It’s the offensive line

[Chromeburn]

And specifically it’s the left tackle. Now that Fries is in for Pinter he should do a little better. But this is what I’m saying when the left tackle is sabotaging everything they are trying. I just don’t understand why this guy was picked to be the left tackle. Why couldn’t they sign someone competent. It’s screwing up the season. I just don’t get it. We pretty much have to start a rookie there and of course there will be growing pains with that. Fuck man, this pisses me off.


https://twitter.com/nflscheme/status/1577456700084301825?s=46&t=eJbVDfsJtOrfQUudAtHgxA

[ChoppedWood]

Tony Ugoh approves this message!

And FWIW, that 4th play, with him shifting over to play next to Smith, that pretty much personifies the idiocy of this whole fucking regime!

Dude is flailing around like a blind man at one position, hey, let's have him do more, that's going to go really well!

Fuck this entire regime of fools, crater the whole staff and start the fuck over!

[omahacolt]

And specifically it’s the left tackle. Now that Fries is in for Pinter he should do a little better. But this is what I’m saying when the left tackle is sabotaging everything they are trying. I just don’t understand why this guy was picked to be the left tackle. Why couldn’t they sign someone competent. It’s screwing up the season. I just don’t get it. We pretty much have to start a rookie there and of course there will be growing pains with that. Fuck man, this pisses me off.


https://twitter.com/nflscheme/status/1577456700084301825?s=46&t=eJbVDfsJtOrfQUudAtHgxA

Raimainn and Dennis Kelly would likely be upgrades we have on the roster

[JAFF]

Raimainn and Dennis Kelly would likely be upgrades we have on the roster

If Rainmann can get off the injury list

[YDFL Commish]

If Rainmann can get off the injury list

He was available last week.

[omahacolt]

He was available last week.

i think he said he wouldn't be healthy enough to play full snaps this week. but Kelly can

[Chromeburn]

Raimainn and Dennis Kelly would likely be upgrades we have on the roster

Would have to be Kelly since I think Raimann is still recovering.

[IndyNorm]

We should be starting Kelly or Raimann if he's ok to go, but we all know it'll be Pryor back out there running (using the term loosely) around having no idea what the fuck he's doing again.

[JAFF]

We should be starting Kelly or Raimann if he's ok to go, but we all know it'll be Pryor back out there running (using the term loosely) around having no idea what the fuck he's doing again.

Put a TE who can block on his left shoulder would help. Put an O-lineman in a #80+ jersey on him and ………BLOCK. If he can catch a cold, maybe you try to throw it to him

[IndyNorm]

Put a TE who can block on his left shoulder would help. Put an O-lineman in a #80+ jersey on him and ………BLOCK. If he can catch a cold, maybe you try to throw it to him

Or even crazier. Put someone who's a better LT there and move Pryor to RG where he can be an asset instead of a liability.

[CanuckColt]

The problem with the O-line is bad.
We may need to draft C and RT in the next draft (unless we finish so low that we get a shot at a top LT).
Ryan Kelly has not been good since he suffered multiple injuries and Braden Smith has not been good since he returned from injured last year.
Too many holes to fill for one draft!

[Dam8610]

Cut. Matt. Pryor.

[omahacolt]

pryor can't play

[nate505]

Cut. Matt. Pryor.

He's shockingly bad. I am like one of the worst at noticing the performance of OLmen, but even Stevie Wonder could see how horrible he is out there.

[Dam8610]

He's shockingly bad. I am like one of the worst at noticing the performance of OLmen, but even Stevie Wonder could see how horrible he is out there.

From the end of the second quarter to when Browning went out, on any 3rd down play, they'd line Chubb and Browning up on the right and have Browning stunt. This confused Matt Pryor EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. they did it, which had to have been at least 8. They got a ton of their pressures off of that one thing.

[IndyNorm]

pryor can't play

How the fuck are they still playing him over Dennis Kelly?

[Dam8610]

How the fuck are they still playing him over Dennis Kelly?

You know what? I'll agree with this. Dennis Kelly is bad, but he's not Matt Pryor bad. Personally, I'd put Braden back at RT and put Will Fries in at RG, but Pryor has to go. He needs to start playing Left Off, as in left off the roster.

[YDFL Commish]

Pryor sucks. But moving Braden Smith from RT to RG was just plain stupid.

[IndyNorm]

You know what? I'll agree with this. Dennis Kelly is bad, but he's not Matt Pryor bad. Personally, I'd put Braden back at RT and put Will Fries in at RG, but Pryor has to go. He needs to start playing Left Off, as in left off the roster.

Kelly has started 51 games in the league, included 16 at RT for Tenn in '20 when the won the division. He might not be great, but he's probably at least decent. But putting Smith back at RT and Fries at RG would be better than Smith at RG and Pryor at RT too.

[IndyNorm]

Pryor sucks. But moving Braden Smith from RT to RG was just plain stupid.

I wonder how much of this is Ballard trying to prove that he's right about Pryor being an OT.

[Chromeburn]

Ryan has now been sacked as many times as Rivers two years ago

[YDFL Commish]

Howard Mudd made this O-Line good with his off season influence. They have sucked since his death.

[Chromeburn]

Pryor allowed 9 pressures last night. The most of any lineman in a game this season. He actually allowed 12, but those 3 had no effect on the play.

So 9 passing plays were directly ruined by one guy.

[Hoopsdoc]

Pryor allowed 9 pressures last night. The most of any lineman in a game this season. He actually allowed 12, but those 3 had no effect on the play.

So 9 passing plays were directly ruined by one guy.

They have to get him off the field, right?

Right?

[Brylok]

That offensive line should be ashamed of themselves, but they have no shame so they won't be. Overpaid jokers and a kid who shouldn't even be out there other than Ballard's fault for being built wrong in the first place. What a joke.

[ChaosTheory]

Pryor allowed 9 pressures last night. The most of any lineman in a game this season. He actually allowed 12, but those 3 had no effect on the play.

So 9 passing plays were directly ruined by one guy.

Where did you get the stat?

[ChoppedWood]

That offensive line should be ashamed of themselves, but they have no shame so they won't be. Overpaid jokers and a kid who shouldn't even be out there other than Ballard's fault for being built wrong in the first place. What a joke.

Yeah I am more in the Frank sucks the most camp but it's clear, Ballard has completely butchered the line to an embarrassing level. Both of them need to be fired. Again, I think they are way too willing to accept each other's mediocrity.

