, the linebackers. That group is highlighted by Darius Leonard on the weak side. Bobby Okereke is in the middle with Zaire Franklin on the strong side. For those who don’t know, the strong side is where the tight end usually is. Finally, the secondary. Another way the Colts could have used their first round pick is at corner. Xavier Rhodes is not what he used to be. Besides, why go defensive end two rounds in a row? The rest of the secondary is young. Kenny Moore has gone from undrafted with the Patriots to top corner with the Colts. Safeties Khari Willis and Julian Blackmon have become top options even though they weren’t top picks. Shawn Davis, who was taken in the fifth round from Florida will likely be heading to special teams duty.

Wrap Up

None of this matters if the defense gets overworked. The offense needs to hold up their end of the deal. With Wentz, that likely won’t happen. He’ll just be to busy blaming the defense or the weapons around him. So I’ll ask the question again, is this really the person you want playing quarterback? And, will the Indianapolis Colts be successful with him? The answer to both questions is a resounding no.

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