Hard Knocks In Season: The Indianapolis Colts- episode 1 recap

This year famed HBO series Hard Knocks decided to go beyond what the show has done in the past and follow an NFL team for an entire season. The team they chose for this inaugural in season run is none other than the Indianapolis Colts.

Last night episode one of “Hard Knocks In Season: The Indianapolis Colts” aired and we learned a lot about the team, the players and the 2021 season that we’ve watched unfold on Sundays. Let’s take a look at the first episode of the year.

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Family, specifically Mia Leonard and Hadley Wentz stole the show

There was a scene where the Wentz’s and Leonard’s were sitting together in a box watching their husbands and fathers play, in hindsight I wish I would have gotten a clip from those moments. The takeaway is that Hadley and Mia have become fast friends. At one point Hadley feeds a snack to Mia and Mia thought it was so nice she got off of her mom's lap to hug her friend.

We also found out that Mia Leonard would live on Sprite if her parents would let her. As a guy with a Sprite loving daughter of his own, I understand this struggle. I also probably give in a little too easy on Sundays when the Colts are playing.

Eight Colts players will have babies in the next year and it seems like they’re all girls

If you had a gender reveal party for your kid(s), I’m sure you wish you could have had it at Lucas Oil Stadium, too. Both Ryan Kelly and Mark Glowinski found out their wives were having girls on the same day in Lucas Oil.

Darius Leonard’s youngest is a girl and Carson Wentz just welcomed girl number two after last Sunday’s win over the Jaguars. Soon half the Colts roster will know more about Disney princesses than they ever dreamed they would.

Frank Reich, really, loves Carson Wentz

We knew that Reich and Wentz clicked before but the producers over at Hard Knocks did a great job chronicling the two mens relationship going back to the months leading up to the 2016 NFL Draft. Frank Reich has no doubts about Carson Wentz and I don’t think he cares about anyone’s opinion when it comes to the quarterback.

Jim Irsay is amazing

Is he eccentric? Absolutely.

Do his players like him? Also, absolutely.

I’ve seen people trash Irsay online for this scene and while it’s a little odd, look at everyone’s reaction. They love it. Irsay might be a little strange, (_you would be too if you were a billionaire raised by Robert Irsay_) but his players and coaches genuinely enjoy the owner of the franchise.

Chris Ballard is pretty sure Jonathan Taylor is the best back in the league

I don’t have much to add to this scene, if you’ve watched Jonathan Taylor this season you know what Ballard and Montgomery are saying, is true.

Frank Reich scouts opposing coaches the same way I do

I’m guessing this is where our game prep similarities end but it’s pretty cool to know that Reich is watching opponent press conferences trying to pull out any small piece of information he can get his big mits on.

If you ever meet Colts special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone, ask him for the PowerBall numbers

Ventrone not only predicted that his punt return unit would block a Jacksonville Jaguars punt, he told his team Zaire Franklin would be the guy to block it.

He was right.

If that wasn’t enough to get you on Bubba’s side this might be

After his unit blocked the punt and E.J. Speed scooped it up and scored the touchdown, he tells Frank Reich to keep his foot on the gas. Reich agrees with him.

It’s tough to not like a guy telling the head coach the same thing we all want to tell Frank Reich when the Colts have a lead.

Jonathan Taylor tried to give the Jags defense credit for making life tough. Dare Ogunbowale wasn’t having it

Both guys were right, Taylor had a massive first quarter and the Jags defense tightened things up after letting Taylor gain the bulk of his yards, early. Either way Ogunbowale’s answer made me laugh out loud.

The end of episode one was fun to watch

Hard Knocks In Season was a lot of fun to watch. Colts fans got a close look at the team and NFL fans from 31 other teams were introduced to a team that has won five of their last seven games. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that episode two tells the story of a Colts team who finally has a winning record.