Ballard isn't providing Frank with good enough tools and the tools he does have to work with, he doesn't understand their best utility.

This team is woefully inept, would be delighted to see both of them removed today. 13.8 pts per game, man I don't give a rats about any fucking excuse you can come up with, less than 2 TD's a game, in this era of the NFL, man people gotta be fired for that shit.

[Chromeburn]

Where did you get the stat?

Twitter.

[Chromeburn]

Offensive line allowed 34 pressures on 48 pass rush attempts.

[ChoppedWood]

Offensive line allowed 34 pressures on 48 pass rush attempts.

Atrocious

And this was his mantra, gotta build from the inside out.

Nah bro, you have built something that has rotted from the inside!

[omahacolt]

Offensive line allowed 34 pressures on 48 pass rush attempts.

the ineptitude of that is actually impressive

[Chromeburn]

Highlights from the game.

https://youtu.be/l4mouVbscZ0

This offense is on pace for 60 sacks. 20 ints. 35 fumbles.

The offensive line could be one of the worst in history statistically.

[nate505]

Offensive line allowed 34 pressures on 48 pass rush attempts.

I can't even comprehend how this is possible. This may be the worst Colts OL I've ever seen, and it includes a guy who was on track, and hopefully still is, to the HOF.

[JAFF]

If the O line could get its collective shit together, Ryan might have a chance to get himself sorted out. Ryan hasnt been good, but there has been opportunity, with all the O-line breakdowns.

Colts D was pretty good. Nice to see.

[Hoopsdoc]

As pointed out by Bowen, the Colts made 3 major o line changes in a week they didn’t even practice. Thats crazy.

It smells of desperation.

[JAFF]

As pointed out by Bowen, the Colts made 3 major o line changes in a week they didn’t even practice. Thats crazy.

It smells of desperation.

Looked like it too

[IndyNorm]

I can't even comprehend how this is possible. This may be the worst Colts OL I've ever seen, and it includes a guy who was on track, and hopefully still is, to the HOF.

It may be the worst NFL OL anyone has ever seen :eek:

[Oldcolt]

It is so damn bizarre. Most of us felt great about this line a year and a half ago. We had three dudes that seemed like they were still ascending and were already playing at or near an all pro level. Now all three of them look like practice squad guys. Kelly and Smith are just a shell of themselves and most surprisingly is our 20 million dollar guard. It is just my opinion but I don't think Nelson has been the same player since he got COVID. All conjecture but I have never seen him get his ass handed to him like he is now. With the money we have wrapped up in these 3, fixing this line is going to be near impossible. Not signing Leno when it was reported this was his first choice and letting Glo walk for close to nothing set us up for this Ballard. Damn.

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

letting Glo walk for close to nothing


I wouldn't call Glowinski's contract close to nothing - unless you are comparing it to the contracts of Nelson, Smith or Kelly.

Glow signed a 3 year, $18M contract (~$11.4M guaranteed) with the Giants. It is 12th in AAV for Right Guards according to the OvertheCap website.


Chris Reed signed with the Vikings for peanuts. According to the beat reporters, the Colts wanted to re-sign Reed but he wanted to return to the state of Minnesota.

[Oldcolt]

I wouldn't call Glowinski's contract close to nothing - unless you are comparing it to the contracts of Nelson, Smith or Kelly.

Glow signed a 3 year, $18M contract (~$11.4M guaranteed) with the Giants. It is 12th in AAV for Right Guards according to the OvertheCap website.


Chris Reed signed with the Vikings for peanuts. According to the beat reporters, the Colts wanted to re-sign Reed but he wanted to return to the state of Minnesota.

I stand corrected. Letting Glow leave for a contract we could have easily afforded.

[IndyNorm]

I stand corrected. Letting Glow leave for a contract we could have easily afforded.

The icing on that shit sandwich Ballard made is that Glow's cap hit this year is only 60% of Pryor's.

[Chromeburn]

If the O line could get its collective shit together, Ryan might have a chance to get himself sorted out. Ryan hasnt been good, but there has been opportunity, with all the O-line breakdowns.

Colts D was pretty good. Nice to see.

If your oline is bad your QB looks bad. Hard to know what we have when the guy is under duress all the time. Is he making mistakes? Yup. Is it his fault? Not entirely.

[ChaosTheory]

If your oline is bad your QB looks bad. Hard to know what we have when the guy is under duress all the time. Is he making mistakes? Yup. Is it his fault? Not entirely.

Example of why it's hard to grade Ryan:

I'm only on the second or third drive of the all 22. There's a particular play, Pittman runs a 12-15yd in-route and he's easily open in the middle of the field, and Ryan sees him the whole time, the line holds up except for Kelly who gets trashed by the nose so fast that Ryan has to bail.

Stuff like that is such a killer. You're watching a 15yd catch with room to run from a good YAC receiver just disappear. Ryan sees him and has no chance.

[Chromeburn]

https://twitter.com/vevejones007/status/1578533790938341376?s=46&t=i9A7_U4EUUDF7RqtMQ7WcQ

[ChaosTheory]

https://twitter.com/vevejones007/status/1578533790938341376?s=46&t=i9A7_U4EUUDF7RqtMQ7WcQ

Jewell, the ILB, threatens to blitz and if he does Pryor takes him. That would allow Browning a free run at Ryan and it would be up to him to hit Lindsay out of the backfield.

But Jewell fakes the blitz, then covers Lindsay, so it looks like Pryor's responsibility is to slide out to Browning after Jewell is not a threat but he a little late/slow.

To be fair, this is not an easy play. But we still need a guy athletic enough to make it.

[IndyNorm]

https://twitter.com/vevejones007/status/1578533790938341376?s=46&t=i9A7_U4EUUDF7RqtMQ7WcQ

That was actually one of the better pass blocked plays of the night (smh).

[CanuckColt]

Meh.
When we talk about the Colts offensive line, we mean a line that is "offensive".

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

https://twitter.com/JoelAErickson/status/1580230544818044933

Frank Reich says the Colts are planning to stick with Bernhard Raimann at LT and let him grow.

https://twitter.com/zkeefer/status/1580230720307724288

For those curious why Colts moved Braden Smith from RT to RG:

Team wanted (needed) to shore up the pocket, and they felt Smith in the interior could do that. "Elite run blocker," Reich calls him.

