Week 1 Pregame Discussion - Bolts 6.5 Favorites vs Colts

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  • Fleet
    TPB Founder
    • Jun 2013
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    • Cardiff - Poipu
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    Week 1 Pregame Discussion - Bolts 6.5 Favorites vs Colts

    Lets get this started. I also like to see what fans from our opponents are saying. From other forums. Ill try to get some of that when im not so busy moving.

  • jamrock
    lawyers, guns and money
    • Sep 2017
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    #2
    Our run d better be on point. Colts OL vs Bolts DL will be a big story in the game

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    • Critty
      Dominate the Day.
      • Mar 2019
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      #3
      I wouldn't sleep on Colts having a bad year just because Luck retired.

      They have a good defense.

      Brissett in limited starts for his career, 17 total has not thrown a lot of TDs with 13, but he isn't throwing a lot of INTs either with 7. I think Reich and him can do well together.

      And of course the whole team will want to prove to doubters they are more than just 1 player.

      I'm taking Chargers in a close game 23-17.

      Who has it better than us?

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      • sonorajim
        Registered Charger Fan
        • Jan 2019
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        #4
        I have to agree about run D. Always important, perhaps more so now vs a good- very good team that has just lost their top QB.
        I'm excited to see the 2019 Chargers! We haven't seen our starting teams or schemes yet with Lynn holding out vets with 4 yrs or more in PS games, for the most part.
        Lat's start with the "W"!

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        • Fleet
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          #5
          Yeah they were considered a top 5 team prior to Luck retiring. I wanted the Bolts to trade for Brisset a couple years ago. I like him this year behind that OL.

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          • Fleet
            TPB Founder
            • Jun 2013
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            #6
            Colts forum Pre Game Discussion.

            ​​​​​​https://forums.colts.com/topic/62992...s-predictions/

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            • Xenos
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              • Feb 2019
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              #7
              This feels like such a trap game. We should win handily with Luck out, but that Colt D is underrated and Brisset is pretty decent. I'm Reich wants revenge as well. Not to mention that he uses a similar offense to ours. If we win, it'll be our first opening day win since 2015. We will also probably not be given credit since it was a Luckless team. But I don't care. I just want the win with no injuries.

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              • Xenos
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                • Feb 2019
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                #8
                Some info about Brisset. He'll be better than 2017 since he now has better OL, better weapons, and most importantly time and first team reps compared to 2017.
                The 2019 NFL season starts in less than two weeks, and Indianapolis is trying to maintain a sense of normalcy after Andrew Luck announced his retirement. But what does that new normal look like? For now, Jacoby Brissett is a large piece of it. Also, Jason Witten’s advice for Rob Gronkowski, what Josh Allen was up to this offseason, the NFL’s field surface struggles and more.

                The Colts like Jacoby Brissett. And like him more than most people do, in the same sort of way the Seahawks quickly took to Wilson once they got him in their building. That's not to say that Brissett is Wilson, but just that it's easier to move forward with a player in which you have confidence. Ballard told me he saw Brissett a starting-caliber player when he dealt Philip Dorsett to New England to get him in 2017.

                "We saw a big, strong-armed young quarterback, who was a good athlete, who'd started some games and won one when [Tom] Brady was suspended for the four games," Ballard says. "He won a big Thursday night game against Houston, when they adjusted the offense to him. And he played with poise. We thought late in the [2017] preseason, he'd played pretty well. We liked him coming out of college, we'd done him in Kansas City, liked the leadership traits that he had.

                "So we knew there was upside with him. And he still had three years left on his deal. Worst-case scenario, when Andrew got back [from his injury layoff], we were going to have two really good players at the position."

                Brissett wound up starting 15 games for the Colts in fall of 2017, with Luck on the shelf, and that only bolstered Ballard's initial evaluation.

                "We weren't very good either," Ballard says. "But that kid played with poise all year. He had some rough games in terms of taking hits. ... But he kept us in games."

                The Colts won't ask Brissett to be Luck. Wilson had fewer than 25 pass attempts per game as a rookie in 2012, and just slightly more during the 2013 title season. Meanwhile, coordinator Darrell Bevell used his mobility to juice a run game spearheaded by Marshawn Lynch. That worked, and the Colts think an offense adjusted to what Brissett does well can too.

                "Frank and the offensive staff are really good at playing to the strengths of whoever is playing--not only at running back or wideout or on the offensive line, but also at quarterback," Ballard says. "And I think you just look at Frank's history. He's been able to do that,and adjust and change and make it work for other players and that's what he'll do with Jacoby."

