Indystar 9/30

[JAFF]

How Michael Pittman Jr. is becoming a consistent 'menace' for the Colts

INDIANAPOLIS - Michael Pittman Jr. was in a dead sprint when he realized his biggest catch of the day was going to be the most painful.

The Colts were in overtime against the Ravens when Gardner Minshew heaved a pass that was going to be behind him. The momentum of a 6-foot-4 body wasn't going to slow down at that point, so he flipped his shoulders until he was running backward and timed a leap with the arrival of the ball -- and of a shot to the head from behind, all as a defensive back in front of him was ripping his facemask off mid-flight.

He landed without a helmet, and suddenly Drew Ogletree was daring his most wild friend to do something he would never try.




"Tree was pushing me, and I know I can't run because I don't have a helmet on," Pittman said after the play. "He tapped me to get up and go run, and I was like, 'Wait.'"

Inside IndyStar: Talking Colts football with reporters Nate and Joel

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) loses his helmet as he picks up a clutch catch in overtime against Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
This is who Pittman is in his fourth year with the Colts. He's the player they heave it up to in the desperate moments, who can sky above multiple defenders and make something out of nothing down the field.

"That's the menace part of him," Colts receivers coach Reggie Wayne said. "... You can't have 11 menaces out there. Somebody's gotta have some sense.


"I told him after the game, 'That's what separates the average from the elite.'"

What's important to Pittman is that he's moving beyond the splash plays that built his breakout in 2021. He is the only player in the NFL with at least eight catches in all three games.

After a 503-yard rookie season with Phillip Rivers, the second-round pick out of USC cashed in a 1,000-yard season in his second year largely on jump balls and broken plays with Carson Wentz.


But those splash plays disappeared last season, when the Colts rotated from Matt Ryan to Sam Ehlinger to Nick Foles, none of whom had the mix of escapability and arm strength to throw those 50-50 passes. He was still the team's leading receiver with 99 catches, but he fell 75 yards short of another 1,000-yard season.

It was nearly impossible for anyone in the Colts passing game to build with a constant rotation of quarterbacks, offensive coordinators and offensive line combinations. But Pittman believes he's wired to produce through the circumstances.



So far this season, he is. His 25 catches are tied for fourth in the NFL.

The settings have not been ideal.

Pittman is in a new offense designed by Shane Steichen and Jim Bob Cooter. He's seen a rotation of quarterbacks due to injury, as Anthony Richardson has attempted 47 passes and Minshew has 69. On Sunday, Minshew became his seventh starting quarterback in four seasons.

Pittman is still under 10 yards per catch, despite that 34-yard play in overtime. But he's been reliable, catching a career-high 74% of his targets.

"It's always important to be consistent, especially with a younger quarterback, to be a guy that they know, 'Hey, if we need a completion, we can go there,'" Pittman said. "That's something I take pride in, and hopefully we can start stretching these targets farther down the field."

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) gets a few yards on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
Pittman's 5.4-yard average depth of target is the second-lowest of the top 18 players in receptions in the league, according to Sports Info Solutions.

"Usually the guy who doesn't run the right route or get his route depth gets the damn ball," Wayne said in mock disgust.



But Pittman hungers for the honest truth.

He grew up as the son of an NFL running back, and when Michael Pittman Sr. realized his son was too tall to take his same position, he took his son to a local park in California and ran press coverage on him.

“I used to bully him. Just bully him," Pittman Sr. said. "I wanted to see him perform through his emotions."

GO DEEPER: The multiple personalities of Michael Pittman Jr.

That work -- as well as the pressure to pass it on to a younger brother, Mycah, who now plays at Utah -- helped craft the "menace" the Colts have now. It's no longer just a high-variance, volatile specimen but one that a rookie and backup quarterback alike can trust to make a play in the most dire of moments.

Without Jonathan Taylor or any established NFL receivers, Pittman has become the safety blanket.



The next step is blending the reliability with the playmaking into something that can produce down the field more often. Though he doesn't win often with his speed, Pittman has enough of it at his size with a 4.52-second 40-yard dash time, which paid off on a 39-yard screen pass touchdown against the Jaguars in Week 1.

