Reich’s Best/Worst Decisions: Week 13 Colts Vs. Titans

Best Decisions

#1 Having Brissett being more aggressive

Even though the results were certainly not great, as Brissett threw to very bad interceptions that were out of character for him, I liked watching the ball fly in the air more than 5 yards. To his credit, Jacoby was without his top 4 weapons, so the decision to air the ball out more was probably not going to finish well, especially against a tough Titans defense.

If Brissett continues being this aggressive, and the results start to come, he might just have enough time to change the narrative that he is nowhere near being a franchise quarterback.

#2 Getting the ball to the (only) reliable targets on offense

The amount of injuries in the skill positions the Colts suffered this season is just absurd. The Colts played this game without their top 3 receivers, their top tight end, and their top running back. There is no offense in football capable of withstanding that many injuries. Nonetheless, Reich did an admirable job of getting the ball in the two solid players this Colts offensive still has, breakout receiver Zach Pascal and Mr.Reliable Jack Doyle. The duo combined for 13 catches, 182 yards and a score (Doyle), and were perhaps the only Colts players on offense that had a good game (besides Quenton Nelson obviously)

Worst Decisions

#1 So much trust in Vinny

The field goal unit as a whole has been painful to watch this season. What was pretty much automatic in the past now seems like a coin toss. Knowing this, I don't understand why Reich still places so much faith in Vinatieri, having him kick 53 and 55 yard field goals. The 53 yarder was blocked, but that ball clearly was not going through the uprights. The 55 yarder looked better, but still hooked to the right.

Hindsight is 20/20, but given how awful the kicking has been for this team, perhaps pinning the Titans deep or going for it would have been a better choice.

#2 Benching Jonathan Williams

After Marlon Mack suffered a hand injury versus the Jaguars a couple games ago, Jonathan Williams emerged as a capable spot starter, racking up 220 yards after Mack went down and against the Texans. He had a slow start to the game, carrying the ball 8 times for just 14 yards, but was then confined to the bench for the remainder.

It could be because of how thin the Colts were at receiver after Rogers went down that Reich wanted to have backs capable of catching (Williams has just 7 career receptions) or that Frank was just trusting the hot hand, but it seemed like Williams could have done a better job than Wilkins, specially in pass-protection, where Jordan gave up two easy pressures on Brissett, one that resulted in an interception.

Overall this was not a good game by the Colts, but it is hard to blame Reich after losing your top 5 playmakers on offense. The gameplan was conditioned from the beginning, and after Rogers went down, the passing attack looked even worse than it has looked. No matter the coach, an offense missing so many key players will not look good. What can be criticized is his unwavering confidence in what has been the worst kicker in the NFL this season.