Whether he stays there is fluid, but Colts knew they needed to protect Ryan better.

https://twitter.com/zkeefer/status/1580231220298133504

Asked if the team has considered Danny Pinter as the starting center, regardless of Ryan Kelly's status, Reich says, "that has not been discussed."

https://twitter.com/zkeefer/status/1580243578957070336

Talked with OT Dennis Kelly today, the vet tackle the Colts have yet to play. Said he's been healthy since about Week 2. "Until we find that rhythm, we keep working to find that answer," he said of the o-line issues.

Why's he not playing?

"I don’t know why that hasn’t come up."

https://twitter.com/zkeefer/status/1580243886831984640

Is Dennis frustrated?

"A little bit," he said, adding later, "I came here to play."

"At the same time, everybody in here wants to play... the first month as an offense, it hasn’t gone the way we wanted it go. We’re trying to figure out the issues and how to fix it."

[ChaosTheory]

I think whatever lineup they put out this week is what we'll stick with the remainder of the season barring injury. I don't think they alter Raimann, Nelson, and Kelly on the left.

But I'm very curious what the plan is with Smith, Pryor, Fries, and D. Kelly on the right.

[Colts And Orioles]

o


In my rat's ass of an opinion, Reich ought to try something daring and challenging, such as the following ......

With the exception of the center, the other 4 offensive linemen should play the first 2 series of downs. Then, have the entire 2nd-string playing the next 2 series of downs. After that, go back to the 1st-string for the next 2 or 3 series of downs. Again, keep the same center, as he would likely have some type of rhythm when snapping the ball to the quarterback.

And while he's doing this, Reich can say to the entire 1st-string, l "Guys, if you can prove to me that you can block adequately on a regularly basis, then I will go back to keeping you in there for the entire game ...... until then, I will keeping giving you all breaks every few series of downs. Maybe you guys have been tired, and you need better conditioning. But until you can show that you are capable of at least being average in terms of blocking, then we will use this system."


For the record, I do not drink alcoholic beverages, and I don't do any drugs (marijuana, cocaine, etc) ...... I just occasionally come up with these ridiculous, insane ideas that are probably laughable in reality. When we first drafted Andrew Luck, I predicted that Case Keenum would have a longer and more distinguished NFL career than Andrew Luck ...... and while Keenum has indeed lasted longer than the retired Luck, he has not nearly come close to distinguishing himself as much as Luck did in his career.

o

[Pez]

Raimann did a good job as soon as he got calmed down. He had a tough assignment. The announcers kept saying he was having a rough go, but I think he's going to be as good or better than any of the other options we have.

I don't know much about Dennis Kelley, but would like to see him get a few snaps at RT if Smith is still struggling. Getting your money's worth on $70M is probably always a good idea, but so is winning.

I think it's a horrible idea, but I bet we see Nelson play tackle at some point this year.

[JAFF]

I think it's a horrible idea, but I bet we see Nelson play tackle at some point this year.

Wow, worse case senario

[Oldcolt]

Pez, I agree about Raimann. I would prefer to keep Smith at RT and help him get back to what he used to be. He was to good and is being paid to much to give up on yet. I thought moving him inside, on a short week no less, was idiotic. I would take that bet on Nelson, mostly because I agree with you that it is a horrible idea. Apparently I have more faith in our coaches than you do which kinda mortifies me.

[Lov2fish]

Reich said today Raimann is the starting left tackle going forward.

[IndyNorm]

Wow, worse case senario

It'd be better than putting Pryor back at LT.

[YDFL Commish]

It'd be better than putting Pryor back at LT.

Or on the football field.

[ChaosTheory]

Pez, I agree about Raimann. I would prefer to keep Smith at RT and help him get back to what he used to be. He was to good and is being paid to much to give up on yet. I thought moving him inside, on a short week no less, was idiotic. I would take that bet on Nelson, mostly because I agree with you that it is a horrible idea. Apparently I have more faith in our coaches than you do which kinda mortifies me.

Reich explained the move. He's said that one of the two biggest issues for the team was running the ball. Particularly that failing to run early was leading to a lot of 2nd/3rd and longs where the D pins their ears back

Then he said Braden Smith is "elite" in run blocking and a natural RG from his college days. They also needed more of an inside pocket. So there's his justification.

For what it's worth... I didn't rewatch the whole game, but from what I saw, Smith might've been our best OL vs DEN. And while it wasn't amazing or anything, our #3/#4 RBs did run for over 100yds at 4.3ypc. Easily our best rushing game since Week 1.

[Pez]

I think this...

LT - Raimann
LG - Nelson
C - Pinter
RG - Fries
RT - Smith, spell with D. Kelly

[Chromeburn]

I’m wondering is Dennis Kelly is still not healthy. They seem reluctant to put him out there. I think Pryor is gone from the starting lineup now. Not sure who will be at RG though.

https://www.footballoutsiders.com/ramblings/2022/fixing-offensive-offenses-colts-rams-and-broncos


Good write up here. So right now Ryan sits at 2.8 seconds per throw. I think that is deceiving. Matt Pryor and Smith BOTH rank in the top seven for blown blocks. Both on one team. That’s ridiculous. I think Ryan is having to change position after 1.5 seconds trying to extend the play and he then has to reaquire a target. What I’m seeing out there is very very little time to set and throw.

[omahacolt]

I think this...

LT - Raimann
LG - Nelson
C - Pinter
RG - Fries
RT - Smith, spell with D. Kelly

why would you spell Smith?

rotating tackles is stupid. play the best 5 and move on

[Colts And Orioles]

o


(vs. JAGUARS, 10/16)



The offensive line allowed 0 sacks while Matt Ryan threw 58 pass attempts.



Offensive Line Decided to Shut Off the Sack ‘Nozzle’

(By Mike Chappell)

https://fox59.com/sports/colts/offensive-line-decided-to-shut-off-the-sack-nozzle/

o

[Chromeburn]

So I learned the other day that the Colts like Darrisaw last year and if Paye hadn’t been there they would have taken Darrisaw for left tackle. Their grades were near even I guess and the Colts placed a little higher positional value on DE than LT.

[omahacolt]

So I learned the other day that the Colts like Darrisaw last year and if Paye hadn’t been there they would have taken Darrisaw for left tackle. Their grades were near even I guess and the Colts placed a little higher positional value on DE than LT.

wish they would have taken darrisaw

[HoosierinFL]

wish they would have taken darrisaw

Yea as much as I like Paye setting the edge his value isn’t nearly the same as someone who could lock down LT for several years.

Maybe if Paye becomes a double digit sack guy but I just don’t see that happening.

