Stampede Blue - Indianapolis Colts vs Miami Dolphins: 2018 Week 12 Game Hub An Indianapolis Colts bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/29818/stampedeblue_fave.png2018-12-01T13:00:06-05:00http://www.stampedeblue.com/rss/stream/178692792018-12-01T13:00:06-05:002018-12-01T13:00:06-05:00Colts Film Room: Key blocking highlights vs. Miami Dolphins
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<img alt="NFL: Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Sj_3J4QYM-qUIjWuvg_VCwsdhfM=/678x0:4890x2808/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62607086/usa_today_11732522.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="SUTmOG">While Braden Smith’s game stood out the most against the <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Dolphins</a>, there were numerous key blocks and penalties called involving other players. The final <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/">Colts</a> Film Room for the Week 12 game against Miami will analyze these plays. If you missed it, we already <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/2018/11/29/18117629/colts-film-room-rookie-tackle-braden-smith-struggles-against-the-dolphins">spent time focusing on Smith’s struggles</a>. Zach Hicks also <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/2018/11/28/18115357/film-room-evan-boehm-up-and-down-in-first-start-for-the-colts">broke down</a> center <span>Evan Boehm</span>’s performance and offered <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/2018/11/29/18117121/film-room-quincy-wilsons-peculiar-sophomore-season">a season-long perspective</a> on second-year corner <span>Quincy Wilson</span>.</p>
<p id="rnyvos">Let’s see who else stood out.</p>
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<p id="QLEPOD">No player has had a greater impact on the improvement of the Colts offensive line since Week 5 than starting left tackle <span>Anthony Castonzo</span> (#74). Indianapolis did not give up a sack for five weeks after he returned to the lineup and the ground game started to pick up considerably. </p>
<p id="gRoIyj">These facts don’t mean that <span>Castonzo</span> will be perfect on every snap. This is the first would-be sack of <span>Andrew Luck</span> that was called off due to a defensive penalty. Let me be clear, had this remained a sack, it would not be all on Castonzo. Luck holds the ball way too long here. Even <span>Quenton Nelson</span> (#56) is holding on for dear life by the time Luck goes down.</p>
<p id="CENXCO">However, it is entirely fair to point out that Castonzo lost the edge on this block. <span>Robert Quinn</span> (#94) is able to turn the corner too soon and it leaves Castonzo desperately reaching to knock him off track. It has been some time since Luck has taken a shot like this one.</p>
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<p id="kSLEzr">We will call this play <em>The Great Escape™</em>. This sealed the game and is an example of the type of play that few NFL quarterbacks are able to make. Luck’s ability to feel pressure and the strength and athleticism to avoid it and maintain his balance after contact is incredible. If he goes down here, the Colts are forced to punt and the game is not decided until overtime.</p>
<p id="gMWjjs">There were two losses by the offensive line. Castonzo fails to seal <span>Andre Branch</span> (#50). He gets far too much penetration and is dangerously close to a sack, or a possible strip sack. This is a match-up between an offensive tackle and a linebacker, and Castonzo needs to anchor better. <span>Branch</span> gets up into his collar bones and controls the engagement.</p>
<p id="xrbBJd"><span>Mark Glowinski</span> (#64) also fails to block <span>Akeem Spence</span> (#93). <span>Spence</span> is running a slant, crossing the face of the center and attempting to go through the B gap outside of <span>Glowinski</span>. Center <span>Evan Boehm</span> (#67) passes Spence outside but Glowsinki fails to seal. Spence is already parallel with him and crossing the line of scrimmage by the time he attempts to recover.</p>
<p id="xi5jBi">The pending convergence of Spence and <span>Branch</span> are what forces Luck to escape. Pressure from both sides, no escape route to the outside, and pressure coming into a quarterback’s face is almost always check mate. Castonzo and <span>Glowinski</span> are lucky and their charming quarterback is something special.</p>
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<p id="U0Zth5">One of the primary areas that received a considerable boost after Castonzo returned from injury is the running game. This play could have gone for huge yardage. Unfortunately, Castonzo failed to maintain his block on Quinn, who rips out of the block and tackles <span>Marlon Mack</span> (#25) shortly after he cross the line of scrimmage. </p>
<p id="s0yy3u">If Castonzo holds his block. <span>Boehm</span>’s second-level block and <span>Jack Doyle</span>’s (#84) seal on <span>Kiko Alonso</span> (#47) would have given Mack a whole lot of green to work with.</p>
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<p id="GNiGAe">Speaking of <span>Jack Doyle</span>, if you want to know why it will hurt to lose his contributions on offense, look at this play. I’ve already noted that Doyle is the best blocking tight end on the team. He is more effective sealing on run plays and chipping before he goes out into his route than any other player on the roster.</p>
