Game Date/Time: Friday, August 19th, 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium; Indianapolis, Indiana
TV Schedule: Washington, DC: WRC 4 (NBC), Indianapolis: WNDY MY23
TV Distribution Map: The506.com
Redskins blog we like: Hogs Haven
Last week's preseason game was terrible, and the only thing more annoying than watching Curtis Painter throw interceptions is Colts coaches and management making excuses for why that isn't such a bad thing.
But, if Dan Orlovsky goes out there tonight and plays well against the Redskins, the chorus of boos for Painter and his enablers will grow louder.
After the jump, we talk about players we'll be focusing on tonight.
Ollie Ogbu, DT
After re-watching the Colts v. Rams preseason, I came away impressed with Ogbu. He lined up at NT, and did a good job at the point of attack against the Rams scrubs on the o-line. It would be nice to see him move up the depth chart, and maybe get a few reps at NT with the big boys. He's also got a nice little swim move when they used him at UT on passing downs.
SB Nation Philly did a nice write-up on Ogbu before the draft when they were trying to guess who Eagles d-line coach Jim Washburn would covet as his new nose tackle. Washburn coaches just like Colts d-line coach John Teerlinck.
Penn State defensive tackle Ollie Ogbu isn't in the same class as Wilkerson, but could still be on the Eagles radar. The Eagles need to identify where they want the current defensive tackles to play, nose or 3-technique. When I say nose tackle, don't get caught up in Casey Hampton and Jamaal Williams. Washburn's nose tackle in Tennessee was Tony Brown. He's a shade under 6-2 and weighs somewhere in the 285-300 pound range. All four defensive linemen in Washburn's scheme attack upfield. The nose tackle must be able to eat up some blocks on certain run plays.
Ogbu played nose tackle for Penn State. He was effective when asked to eat up blockers, but also able to get into the backfield and be disruptive. He had 29 career TFLs at Penn State. Ogbu had a sack in the East-West Shrine Game. He is only 6-1, 300, but that is a build very similar to Tony Brown. Ogbu has the same kind of game. He doesn't mind doing the dirty work. Being a nose tackle isn't much fun so you have to find guys that embrace the role.
Joe Lefeged, SS
He got dinged up in practice the other day, but I haven't seen anything yet that tells me he isn't playing tonight. Lefeged is listed as the back-up strong safety to Melvin Bullitt. This is interesting because Lefeged is an undrafted rookie. Thus, if the Colts are willing to put Lefeged there over David Caldwell or Chip Vaughn, that means they see something in him they like.
In a weak safety class for this year's draft, Lefeged was considered one of the better options at strong safety. If he plays tonight, I plan to watch him closely. He was also a demon on special teams at Rutgers.
Jerry Hughes, DE
The boos and jeers for Hughes will become audible at home if he doesn't bounce back and have an improved game over the one he had last week. At this point, I'm not looking for sacks, forced fumbles, or anything that even remotely suggests he's worthy of his draft stock. right now, I'm looking to see if he is a competent back-up. On 1070 The Fan earlier this week, Phil Wilson of the Indianapolis Star suggested that the reason the Colts signed Tyler Brayton was because of doubts in Hughes.
Hughes must bounce back, and we will watch him closely tonight to see if he does.