                The Colts don't need Brissett to be Luck. Again, Indy's got reason to feel good about the team it's put together. Guard Quenton Nelson and linebacker Darius Leonard were the first rookies to make first-team All-Pro as teammates since Gayle Sayers and Dick Butkus did it in the 1960s. There are other starters in their class (Tyquan Lewis, Braden Smith). There's optimism the 2019 class could be almost as good.

                As Ballard sees it--and as was the case with Wilson in Seattle--the youthful makeup of the team's core should alleviate some of the mountainous pressure that just got thrust on to his new, 26-year-old starting quarterback, while giving him the chance to grow up with the group.

                "The roster's young, I'll say that," Ballard says. "I wouldn't say we're peaking all of a sudden. ... Look, I think every year you're working on the roster. Now, are we excited about our team? Yes, we are. We do think we've upgraded the talent here the last two years. We've got a very good football team. You're talking about a 10-6 team that went on the road and won a playoff game.

                "We're excited. We're still excited about the future. That has not changed."
                WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE COLTS' STARTING QB

                Given the sudden importance of Brissett, I figured it'd make sense to round up a few assessments of who the fourth-year pro is as a quarterback. Here, then, is how four veteran execs, all of whom have studied him closely, assessed his game ...

                Exec 1: "Good arm. When he played in 2017, he played well under tough circumstances--late trade, no training camp and the state of the OL. Held the ball too long, but that was under a different OC and approach at that point. Frank helped Andrew immensely in this area last year. Good command and accuracy when they keep him clean. Moves effectively."

                Exec 2: "Big arm, can push the ball down the field, accuracy is up and down at the intermediate level, slow to process at times, will hold the ball and take sacks. Strong and mobile to extend plays."

                Exec 3: "He's a quality 2. Good arm, can keep plays alive with his legs. If the starter goes down, he can play and start and give you a chance. But I'm not sold on him being the 16-game guy. But he doesn't have to be the guy like Luck was. Just be the ball distributor. They can run the ball because they have a tier 1 OL, and they've got weapons at at receiver and tight end. Just be the facilitator."

                Exec 4: "Good size, physically tough, sufficient mobility inside and outside of the pocket, good arm strength/velocity. But has one pitch too often, lacks pace/changeup/touch, which causes ball placement issues. Which restricts his WRs from being able to run after the catch. Plays a little too sped up sometimes too, which causes some risky throws. Ceiling of a low-level starter with high end intangibles, just think the lack of touch/consistent ball placement will cap his ceiling."

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                • Xenos
                  Moderator
                  • Feb 2019
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                  #9
                  If anyone subscribes to The Athletic, check out Ted Nguyen. He does a pretty good job of breaking down film for someone not in scouting.
                  Jacoby Brissett has the arm talent to make every throw and possesses all the traits necessary to be productive as Indy's new starting QB.

                  Standing in the aftermath of Andrew Luck's stunning retirement from football is a playoff-ready Colts team now in need of a quarterback. Jacoby Brissett has long been viewed as one of the league's better backup quarterbacks. But now, just like in 2017, he'll be abruptly pushed up the depth chart and become the unexpected starter. This year, though, he'll be much more equipped for success, as he'll have more experience and a better surrounding cast than he had in 2017.

                  In 2017, Brissett took over after Luck was suddenly put on injured reserve because of lingering pain in his shoulder. Brissett, who was drafted in the third round of the 2016 draft by the Patriots, was traded to the Colts a few weeks before the '17 season, so he was learning the playbook on the fly and faced the same offensive line issues that Luck had to deal with for most of Luck's career. In the 15 games he started, he went 4-11 with 3,098 yards and 13 touchdowns. Brissett was sacked 52 times that year.

                  He wasn't holding on to the ball too long and trying to do too much. The line and protection scheme was simply far below average. According to Pro Football Focus, he was pressured on a whopping 40.1 percent of his dropbacks. Secondaries were even daring the Colts to throw deep because they knew their pass rush could get to the quarterback before deeper routes could develop. Brissett took some monstrous hits and it was impressive that he even survived the season but it was even more impressive that he continued to stay strong in the pocket late in games and late in the year despite the unrelenting pressure.

                  Another positive was that he didn't turn the ball over much despite the circumstances. He only threw seven interceptions and lost three fumbles. He did fumble eight times, which is high, but he was hit and forced to scramble at a high rate.