<p id="FDmS23">Here, Doyle chips down on Branch and releases to seal the outside lane for Mack. He finds Rakwon McMillan (#52), initiates the block, and runs him 8 yards downfield. If <span>Boehm</span> is able to get a better block on Spence in the middle of the field, Mack has an inside cut-back lane and might still be running.</p>
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<p id="1deNNf">One of the most challenging areas for young NFL running backs is pass protection. There are numerous reasons. Some want to avoid extra contact, given that they play an already brutally physical position. Some don’t understand who to block or how to identify pressure pre-snap to be very effective. Some make contact but are simply ineffective.</p>
<p id="izUBGh">Indianapolis has three running backs on the roster with less than two full years of experience. Only Jordan Wilkins has any meaningful size, as it relates to taking or delivering a blow as a blocker. One of the biggest concerns for feature rusher <span>Marlon Mack</span> last season was his weakness as a blocker, particularly compared to <span>Frank Gore</span>.</p>
<p id="HmezKG">This is an example of Mack making some progress. His first step is to release to his right but he keeps his eyes on the defense and quickly recognizes the blitz. He takes a hard step and generates a lot of speed in a short space to deny the blitz and give Luck a clean pocket.</p>
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<p id="I1JLCg">This is Quenton’s Nelson’s first holding call. The play is supposed to go to the right but Boehm is unable to kick the defender out of the rushing lane. Mack is left to improvise and bounces back to find some running room. There isn’t any to be found. Branch is waiting to clean up the play as Castonzo had released to the second level to look for defenders to block downfield. </p>
<p id="Fkyr9c">Nelson displays an incredible first step and athleticism to seal inside. <span>Davon Godchaux</span> (#56) drives him back into the traffic and forces him to stand up. For all intents and purposes. both players are out of the play at this point. <span>Godchaux</span> has his back to Mack and has no idea he is there until he is smoked in the side as Mack dives forward for yards.</p>
<p id="WfsqNu">The reason Nelson drew the penalty is because his left hand is on <span>Godchaux</span>’s shoulder pad. It is unlikely that this play turns out any different if Nelson’s hand is inside the shoulder pad but that is what draws the call.</p>
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<p id="L1WttT">This hold may have been called for similar reasons. Nelson squares up <span>Sylvester Williams</span> (#98). Once <span>Williams</span> notices the play is going outside, after he started to commit inside, he reaches out to make a play. Reaching means you surrender your base. When you surrender your base against <span>Quenton Nelson</span>, you drink tea.</p>
<p id="9zc9LF">Note that Nelson’s right hand is outside of <span>Williams</span>’ shoulder pad. this is the logical explanation for the holding call. However, we slow down the play considerably to highlight the movement of Nelson’s right hand. He can’t be holding with that hand when the hand is free to move up and down in the frame. </p>
<p id="X54Dst">What makes the call more frustrating is that the flag is thrown from the side judge who is about 15 yards away off-screen to the right. He is looking through Marlon Mack as he runs by and determines that because Williams is on the ground, Nelson must have held him.</p>
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<p id="DuXK19">Speaking of drinking tea, Nelson serves up a particularly strong batch on this play. He quickly establishes outside leverage to seal Robert Quinn inside. <span>Nyheim Hines</span> (#21) is releasing outside to create yards in space on this play.</p>
<p id="MK9gDY">Once Nelson gains the advantage, he presses it. For good measure, he presses it some more. He wants to let Quinn know who Daddy is, in case he had forgotten. It is hard not to love seeing an offensive lineman do this kind of thing. Particularly if he is on your team.</p>
<p id="ePmOlW">I bet <span>Andrew Luck</span> sleeps well at night.</p>
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https://www.stampedeblue.com/2018/12/1/18118893/colts-film-room-key-blocking-highlights-vs-miami-dolphinsBrett Mock2018-11-28T11:02:07-05:002018-11-28T11:02:07-05:00Film Room: Evan Boehm up and down in first start for the Colts
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<img alt="NFL: Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/R-9iEkHvzflliqhKJRtF60meVlI=/0x144:2142x1572/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62419705/usa_today_11135403.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Evan Boehm put together a decent showing in his first start. </p> <p id="dhsMbm">The <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/">Indianapolis Colts</a> just completed a ten point comeback in the fourth quarter against the playoff hopeful <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Miami Dolphins</a> to secure their 5th straight victory. What’s even more impressive about the victory is that they did all that without their starting center Ryan Kelly. Kelly has been playing like an All-Pro this season and is a big reason why the Colts were stringing together so many victories. With Kelly at starting center, the Colts had a streak of four straight games without allowing a sack.</p>