[Dam8610]

Yea as much as I like Paye setting the edge his value isn’t nearly the same as someone who could lock down LT for several years.

Maybe if Paye becomes a double digit sack guy but I just don’t see that happening.

His career high will be 10-12 sacks, but it will only happen once or twice. Apart from that, he'll be an excellent compliment to whoever the real pass rusher on the team is at best. That's why I didn't want the Colts to draft him at 21.

[Dam8610]

wish they would have taken darrisaw

That would've made me happy as well. Would've been the right position, even if wrong player.

[YDFL Commish]

How long are we going to keep playing the dog shit that is Matt Pryor?

[Colts And Orioles]

o


Speaking of the offensive line, when I was in 6th grade during the War of 1812, Mr. Martino asked the class ...... "Which part of the team do you start with when you are building a new squad ???"


He said that you don't start with the quarterback ...... you don't start with the special teams ..... you don't start with the running backs ...... you don't start with the pass-rushers ...... you start with the offensive line, because without the offensive line, you have nothing.



I still believe that to be true ...... and if that is indeed true, it's a minor miracle that the Colts have a record of 3-3-1 with an offensive line that has had a grand total of 1 good game.

o

[Colts And Orioles]

o


Colts’ Offensive Line Struggles: Where has It All Gone Wrong?

(By Zak Keefer)

https://theathletic.com/3748963/2022/11/03/colts-offensive-line-problems/



Yards-Per-Attempt

2021: )) 5.09 (1st)

2022: )) 3.71 (29th)

Yards-Per-Game

2021: )) 149.4 (2nd)

2022: )) 87.7 (29th)

Yards Before Contact

2021: )) 1.69 (9th)

2022: )) 1.07 (27th)

% of Runs vs. 8+ Box

2021: )) 43.1 (10th)

2022: )) 21.2 (32nd)

Rush Success Rate

2021: )) 43.5 (4th)

2022: )) 34.6 (29th)

Rush 1st Down Rate

2021: )) 30.9 (1st)

2022: )) 21.2 (28th)

Rushing TDs

2021: )) 22 (5th)

2022: )) 3 (32nd)

20+Yard Runs

2021: )) 19 (1st)

2022: )) 4 (25th)

40+Yard Runs

2021: )) 5 (1st)

2022: )) 0 (32nd)

o

[Dam8610]

o


Colts’ Offensive Line Struggles: Where has It All Gone Wrong?

(By Zak Keefer)

https://theathletic.com/3748963/2022/11/03/colts-offensive-line-problems/



Yards-Per-Attempt

2021: )) 5.09 (1st)

2022: )) 3.71 (29th)

Yards-Per-Game

2021: )) 149.4 (2nd)

2022: )) 87.7 (29th)

Yards Before Contact

2021: )) 1.69 (9th)

2022: )) 1.07 (27th)

% of Runs vs. 8+ Box

2021: )) 43.1 (10th)

2022: )) 21.2 (32nd)

Rush Success Rate

2021: )) 43.5 (4th)

2022: )) 34.6 (29th)

Rush 1st Down Rate

2021: )) 30.9 (1st)

2022: )) 21.2 (28th)

Rushing TDs

2021: )) 22 (5th)

2022: )) 3 (32nd)

20+Yard Runs

2021: )) 19 (1st)

2022: )) 4 (25th)

40+Yard Runs

2021: )) 5 (1st)

2022: )) 0 (32nd)

o

Looks to me like the league's best RB has a high ankle sprain and other RBs are not capable of producing at the level of Jonathan Taylor. Let's put up one more stat on this for context: what was the percentage of carries that went to Taylor in 2021 and what is the percentage of carries that has gone to him in 2022?

[Colts And Orioles]

Looks to me like the league's best RB has a high ankle sprain, and other RB's are not capable of producing at the level of Jonathan Taylor. Let's put up one more stat on this for context ...... what was the percentage of carries that went to Taylor in 2021, and what is the percentage of carries that has gone to him in 2022 ???





o



Percentage of Jonathan Taylor Rushes


2021: )) 66.5% )) (332 of 499)

2022: )) 57.6% )) (107 of 189)



Jonathan Taylor, Yards-Per-Carry


2021: )) 5.5 )) (332 l Attempts, l 1,811 , Yards)

2022: ll) 4.3 )) (107 l Attempts, . 462l. l. Yards)



Nyheim Hines, Yards-Per-Carry


2021: )) 4.9 )) (56 l Attempts, l 276 , Yards)

2022: ll) 2.0 )) (18 , Attempts, . 36 lll Yards)


o

[Colts And Orioles]

o


The Los Angeles Rams are another team whose offensive line has been significantly worse in 2022 than it was last year.


Last year, the Rams won the Super Bowl behind a solid offensive line.

This year, I just saw that their longest run of the season was ...... 23 yards.

o

[YDFL Commish]

o


The Los Angeles Rams are another team whose offensive line has been significantly worse in 2022 than it was last year.


Last year, the Rams won the Super Bowl behind a solid offensive line.

This year, I just saw that their longest run of the season was ...... 23 yards.

o

Just stop posting on other teams. The only team that matters is the Colts and their sucktivity.

I don't give 2 shits on how much another team sucks or how good they are unless it directly effects the Colts.

[Colts And Orioles]

Just stop posting on other teams. The only team that matters is the Colts and their sucktivity.

I don't give 2 shits on how much another team sucks or how good they are unless it directly effects the Colts.




o


I have been one of the few posters on Colt Freaks that has consistently abided by the policy of not posting NFL-related threads here in the main section. One solitary post that correlates a similarity between the Colts' offensive line struggles and another team's offensive line struggles in a thread in which I predominantly and primarily post about the Colts shouldn't ruffle your feathers. If you're that much of a cry-baby about it, too bad.

o

[Colts And Orioles]

o


(vs. RAIDERS, 11/13)



The offensive line had its 2nd solid game so far this season ...... out of 10 games overall.

o

[Colts And Orioles]

o


(vs. RAIDERS, 11/13)



The offensive line had its 2nd solid game so far this season ...... out of 10 games overall.

o
o


(vs. EAGLES, 11/20)



In my rat's ass of an opinion, this was the second consecutive solid game for the offensive line, and the 3rd overall this season ...... they looked almost as good against a top-tier team like the Eagles as they did against a below-average team like the Raiders.

o

[Chromeburn]

I was hopeful that they might figure things out as we went along. But I think now it’s just too much to overcome. Too much change and I think the talent has diminished. But this is just getting whooped. Funny how we still almost won this game.

https://twitter.com/baldynfl/status/1594643673043574785?s=46&t=nIyb-X-pqQdoEM3OT9sjPg

[JAFF]

I was hopeful that they might figure things out as we went along. But I think now it’s just too much to overcome. Too much change and I think the talent has diminished. But this is just getting whooped. Funny how we still almost won this game.

https://twitter.com/baldynfl/status/1594643673043574785?s=46&t=nIyb-X-pqQdoEM3OT9sjPg

They still had the effort, they played all 60 minutes. I would like the coaches to be more aggressive in the play calling. Why not?