                  Brissett hasn't played much this preseason -- he's only thrown 15 passes. In his most extensive action, which came against the Cleveland Browns in the Colts' second preseason game, he was impressive and showed a firm command of the offense. Frank Reich's offense looks like the perfect fit for Brissett's skills. He does a good job of processing quickly, and his short accuracy is uncanny.
                  There is some concern about Brissett's ability to throw deep. In 2017, he completed only 30 percent of his attempts of 20-plus air yards, ranking 19th among qualifiers. However, Brissett didn't have much time to throw the ball downfield and there were quite a few deep throws on which he was hit while throwing. When he did have the time to properly set up, he displayed the ability to throw a beautiful deep ball.
                  Though he wasn't very productive in his first year as a starter, Brissett played well enough in a disastrous situation in 2017 to warrant the belief by some that he could be a starting-caliber quarterback. He has all the traits necessary to be productive. He can make every throw with excellent ball placement, he processes quickly and has strong pocket presence. Additionally, this will be his second year in the system and he'll have one of the league's best offensive lines and some dangerous weapons to throw to like T.Y. Hilton and Ebron.

                  But the reality is, no one knows how he'll be able to live up to the expectations that will come with leading a team that was expected to be a playoff contender and whether he can play at a high level consistently throughout the season. Though it was unexpected, he has an opportunity of a lifetime fast approaching.

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                  • Xenos
                    Moderator
                    • Feb 2019
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                    #10
                    Andy Benoit offers some insight into the Colts D:

                    Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus becomes one of 2020's hottest head coaching candidates. In their first season under Eberflus, the Colts quietly allowed the fewest points in the NFL over the final 10 weeks. A big reason why was the increase in blitzes from the linebacker and slot, often in front of zone coverage (as opposed to the more common man-to-man). Those concepts continue to percolate, but the Colts are less dependent on them down the stretch this year, as ex-Chief Justin Houston and second-round rookie Ben Banogu provide the edge-rushing presence that Eberflus's foundational zone concepts demand.

                    Kenny Moore, now the richest slot corner in history, looks underpaid. In nickel defense the undrafted third-year pro is a fervid blitzer and ace zone defender. And, thanks to long arms and unsuspected physicality, he's also stout as an outside corner in base situations.
                    How a head coach who was Plan B and a defensive coordinator he didn’t hire molded a damaged quarterback and a young roster into a contender. And their future is even brighter.

                    Eberflus's unit is no longer just a plain zone defense. The Colts have overcome a lack of talent and athleticism along their D-line by featuring stunts and twists and D-line slants, skewing an offense's angles and numbers. Think of it this way: a Colts D-linemen who at the snap is in, say the B-gap (between a guard and tackle), very often winds up attacking the A-gap or C-gap. It's an aggressive approach that only works with sharp linebackers behind it.

                    Eberflus, having worked closely with Indy's linebackers this season, has helped second-round rookie Darius Leonard become one of the game's best. He has also seen massive improvements from low-pedigreed young guys like Matthew Adams and Zaire Franklin (both seventh-round rookies) and Anthony Walker (a 2017 fifth-rounder who did not play Sunday against New York but has been the No. 2 'backer in most packages). With an overachieving front seven, Indy's secondary--which is also young in many places--has performed marvelously. So marvelously, in fact, that Eberflus has comfortably expanded his scheme. The Colts now feature a litany of fire zone blitzes (slot corner Kenny Moore has become a weapon on these). They employ those zone blitzes selectively but effectively against veteran QBs (like Eli Manning on Sunday), and relentlessly against certain young QBs (like Dak Prescott last week).

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                    • Xenos
                      Moderator
                      • Feb 2019
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                      #11
                      Something that kind of relates to both the Colts and us. I didn't realize this about a quick strike offense.
                      How a head coach who was Plan B and a defensive coordinator he didn’t hire molded a damaged quarterback and a young roster into a contender. And their future is even brighter.

                      Offensively, Luck is doing as much pre-snap line of scrimmage work as ever, which is key for orchestrating a quick-strike offense. (To get the ball out quickly, a QB must read at least parts of the defense before the play.)

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                      • jamrock
                        lawyers, guns and money
                        • Sep 2017
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                        #12
                        Originally posted by Xenos View Post
                        This feels like such a trap game. We should win handily with Luck out, but that Colt D is underrated and Brisset is pretty decent. I'm Reich wants revenge as well. Not to mention that he uses a similar offense to ours. If we win, it'll be our first opening day win since 2015. We will also probably not be given credit since it was a Luckless team. But I don't care. I just want the win with no injuries.
                        Hard to call a season opener a trap game. They've been pointing to it since the schedule came out. Shouldn't be a let down without Luck. Need the W'a especially at home.

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