<p id="u8LpoW">Starting in place of Kelly was former fourth round pick Evan Boehm. Boehm started eight games for Arizona last year at right guard before being cut and signed to the <a href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Cardinals</a> just before this season. Once the Colts lost guard <span>Matt Slauson</span> for the season, they poached Boehm off of the Cardinals practice squad for added depth. Although he hasn’t started a game at center in the NFL before this past Sunday, he did make 52 career starts at the position in college for Missouri.</p>
<p id="z2MW02">Boehm was very up and down in his first career start at center this past Sunday. The Dolphins rarely tested him in one-on-one and that definitely made his job easier. With Joe Haeg returning to practice this week, some are calling for him to replace Boehm at center against the <a href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/">Jaguars</a>. I will show you all through this film room that Boehm did play well enough to earn another start and that he continually got better as the game progressed on Sunday. Let’s jump into the film though to see what I’m talking about. </p>
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<h2 id="8JJEZv"><strong>Film Review</strong></h2>
<p id="Horxxk">A common staple of the Colts’ offensive line dominance in past weeks is their ability on pulls. Kelly was borderline elite in this area as his athleticism and ability to locate defenders were pretty great. Boehm is not quite the athlete Kelly is and he does struggle with locating his targets when pulling. Here, Boehm is able to get out in front of the run but is a bit hesitant about who to block when he gets out there. He ends up blocking nobody on this play as a result which is not ideal.</p>
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<p id="OoLEGj">This next rep by Boehm is a really good one, as he is operating from a position of strength here. Boehm is a very short, stocky lineman and excels more in tight quarters rather than on the move or in space. He is down blocking here, away from the play. He does a great job of getting low on his block and driving defensive lineman <span>Ziggy Hood</span> out of the play. He also directs his block of Hood towards edge rusher <span>Charles Harris</span>, which takes him out of the play as well. Overall a great block by Boehm to take two defenders out of the play. If Marlon Mack had better vision and saw the cutback lane that Boehm created, this play could have gone for more yards.</p>
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<p id="1dtjKh">This next rep shows a few of the flaws I saw in Boehm when run blocking in the first half. The first one that I mentioned earlier is finding his targets and taking proper angles in run blocking. Here he runs past his man and is not able to even get a hand on linebacker <span>Kiko Alonso</span>. I also noticed that Boehm is fairly stiff in the open field, especially when he is attempting to get to the second level against linebackers in the run game. He does a good job of getting to the next level but where he needs to improve now is locating his targets, taking better angles, and engaging in blocks with linebackers, Too often he whiffs in the open field like this. </p>
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<p id="PtZESg">Earlier I showed a clip of Boehm pulling and failing to diagnose which player he needs to block on the play. Here, Boehm actually does a great job of getting through the line and finding his linebacker that he needs to block. He proceeds to sell out on the block and dives at the linebackers legs to get a body on him. This is actually a pretty solid block that likely would have sprung Mack for a big gain if <span>Anthony Castonzo</span> was able to hold his block on the outside. Definitely a much better rep from Boehm on this inside pull with a much shorter distance to cover and his target more easy to diagnose.</p>
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<p id="3G4s91">This next rep is actually quite comical, as it is a reminder that Boehm is still new to this team and trying to learn the offense. Playing center in the NFL is one of the hardest things to do in all of football. On top of being asked to block 330 pound nose guards right after you snap the ball, centers also need to be the captain of the offensive line along with understanding all the protection calls and run designs. That is a lot to take in for a guy who has been on the team only for a few weeks. Here he clearly has a miscommunication with Quenton Nelson or simply blocked the wrong way. It is funny to see him spin around like this at the line but these type of mistakes will happen with a player still relatively new to the team. </p>