[Hoopsdoc]

I was hopeful that they might figure things out as we went along. But I think now it’s just too much to overcome. Too much change and I think the talent has diminished. But this is just getting whooped. Funny how we still almost won this game.

https://twitter.com/baldynfl/status/1594643673043574785?s=46&t=nIyb-X-pqQdoEM3OT9sjPg

I’m starting to wonder if Ryan Kelly’s heart is still in this. That was painful to watch.

He has to go.

[Chromeburn]

They still had the effort, they played all 60 minutes. I would like the coaches to be more aggressive in the play calling. Why not?

Because they can’t hold up in pass protection and I suspect Ryan’s arm is not completely healed.

[Chromeburn]

I’m starting to wonder if Ryan Kelly’s heart is still in this. That was painful to watch.

He has to go.

I have no idea what’s going on there. Some people are saying long Covid. But it’s just speculation.

[JAFF]

I have no idea what’s going on there. Some people are saying long Covid. But it’s just speculation.

Dont go down that rat hole

[Dam8610]

I have no idea what’s going on there. Some people are saying long Covid. But it’s just speculation.

Long COVID and extreme depression are the best explanation IMO. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a child so young, certainly something that would take a mental toll on a person.

[JAFF]

Long COVID and extreme depression are the best explanation IMO. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a child so young, certainly something that would take a mental toll on a person.

No one should question whats going on with someones head, after a loss of a child. Not on the internet, not in public, its no ones buisiness. Stop it

[omahacolt]

No one should question whats going on with someones head, after a loss of a child. Not on the internet, not in public, its no ones buisiness. Stop it

what?


you absolutely should question what is going on in someones head after a traumatic event like that. unless you don't care about that person at all


your posts are so bad

[JAFF]

what?


you absolutely should question what is going on in someones head after a traumatic event like that. unless you don't care about that person at all


your posts are so bad

The team should I was talking about the geniuses on the internet who always have the right answer.

I (myself) will not question what is in the head or heart of someone who has lost a child. My wife and I came close, but we were fortunate and we thank God every day for it.

What the team does is the business of the player and the team. Everyone else needs to STFU and leave them alone.

Judge not least yea be judged.

[Brylok]

He should be shit-canned for his performance on the field. But with that contract thru 2024, we're stuck with him. Four years $50M. FFS

[Colts And Orioles]

Long COVID and extreme depression are the best explanation IMO. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a child so young, certainly something that would take a mental toll on a person.





o


Oh, I didn't know that he had a kid that died.

Thanks for the info.

o

[YDFL Commish]

o


Oh, I didn't know that he had a kid that died.

Thanks for the info.

o

An unborn child.

[JAFF]

o


Oh, I didn't know that he had a kid that died.

Thanks for the info.

o

Still born. Right after he and several O Linemen got sick with covid.

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2022/11/17/indianapolis-colts-ryan-kelly-wife-emma-on-death-of-daughter/69598154007/

ZIONSVILLE -- The questions came like cruel darts piercing their souls. The cries of newborns were all around. Their baby, Mary Kate, was dead in their arms. Colts' center Ryan Kelly and his wife, Emma, who had just endured a 36-hour labor to deliver a lifeless body, held their daughter. They kissed her forehead. They cried.

They heard the awful questions.

The people asking them weren't trying to be cruel. Those nurses and doctors at Community North were angels to them. But they had to ask. You're going to bury Mary Kate correct? Do you have a cemetery in mind? Do you know what outfit you want to bury her in?

"How do you decide what you are going to bury your baby in?" Emma said from the Kellys' Zionsville home last week, as she cried. Ryan reached over to hold her hand, fighting back tears, too.

Ryan and Emma Kelly embrace in their home Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Zionsville. The Kellys lost their daughter Mary Katherine to a miscarriage.
Before that, the Kellys had heard other questions. Would you want to donate her body to research? Do you want to deliver her now or come back tomorrow? When she is born do you want to hold her or have her taken away?

All of it was so cruel, Emma said. Walking into the hospital that day to deliver Mary Kate, surrounded by women smiling and laughing, others in pain from labor, but all ready to have a live baby. Walking out of the hospital the next day, listening to joyful cries from parents and soft wails from babies, The Kellys holding in their arms only a box.


ADVERTISING


Not their baby. The Kellys had a box of mementos, Mary Kate's handprints and footprints, teddy bears and a homemade birth certificate signed by the doctors. Mary Kate wouldn't get an official birth certificate. And she wouldn't get anything official from the state saying she ever existed. Indiana gives a fetal death certificate at 20 weeks gestation. Mary Kate was 19.5 weeks when she was delivered.


ADVERTISING


"It's the most excruciating pain and the feeling of isolation and loneliness you feel walking out of there without your baby," Emma said. "You feel like you're the only two people on earth this has happened to. I labored. I did everything and I don't get my baby. It's all so cruel."

The days and weeks and months that followed felt even worse. Watching as Mary Kate was buried in a tiny gown with a bracelet that had her name on it, the same bracelet Emma has. Feelings of shame and embarrassment. Did they do something wrong, the Kellys kept asking themselves that over and over.


SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE
GoEscape Winter
Wander the roads in RVs and experience the sights and sounds of Christmas towns across the U.S. in our latest magazine.
Read Now in the eNewspaper
Then there were the people who were trying to take away their pain, who had the kindest hearts, but who said things that were so hurtful. You're young. You can try again. Everything happens for a reason. Maybe she died because something worse was going to happen to her.

All the Kellys wanted was to hear someone say that this was all a bad dream. That Mary Kate was still here.


Emma Kelly cries while speaking about her daughter Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Zionsville. Kelly was 19 weeks pregnant at the time of her daughter’s passing.
Instead, they would wake up each morning and Mary Kate wasn't there. "It's like a constant reminder," Ryan said. They felt alone, angry and they felt gut-wrenching pain neither thought was possible.

