Impressions from the DET game

[sherck]

I did not get to watch it all; was streaming on a mobile device on wireless so what I did see was somewhat fuzzy.

However, at least one silver lining that I noticed during the game and then went back to look up stats… while defensive starters were in (through beginning of the 2nd quarter), our defense:

-- Held the Detroit running game to 7 rushes for 28 yards or 4.0 ypc with 19 of those yards coming off of one play. Their other running plays were: 5 yards, 2 yards, 2 yards, 2 yards, 1 yard, -3 yards.

-- Held Detroit to 6 of 12 passing for 84 yards allowing 1 TD, causing 1 sack and 1 INT. Of course, of their 6 completed passes, two were long (23 yards, 22 yard TD) and two were medium (15 yards, 14 yards) which is not good.

Missing Hankins, Bostic, Morrison, Melvin, Morris and Geathers as starters on the defense.

Overall, they played a pretty solid 20 minutes while getting zero help from their offense (In 4 series, the Colts offense managed a total of 31 yards with 3 3-and-outs series and 1 5-play series).

So, hopefully pointing to a defense that is better than we have seen recently in Indy. Gotta find the silver lining SOMEWHERE.... :)

Walk Worthy,

[HoosierinFL]

Agree on pretty much all points.
The defensive 1st team looked promising. However, further down the depth chart, and they didn't look so good, so depth on defense is going to be a problem this year, which I think we all expected. We barely have true starting LBs, let alone acceptable backups!

Offense can have a gimme considering no Luck or Kelly, but they still looked pretty lost out there at times, and the playcalling just as bad as always.

[Indystu2]

#31 Wilson needs to learn that running into a player does not constitute a tackle. He whiffed on an open field tackle (bad angle) to allow a 1st down, he got beat several times on passes and then just ran into a player thinking that he is so bad @ss the other player would just go down.

This is/has been a recurring theme with the 2ndary of this team for years. WRAP UP FOR F's SAKE!

[DrSpaceman]

#31 Wilson needs to learn that running into a player does not constitute a tackle. He whiffed on an open field tackle (bad angle) to allow a 1st down, he got beat several times on passes and then just ran into a player thinking that he is so bad @ss the other player would just go down.

This is/has been a recurring theme with the 2ndary of this team for years. WRAP UP FOR F's SAKE!

This struck me the most.

Not just him but there were NUMEROUS missed tackles by the secondary that allowed the WRs to get a ton of extra yards.

Which is why I find it all hard to believe and mostly just talk about Pagano wanting to be a more tough, physical team. That doesn't happen to physical teams.

And Wilson just looked bad in coverage, not sure what he was doing, he had his back to the ball on two recetptions, including one for a TD, never turned around. Was not impressed.

He did seem to be aggressive, was right up on the WRs, which I like and is very unlike most of the COlts corners going back forever in history. Doesn't help though if you don't turn around and knock down the pass.

[HoosierinFL]

So it's almost like they're being taught "be physical, be aggressive" but not being taught the fundamentals.

[Racehorse]

I almost started a thread and just put in one sentence about my thoughts (The sentence was this: It was a preseason game that does not matter), but since there is a thread, I'll add a few things.

1. Pope seemed to have good burst and vision. I want to see more from him to see what we have there.

2. Whoever #6 is, he seems to be able to make some plays and needs to get reps next week to see what we have there.

3. The defense is improved. I want to see how they do for a full game, but it seems to not be e leaky sieve anymore.

4. No way to judge the offense without Luck or any starting WRs or Kelly, but I'll say Tolzien should be QB4 based on this game. he looked horrid.

5. Sanchez is not an option at P, but Locke looks to be as good as the top punters in the league.

6. The DLine looked to be able to stop the run pretty well. Not sure what the stats showed, but I cannot remember many run plays that went for much.

7. The OLine was missing key parts, but made it possible for Pope and others to run the ball. Their pass protection was not good at all. Maybe it is just that Walker is short, but the other two didn't fare much better when it comes to batted passes.

8. The new FA players on defense were very much an upgrade.