It's the trust that has to build -- for Richardson in where Pittman is going to be and in Pittman in that the quarterback and play design will get him the ball as intended and he doesn't have to improvise. It's one of the reasons the Colts have stressed repetition with Richardson, as the 21-year-old has never built a connection with a go-to receiver before. It's also why they have to find a way to protect their rookie quarterback, so he can stay in practices and games and grow this organically.

They could get another shot this week, with Richardson practicing Wednesday and Thursday as he works through the NFL's concussion protocol. If he can play against the Rams, that work will allow Steichen to draw up specific designs to get Pittman the ball down the field in a way where he doesn't have to turn and locate it and where nobody can tempt him to run without his helmet again.

[JAFF]

With a karate chop at the football, Warren Central's JuJu Brents shows Colts he's arrived

BALTIMORE - It was the second drive of JuJu Brents' first NFL game, and he saw a football dangling loose in the arms of a man he used to chase down in training camp.

Kenyan Drake was slaloming up the right sideline in Baltimore, nearing the red zone and a double-digit lead for the Ravens. But what Brents saw in that moment was the player he chased down in camp, back when the Warren Central graduate thought he was over the injuries and waiting to make play like this for his hometown team.

Brents broke off of his block on Sunday, sprinted behind Drake and karate chopped his right arm at the ball. It popped out and began to roll to the sideline on a slippery day from the effects of Tropical Storm Ophelia, but Brents was ready to pounce right on it.


"He's a playmaker," strong safety Julian Blackmon said. "We need that."

Inside IndyStar: Talking Colts football with reporters Nate and Joel

Brents' play was the turning point in a game the Colts weren't supposed to win. It was on the Ravens' second drive, which was threatening a second touchdown from Lamar Jackson, in a game where Indianapolis didn't have its dual-threat counterpunch in Anthony Richardson. Instead, the Colts rode two fumble recoveries in a dominant defensive performance to a 22-19 overtime upset.


"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time," Brents said through a postgame smile. "Honestly, it was just a blessing to be out there. ... When you get it taken away from you and you can't be out there, it's tough."

Indianapolis Colts cornerback JuJu Brents (29) warms up on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
INSIDER: Why beating Lamar Jackson is a sign of how far Colts pass rush has come

When the Colts selected him in the second round out of Kansas State this spring, Brents had every reason to expect he'd be starting right away. After trading Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore to the Cowboys, the Colts boasted one of the youngest secondaries in the league, and the door flew even more wide open after Isaiah Rodgers Sr. was lost for the season to a gambling

At 6-foot-3, Brents appeared tailor-made to be the next physical press-man cornerback in Gus Bradley's Seahawks-style, Cover 3-heavy defense.

But a wrist injury lingered throughout the spring and early summer, and he also injured his hamstring. He sat out weeks on end, came back and tweaked the hamstring again. Practice days flew by. A player who had not dealt with many injuries in his football life was quickly becoming known in his hometown as a rookie who couldn't shake them.

Through the first two weeks, defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and defensive backs coach Ron Milus decided to keep Brents as a healthy scratch but promised him playing time would come as his practice reps increased. Brents reached eight of nine practices in the first three weeks, his rise to health coinciding with a game against the Texans in which Darrell Baker Jr. struggled on the outside and C.J. Stroud threw for 384 yards.


"It was never about his focus or, ‘Here’s a young corner, we’ve got to get his mentality right,'" Bradley said. "That part was all there. He’s got a strong focus, a good mentality, a great competitive spirit about him. It was just getting him caught up to where he has a chance to be successful. So, I think that going into a game you never know how guys are going to react.

"But he had that poise."

Sunday arrived and Brents was popping receivers' pads with his 6-foot-3 frame, tackling with authority and living in the gray space that can elevate some cornerbacks to be a cut above. He covered Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews across the field on one pass and broke up a pass with physicality right as the ball arrived.

He was targeted four times and allowed three completions but for just 18 yards.

He had four tackles and the forced fumble. The Ravens did not score a passing touchdown.