Emma would cry and scream at the top of her lungs. Ryan was quieter in his grief. "Do you not care as much as I care?" Emma would ask Ryan. She hates now that she said that. Of course, that wasn't true.

It took time to even figure out how to get out of bed each day and put one foot in front of the other. The Colts fans and the team were wonderful, giving the Kellys days off, giving them space, giving them support and surrounding them with prayers, heartfelt messages and love.

But it took grief counseling, being open about their journey and endless tears to finally feel as if they weren't drowning. Eleven months after losing Mary Kate, the Kellys have learned how to live, even if it's a completely different life than the one they had before.

What has helped them more than anything else is giving Mary Kate the voice she never had. Doing things in Mary Kate's honor. Making her existence matter.


ADVERTISING


The Kellys have poured themselves into nonprofits and organizations that help save babies' lives -- as well as ones that help parents, who have lost a baby, endure the grief.

"Ryan's and my goal for the rest of our lives, even if we have a house full of 10 living babies, is to help these moms, these parents, to give them (the support and resources) we had in the most awful of experiences," Emma said. "Something so they know they are not alone, that there are people who understand the pain it feels to lose a baby."

'It was all just too good to be true'

Ryan and Emma Kelly both grew up in West Chester, Ohio, and were athletic stars at Lakota West High, Ryan shining in football and Emma as a basketball player who went on to play at small D1 school Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia.

While Ryan and Emma had grown up five minutes from one another, went to the same elementary school and high school, the two had never met. Emma is three years older than Ryan, 29, so their paths didn't cross.

Instead, they met as adults at a bar late one night in Atlanta, where Emma was working for GE and Ryan was in town for a friend's wedding. They realized their hometown connection and there was a beautiful spark.

Ryan proposed to Emma on May 1, 2020, with candles, rose petals, music and a note that said, "Put on something beautiful and meet me at the dock." The two were married one year later.

Ryan and Emma Kelly on their wedding day May 1, 2021.
Both Ryan and Emma come from strong Catholic families and, they knew immediately, they wanted to start a family, a big family, Ryan said.

On a jog one morning in August 2021, Emma noticed her breasts were hurting. She took a pregnancy test and stared at the results in shock. She walked away and came back to look again. She was going to have a baby.


ADVERTISING


Emma ran out and bought a onesie that read "Game Changer" on the front and, on the back, "Daddy." She cooked a nice dinner. She sat her phone up on the shelf in the kitchen to record this incredible moment.

When Ryan walked in after Colts practice, he noticed the phone and asked Emma, "Are you recording us?" No, Emma told him, she had that set up for something she was doing with Instagram earlier.

But Emma was acting different, Ryan said. He couldn't put his finger on it and he couldn't figure out why.

Until Emma handed him a bag with the positive pregnancy results and that onesie. Ryan stood in shock, stepping back, putting his hands up. "No way," he said. "What?" When Emma finally convinced him this was real, that they were having a baby, he picked Emma up and swung her around the kitchen.

And, Emma says, the fairy tale began.

Her pregnancy was perfect, everything seemed perfect. Emma had a little nausea and fatigue in the first trimester but, when the second trimester hit, she got a second wind. The Kellys had gotten past the scary part of their pregnancy, that first trimester. Now, they could tell people.

Emma Kelly at the Colts game on Halloween 2021 where they revealed the good news. They were having a baby.
Emma wore a skeleton suit to a Colts game on Halloween with a baby skeleton on her belly. The Colts world responded with joy and congratulations for the parents-to-be.

"Hard Knocks" soon approached the Kellys as the couple was ready to learn the gender of their baby. The HBO series was featuring the Colts for the 2021-22 season and wanted to show players' lives off the field, too.


ADVERTISING


Inside Lucas Oil Stadium, in front of an HBO film crew, Ryan and Emma told the world in lights that flashed all around on scoreboards: "Baby Kelly is a Girl."

"It was honestly one of the happiest days of my life because we found out she was a girl and we both really wanted a girl. Ryan always said he wanted to be a girl dad," Emma said. "It was, I don't know the word, euphoric. It was all just too good to be true.

"And I say that because of where we are now."

Weeks after that "Hard Knocks" episode with the Kellys announcing their baby girl aired, Emma was in a hospital bed getting an ultrasound when the nurse stopped talking and walked out of the room to get the doctor.

'I just had a really bad feeling that day'

There is no way to know the day Mary Kate died. But the day Mary Kate died in Ryan and Emma's hearts came on a Wednesday in December when their baby was on the monitor, but her heart wasn't beating.

Ryan had been out sick the week before and it was his first day back to Colts practice. Emma was out running errands. When she got home and went to the bathroom, she noticed a little bleeding, nothing she said should have been alarming.

But Emma wasn't really feeling Mary Kate move. The night before she had told Ryan, "I'm not feeling her as much. I'm nervous." And some of her pregnancy symptoms had disappeared. Emma knew in the second trimester that could happen, but all of it put together and the blood. "I just had a really bad feeling that day," she said. "And I will never forget it."


Emma called David Thornton, the Colts' director of player engagement, the liaison between families and players. She didn't want to make that call, Emma said. Ryan needed to be at practice.

"I've got to go to the hospital. Something's up," Emma told Thornton. "Don't scare Ryan. Don't tell him anything. If, for whatever reason, he can't get ahold of me when he's out of practice, just let him know where I'm at."

As Emma drove to the hospital, she said she was hysterical. Then Ryan called. Thornton had told him. The team and Thornton knew he needed to be with Emma. "It's fine," Emma told Ryan, trying to convince him to stay at practice. "It's all going to be fine."

Ryan, left, and Emma Kelly talk about their daughter Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Zionsville.
At the hospital, the nurse came in bubbly, chatting as she did the ultrasound, telling Emma how cute her outfit was.

"And then she just goes really quiet," Emma said. "She was like, 'You know, I'm going to go get the doctor. I don't think I'm doing this right."

Emma knew, she said. She knew that second that Mary Kate was gone. What came next was a dark blur. "The doctor came in and that was it," Emma said. "She didn't have a heartbeat."

Emma doesn't remember much after that other than being asked if she wanted to deliver Mary Kate then or come back the next day. And the doctors saying, "You have to deliver her. You're too far along."

In the hospital bed, Emma called Ryan, who was on his way to be with her. "I remember laying there and having to tell him that we lost her and that we were going to have to deliver her and not knowing what to do."

