Ahead of a Thursday Night Football clash with the Denver Broncos, we asked Kevin Hickey of Colts Wire five questions about Indy and Thursday’s showdown. Check out our questions and Kevin’s answers below!
1
If Jonathan Taylor is not able to play this week, what can we expect the Colts' backfield rotation to look like?
It’s going to be tough for Taylor to make the short turnaround. He’s essentially a superhuman so it’s possible. But I’m expecting the Colts to be without him. If that’s the case, expect Nyheim Hines to see more work both between the tackles and through the air. He’s already the change-of-pace back and even though his usage is inconsistent, he’s a threat with the ball in his hands. But if Taylor can’t go, expect the Colts to call up a familiar name from the practice squad in Phillip Lindsay. He’s been with the Colts for most of the offseason and was a surprise cut after the preseason. His lack of special teams work was the reason, but he would see some between-the-tackles work as well. The tandem of Hines and Lindsay would see the majority of work.
2
Speaking of Taylor, he seems to be off to a pretty slow start since Week 1. Why is that -- are defenses just going all in on stopping the run?
Surprisingly, no. According to Next Gen Stats, Taylor is facing a loaded box (eight or more defenders) on just 8.6% of his snaps. That’s the sixth-lowest rate in the NFL. So what gives? The highest-paid offensive line in the league has been vastly underperforming. A new left tackle (Matt Pryor) and a new right guard (Danny Pinter, Will Fries) have caused issues with communication breakdowns in pass protection. They haven’t held up enough to instill confidence moving forward. Then, the established players like left guard Quenton Nelson, center Ryan Kelly and right tackle Braden Smith have all played well under expectations. That also leads to Taylor being a bit more indecisive because he’s not trusting his blocks—for good reason—so right now he looks closer to the player he was during the first half of his rookie season than the one who led the NFL in yards.
3
Do the Colts have any underrated players that Broncos fans should be aware of this week?
Defensive tackle Grover Stewart is always my first answer to this question. Playing the one-technique, Stewart might be one of the most underrated players at the position. The film shows a player who can disrupt running lanes immediately, causing backs to redirect into other defenders. He also has 10 run stops on the season, which is the third most among interior defensive linemen, according to Pro Football Focus. On offense, rookie wide receiver Alec Pierce is starting to come into his own. Even though Parris Campbell is still the No. 2 wide receiver by snap count and routes run, Pierce has been far more productive. He’s recorded seven receptions on 12 targets for 141 yards over the last two games, and with Michael Pittman Jr. seeing a lot of Patrick Surtain, Pierce will need to step up.
4
Does Indy have any notable weaknesses on offense or defense that Indy might be able to exploit on Thursday?
The offense has weaknesses at nearly every position. But it all stems from the offensive line. The Broncos will find it relatively easy to run some tackle-end stunts for success. To put it nicely, the communication along the offensive line has been subpar. Either they’re failing to recognize the stunts and don’t pass off the rushers or they do recognize them but it’s too late. Matt Ryan also has his issues. He has five interceptions and nine fumbles (three lost) through four games. On defense, it’s wise to attack the linebackers in the passing game, especially with play-action. They haven’t fared all that well in that area while slot cornerback Kenny Moore II has had a surprisingly poor start to the season.
5
What's your prediction for Thursday -- who wins and why?
It’s a roller coaster of emotions when the Colts play. For one half, they look like they’ve never played before. Then, they’ll look like playoff contenders in the next half. This team is extremely volatile, and they’ll be down some key players. The issues along the offensive line may be too much to overcome on the road of a short week. It’s going to be an ugly one. Broncos 20, Colts 17.