"Being a young guy in my premiere, I knew they were going to come at me," Brents said. "You just have to have that confidence, especially playing the position I am."

As a rookie playing a premium position, Brents knows rookie moments are bound to arrive. He's already faced some of that adversity with two injuries and two healthy inactive games. But the on-field challenges will come, starting perhaps on Sunday against the Rams and Puka Nacua, a BYU rookie who has exploded on the scene with 30 catches, good for second in the NFL.

But he'll be out there for his hometown team, this time under the lights at Lucas Oil Stadium. His phone can stop buzzing with questions and start buzzing with hype and excitement. The moment has arrived.

"There's going to be some hard days. It's inevitable," Brents said. "But if you keep competing and having the right mentality, you'll keep your confidence."

[JAFF]

Colts vs. Rams injury report, power rankings in NFL Week 4

The Indianapolis Colts hold the AFC South lead as the Los Angeles Rams visit in NFL Week 4 action (1 p.m. ET Sunday, CBS).

The Colts (2-1) have won two straight road games, largely with Gardner Minshew at quarterback. Indianapolis scratched out a 22-19 overtime victory over the Baltimore Ravens one week after handling the Houston Texans.

The Rams (1-2) are coming off a 19-16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. Quarterback Matthew Stafford was under siege after his left tackle, Alaric Jackson, left the game with a thigh injury. Cincinnati teed off on substitute Zach Thomas. Guard Joe Noteboom also left the game with an injury.




Surprisingly, the Rams defense has forced just 1 turnover.

Inside IndyStar: Talking Colts football with reporters Nate and Joel

Colts injury report

Quarterback Anthony Richardson and center Ryan Kelly, who both left the Week 2 win over the Houston Texans with concussions, were full participants Thursday. Cornerback/kick returner Dallis Flowers (back) was also a full participant.


Colts who did not participate Thursday: DT DeForest Buckner (groin), G Quenton Nelson (toe); limited participation: QB Sam Ehlinger (right shoulder).

Will Anthony Richardson play?

Colts coach Shane Steichen says Anthony Richardson is the QB1 when he passes concussion protocol. The Colts won't know whether Richardson is available until later in the week. If he can't go, Gardner Minshew, who led the Colts in their overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens, gets another start.


Rams injury report

Did not participate Wednesday: T Alaric Jackson (hamstring); WR Ben Skowroneck (Achilles); TE Tyler Higbee (Achilles); limited participation: WR Puka Nacua (oblique); full participation: G Joe Noteboom


NFL power rankings: Where the Colts stand

Eric Edholm, NFL.com: 28th, up 2 places from last week

It would have been easy to look at the Colts to start the season, especially after the Jonathan Taylor drama crested, and wonder if last season’s nightmare ever ended. But since the competitive loss in Week 1, the Colts have won impressively on the road in back-to-back games. The Utah duo of Zack Moss and Matt Gay were big heroes in the overtime win at Baltimore, but so was a defense that made big stops and cranked up the pressure. The big surprise Sunday was how much the Colts blitzed (40% blitz rate), something they typically do more selectively. But these are important victories for a club that has had to repeatedly lick its wounds in recent years. The Colts are growing thicker skin now.


Frank Schwab, Yahoo: 19th, up 8 spots

There was so much going on in the NFL on Sunday that the Colts' win might be overlooked. They went on the road against a 2-0 Ravens team, without quarterback Anthony Richardson and running back Jonathan Taylor, and got the first huge win of the Shane Steichen era. Is it possible this will be the 2023 AFC South champion?

Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: 24th, up 2 positions

They are the first place team in the AFC South without Jonathan Taylor and Anthony Richardson, showing that Shane Steichen's offense can be special. Their defense is also compensating well for holes vs. the pass.

Conor Orr, Sports Illustrated: 19th

Just a beautifully designed offense in combination with a team that is seemingly unafraid. Shane Steichen, at every stop, has maximized his personnel. We’re seeing that now in Indy where a sort of patchwork group of players was smushed together and who now look like they have a purpose. Defensively, the Colts also stepped to the plate. Big tackles from the likes of E.J. Speed, among others, stifled critical drives.