Ryan remembers how unreal it all was. They had just been working on Mary Kate's nursery the night before. They had picked out her name, a combination of women from both sides of their families -- Mary Katherine, but they would call her Mary Kate.

"And then it's over," he said.

"Everything is over in a second," Emma said. "It's like the happiest, best time and it's over in literally one second."

The Kellys went home that evening and they sobbed. They called their family and friends with words they never wanted to say. "We lost Mary Kate." Emma's doctor called and tried, as gently as she could, to lead them through what the next day would be like.

"But how do you prepare for going to the hospital the next day to give birth," Emma said. "To give birth to your daughter who you won't bring home?"

'We were really scared'

Emma was in labor for 36 hours, something she said was "awful and traumatic." Doctors had to give her elevated doses of medicine to get her to deliver Mary Kate.

"My body just fought it," Emma said, crying. "And that's even sadder, too. Your body is trying to protect your baby even though she's gone."

And then Mary Kate was born. The Kellys had been "terrified," Emma said. "We didn't want to hold her. We were really scared. We didn't want to see her. We were afraid of what she'd look like at 20 weeks."

But their doctor had told them they should take time to spend with Mary Kate. They should hold her. "She's real. She matters. You want this time."

The Kellys thank God they did. Being with Mary Kate wasn't scary. This was their baby and she was beautiful. It was a surreal, peaceful time in the midst of their greatest pain.

The doctors crafted a birth certificate and signed it. Mary Kate's name was written on the board and she was announced throughout the halls, her weight, length and time of delivery. The nurses dressed Mary Kate in a tiny outfit and laid her in the bassinet. They told the Kellys they could stay with her as long as they wanted. The Kellys took pictures with Mary Kate and FaceTimed their family.

And then, in one of the hardest moments of their lives, they had to force themselves to leave, to walk out of the hospital, leaving Mary Kate behind.

'You are not alone'

The next day, the Colts announced Ryan would be out due to personal reasons for the Dec. 18 home game against the Patriots. There was no way he could put on a uniform and walk into a stadium roaring with energy after what had just happened.

More:Center Ryan Kelly returns to Colts with a heavy heart following daughter's death

But people started wondering what the "personal reason" was. Emma got messages on Instagram, not nice messages, she said. Why is Ryan out again after just being out sick?

The day of the game, Emma put out a poem “Little Butterfly” by Amy Farquhar.

"I lived my life inside you, cocooned in all your love. So mama, papa, please don't cry, I'm still with you, just up above."

Ryan Kelly is reflected in a mirror in his living room Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Zionsville.
A few days later, Emma shared pictures from the hospital on the day of her delivery, pictures of her and Ryan holding Mary Kate.

What happened from there was unbelievable, Ryan and Emma said. They received tens of thousands of messages from people who had lost babies. "It opened up this community, this amazing community who we needed to say, 'You are not alone. This happened to us.'"

It was a community the Kellys said they wished they never had to be a part of, "but it is also some of the most beautiful, courageous people we've ever met," Emma said.

The more Emma and Ryan talked about their loss, they realized they had a voice that others don't have. They had an NFL platform and they wanted to use it to save as many babies' lives as they could.

And that is why they are telling their story now, one that never gets any easier to tell. They want people to know about an organization called Count the Kicks, whose focus is to prevent stillbirths, a program that has already saved hundreds of babies' lives.

"When they called me, the response is always, 'Yes.' We'll do whatever it takes. There are so many babies that should be here right now," Emma said. "We take this deeply personal. This is what we'll do for the rest of our lives and what we'll fight for the rest of our lives."

Helping moms track fetal movement, saving lives

Count the Kicks was founded by five women in Iowa who, in the early 2000s, all lost a baby to stillbirth or infant death. The women came together and started doing research. They learned about a study in Norway that found a 30% reduction in stillbirths by teaching pregnant women how to monitor fetal movements during the third trimester of pregnancy.

The women found other scientific studies, too, that revealed kick counting (keeping a daily record of a baby’s movements such as rolls, jabs, kicks and punches) during the third trimester is a reliable way to monitor a baby’s well-being in addition to regular prenatal visits. The CDC lists a change in baby's movement as one of 15 urgent warning signs for pregnant women.

These five women from Iowa all lost babies to stillbirth or infant death. They started Count the Kicks, to highlight the importance of tracking baby's movements in the third trimester.
Taking all that into account, Count the Kicks was launched in 2008 as a way to spread the message of the importance of knowing your baby's movements. To make that easier, the program offers a free app mothers can download to count their baby's movements in the third trimester. Once entered, the app creates a chart that reveals what is normal for each baby and gives mothers a way to see in black and white if there is a change in the baby's movements.

Since launching in Iowa, the state has seen a 32% reduction in stillbirths, said CEO Emily Price. "Babies in the third trimester are a lot like us as adults," she said. "If they aren't doing well, if something is causing them distress, the first thing that is going to change is their movements."

It's no different than an adult getting sick and slowing down, maybe lying on the couch or having to go to bed. But because babies are inside their mothers' wombs, it's not always as easy to tell when they are sick.

"You might not see those subtle changes unless you're really paying attention," said Dr. Kimberly Roop, president of Anthem Indiana's Medicaid team, which started using Count the Kicks earlier this year.

And those subtle changes can be crucial. "We're really trying to capture that time between when movement first slows," Dr. Roop said, "to when something catastrophic happens."

Two babies in Indiana have already been saved by Count the Kicks, said Dr. Roop. One baby would be enough for the Kellys to be involved, said Emma. But two is amazing and she hopes, like Iowa, Indiana soon sees a dramatic decrease in stillbirths.

While the Count The Kicks app wouldn't have saved Mary Kate, who the Kellys lost in the second trimester, Dr. Roop said she believes what they went through, their loss, can help show other parents why this is so important.

"Regardless of the cause, regardless of the gestational age, the loss of a baby is just something that leaves a hole in your heart," Dr. Roop said. "The Kellys are really hoping if they can bring some attention to this, they may spare other families their pain."

'These babies matter. Their lives matter'

Mary Kate is buried in a children's cemetery in Indianapolis just minutes from a river house the Kellys own. They thought a lot about where they should bury her. They thought about Ohio where the two were raised. But Indianapolis is home right now. It's been a huge chapter in their lives. And they want her close by.

Ryan and Emma go to Mary Kate's gravestone all the time. They sometimes have a picnic with her, they talk to her, they cry for all the things she never got to be or do.

Colts center Ryan Kelly sheds a tear while speaking about his daughter Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Zionsville.
When Mary Kate was delivered, a blue butterfly was put on the hospital door, Ryan said, a sign to nurses that inside the room was a baby who hadn't survived.

The butterfly has become a symbol for the Kellys, a symbol of Mary Kate. Ryan put a blue butterfly on his Pro Bowl helmet last season. "The butterfly has come to us in so many ways," Emma said.

On a particularly tough day not long ago, Emma was walking when a blue butterfly landed on her hand. It's when she is out in nature that she feels Mary Kate most, Emma said.

"It sounds weird but there is an overwhelming sense that she is there, that she is there with you," Emma said. "And you feel it not all the time. But times when I need it the most, I absolutely feel her."

Mary Kate has changed the Kellys forever. In an instant, they said, they were transformed. They shed the skin of the people they were, the people who had the fairy tale life, the perfect wedding, the NFL player, the beautiful wife, the sweet baby girl on the way.

When Mary Kate died, a part of them died, too, Emma said. But it was the part that needed to die. The part where little things, trivial things, petty things, mattered.

Emma and Ryan Kelly lost their daughter Mary Kate in December. They are fighting now to save other babies' lives.
"We had to learn this lesson and I'm so grateful for it because I don't want to spend my time, our time, doing things that just don't matter or worrying over things that don't matter," she said. "What matters is these babies. These babies matter. Their lives matter. We have to do more. We have to do better."

And as the Kellys fight for research and awareness for infant mortality and, as they help other grieving parents, they are also looking forward to one day having a house full of babies, just as they dreamed on their wedding day. But no matter how many children they might be blessed with, they will never forget their first baby girl.

"Mary Kate isn't gone. She is still with us in so many ways. We think about her every single day, " Emma said. "And we will for the rest of our lives."

[Brylok]

Still born. Right after he and several O Linemen got sick with covid.
You could have just posted a link for C&O without the wall-o-text. That felt like one of those infinite scroll things. C'mon man.

[smitty46953]

You could have just posted a link for C&O without the wall-o-text. That felt like one of those infinite scroll things. C'mon man.

I don't subscribe to Indy Star, I like it when Jaff posts the articles... :cool:

[Racehorse]

I don't subscribe to Indy Star, I like it when Jaff posts the articles... :cool:
I agree. It is the one positive he brings to the forum.

[JAFF]

You could have just posted a link for C&O without the wall-o-text. That felt like one of those infinite scroll things. C'mon man.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[Colts And Orioles]

o


The Colts' offensive line was one of the best in the NFL for 2 consecutive years in 2020 and 2021, and one of the worst in the NFL in 2022 ...... it will be interesting to see if they can reclaim their previous elite status in 2023, or if they will continue to be quarterback-killing bottom-feeders, or if they will be somewhere in between.

o

[Colts And Orioles]

o


(vs. JAGUARS, 10/16)



The offensive line allowed 0 sacks while Matt Ryan threw 58 pass attempts.



Offensive Line Decided to Shut Off the Sack ‘Nozzle’

(By Mike Chappell)

https://fox59.com/sports/colts/offensive-line-decided-to-shut-off-the-sack-nozzle/

o
o


(10 WEEKS LATER)


I was excited when the Colts avenged their disastrous loss to the Jaguars earlier in the season ...... I really was.

I thought that perhaps the offensive line had found their niche after a rough start to the season after this game ...... unfortunately, they didn't.

o

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

I know it is that time of year for rah-rah stories, but it does sound like that several of the OL vets "mentally checked out" and stopped paying attention to what Strausser was saying.

Larry Bird always used to say that he thought most coaches had a shelf life of about 3 years before players zone out and stop listening to them. Obviously Bird was talking about a different sport, but there is probably some truth to it.


https://1075thefan.com/93368/quenton-nelson-looking-to-get-back-to-his-lofty-standard-of-play/

Written by: Kevin Bowen

Quenton Nelson Looking To Get Back To His Lofty Standard Of Play


INDIANAPOLIS – By Quenton Nelson’s own admission, he definitely did not reach his normal standard of play last season.

Nelson said as much, after he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the fifth straight season to start his NFL career.

“I’m not super happy with it,” was how Nelson described his individual play late last season.

Per Pro Football Focus, Nelson gave up 30 pressures and 5 sacks last season.

This came after Nelson had inked a 4-year, $80 million extension with the Colts just before the start of the 2022 campaign (that extension kicks in to start the 2023 season).

Nelson now enters his 6th NFL season dealing with several firsts.

It’s the first time he’s playing under a different head coach than Frank Reich.

It’s the first time he’s had a different offensive line coach since his second NFL season.

And it’s the first time he enters a season coming off a year in which he (again, admittedly) underperformed.

This spring though, Nelson sounded pretty upbeat in describing the change in position coaches impacting his own game.

Tony Sparano Jr. is the new OL coach in Indy, walking into a room that performed as a group way below the necessary expectations.

Nelson enjoyed the early impressions of Sparano Jr.’s teaching.

“He’s great,” Nelson said of Sparano Jr. this spring. “You can tell he cares about all the guys in the room. He’s a funny guy too, which is awesome to have in the o-line room – build some camaraderie there. Just the way he’s been coaching has been really good and really good for me. I feel like I’m getting better in phase one, voluntary mini-camp and now phase two. It’s been really good.

“Just the technique that he’s teaching, the detail that he has in teaching it. Then when going over specific coaching points, nothing is like passed over, glossed over. Everything is very detail-oriented and explained really well to where you know exactly what he wants and exactly how to do it.”

To hear Nelson describe some of the changes needed from last season, it certainly has more of an ‘away from the gridiron’ feel to it.

Veteran center Ryan Kelly routinely used the word ‘miscommunication’ to describe the O-line issues from last season.

Nelson also points to more of the non-football technique aspects to playing a specific offensive line position.

“Working every day and hanging out with each other outside the building, building that chemistry and getting to know each other really well, and being close really off the field,” Nelson says when asked what the focus had been for the offensive line in the spring.

“I think that brings closeness on the field. We’ve been working on that this offseason. We’ve been getting really good lifts together, treatment together and, of course, practice together.”

In his 5-year NFL career, Nelson has set an incredibly high standard, a Canton-like one, for his own play.

But the Colts are also paying for him to routinely be at that level.

Will Nelson get back there in 2023?