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: 14th, up 10 places

Beating the Ravens on the road is a good look for this team, which is in first place. Doing it with a backup quarterback in Gardner Minshew makes it even more impressive.

Insider:How Matt Gay went from college soccer to record-setting kicker

Making an instant impact:Warren Central's JuJu Brents shows Colts he's arrived

Who is Puka Nacua?

The 5th-round NFL Draft pick out of BYU has become the Rams' go-to receiver with Cooper Kupp sidelined, and has 30 receptions for 338 yards. The 22-year-old from Las Vegas is the younger brother of former NFL safety Kai Nacua.

Colts key players

Gardner Minshew (66.7% completions, 398 yards, 2 TDs, sacked 5 times); Anthony Richardson (63.8% completions, 279 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, sacked 4 times; 75 rushing yards, 3 TDs); Zack Moss (210 rushing yards in 2 games, 4.4 yards per carry, 1 TD); Michael Pittman Jr. (25 catches, 230 yards, 1 TD); Josh Downs (15 catches, 124 yards); Zaire Franklin (45 tackles); Kwity Paye (3 sacks); Matt Gay (6-of-6 FGs, 4 from 50+ yards); Isaiah McKenzie (5 punt returns, 13.6 yards per).

Rams key players

Matthew Stafford (60.3% completions, 910 yards, 2 TDs, 4 INTs, sacked 7 times); Kyren Williams (142 rushing yards, 3.6 per carry, 3 TDs); Puka Nacua (30 catches, 338 yards), Tutu Atwell (17 catches, 246 yards, 1 TD); Ernest Jones (28 tackles, 4 for loss); Brett Maher (9-of-11 field goals, 1-of-3 from 50+ yards).

Colts vs. Rams betting odds

Via BetMGM

Favorite: Colts by 1 point

Over/under: 45.5 total points

Moneyline: Colts -120, Rams -100

Will the roof be open for the Colts game?

The Colts have not decided if the Lucas Oil Stadium roof will be open Sunday. The forecast is for sunny skies and a high of about 80 degrees. The roof was closed for the Colts' season opener under similar conditions.

[JAFF]

Anthony Richardson details the play that caused a brain injury against the Texans
Nate Atkins
Indianapolis Star


INDIANAPOLIS - Anthony Richardson is officially back.

The Colts rookie quarterback has cleared the NFL's concussion protocol and will start Sunday's game against the Rams at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Richardson was able to get a full week of practices in after missing all of last week with a brain injury that occurred in his second career start against the Texans.

The injury happened on a 15-yard touchdown run on a unique play design by Shane Steichen, where Richardson faked a handoff in motion to Josh Downs as the Colts offensive line flowed left and Richardson went around the right edge and ran into the end zone.

Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson missed Sunday's 22-19 overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens with a brain injury.
"(Kylen) Granson got the block and kicked out for me, and I just thought it was an easy walk-in touchdown. I was just trying to trot in there," Richardson said. "The guy closed in fast and I tried to brace for it, but the way I turned my body, I flopped back on the ground."




On the sideline between possessions, Richardson went to the Colts medical staff and told them he might have a headache. The staff told him if they were to do a brain injury test, they would need to do it right then, so Richardson instead tried to shake it off and went back into the game for two more drives, both of which ended in three-and-outs.

"I noticed I wasn't feeling the way I should," Richardson said. "I asked them to take me to the tent to check and see. I didn't want to hurt the team."




Richardson was then ruled out for the game with a brain injury, and that's when Gardner Minshew checked in and finished out a 31-20 victory over the Texans. The next week, Richardson was able to be around the team at practices and on the flight to Baltimore and in the lockerroom, an indication that his symptoms were no longer severe. But he wasn't cleared for practices, so Minshew started again and the Colts beat the Ravens 22-19 in overtime.

Now, Richardson comes back to a 2-1 Colts team that's in sole possession of first place in the AFC South.

[CletusPyle]

I'd say we are better than 28th but probably not as good as 14th, 19th is probably about right!