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<p id="NuaB0W">This next clip again shows Boehm climbing to the second level and whiffing once he gets to the linebacker. <span>Alonso</span> is much quicker than Boehm— obviously as <span>Alonso</span> is a linebacker— and is able to make Boehm whiff on his block en route to making a tackle. In the future, I’d like to see Boehm get his hands inside on the linebacker once he initially engages the block so that he has complete control of the rep and where the linebacker moves. Watch how <span>Braden Smith</span> blocks the opposite linebacker on this rep. He gets his hands inside and is able to keep hold of him until the end of the play. I want to see more of that from Boehm going forward. </p>
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<p id="eLD91U">Another rep from Boehm where he misses Alonso in space. This may be the worst rep of all because he actually does establish good position initially in front of Alonso. The main problem here is that Boehm just doesn’t get his hands up and on Alonso before he makes his move inside. Boehm has to get his hands up and on quicker linebackers or they are simply going to go around him to make plays. He has the strength advantage over players such as Alonso, he needs to use it. Use your hands, control the block, and open up the run lane. </p>
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<p id="whussB">Now I have been a bit hard on Boehm so far in this piece. So let me show a clip on something I absolutely love about him. He was really solid in pass pro on Sunday, particularly in finding work. The Dolphins run a 4-3 defense so rarely is there a player lined up over the center on pass blocking attempts. As a result, Boehm is tasked with having to find work on unsuspecting lineman already engaged with guards. On this rep, Boehm lays out the defensive lineman engaged with <span>Mark Glowinski</span> after scanning for any late rushers. I love this bully mentality to find work and put defenders on the ground.</p>
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<p id="pKomxv">Now every clip I have shown so far was Boehm in the first half. The rest of the clips are in the second half of the game on Sunday and you’ll notice a player getting better as the game went on. I mentioned earlier that Boehm impressed me a lot in pass blocking on Sunday. One area where I was really impressed though was in his handling and diagnosing of stunts up front. This is something that Nelson, Kelly, and quite frankly most guards really struggle with in their first few starts in the NFL. Boehm however handles these like a veteran as he is very patient and does not get pulled out of position when handling stunts. He is able to shut down the stunt from <span>Cameron Wake</span> with ease on this play.</p>
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<p id="Mo1bc4">The Dolphins really didn’t test Boehm much with one on one reps, which shocked me quite a bit. Here is one of those rare plays where Boehm was tasked with blocking a defensive tackle one on one on a blitz. The defensive lineman— Ziggy Hood— attempts to get up field on Boehm and actually does get a good jump off of the snap. Boehm does a great job of executing the “snatch and trap” technique of blocking to get Hood onto the ground. He notices that Hood’s leverage is pulling him forward and Hood is off balance. Boehm then pulls Hood’s arms down, leading to him falling forward and giving <span>Andrew Luck</span> and open throwing lane. Excellent blocking by Boehm here. </p>
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<p id="mrb9dH">This next rep by Boehm is probably his best block of the entire afternoon. Again operating more in the “phone booth” rather than in open space, Boehm is able to execute two key blocks on one play to spring Mack for a huge gain. Boehm first chips defensive lineman <span>Akeem Spence</span> to help <span>Glowinski</span> secure that block. Then, he is able to work to the second level and secure a block on linebacker Raekwon McMillan. By blocking McMillan out of the gap, Boehm also gets in the way of the backside linebacker— Alonso— and throws off his angle. To top off the whole thing, he buries McMillan in the ground to finish the play. Overall he takes out three defenders here and sparks a huge play for the offense. Excellent rep here by Boehm.</p>
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<p id="dOAY3i">I mentioned earlier how I love how quickly Boehm is able to diagnose and react to stunts. Here we see that ability again on full display. He initially carries the defensive lineman <span>Spence</span> inside before handing him off to <span>Castonzo</span>. He then— rather athletically— works back inside to pick up the inside stunt from Robert Quinn. This quick diagnoses of the stunt play likely saves a sack and I am thoroughly impressed by the awareness he displayed on plays like this all Sunday long.</p>
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<p id="VopOLK">This last rep may not be his best of the day, but it is my personal favorite. He starts off the play double teaming inside with <span>Glowinski</span> on Spence. After he helps Glowinski control that block he then finds work on Nelson’s side and absolutely crushes defensive lineman Sylvester Williams. My favorite part of the clip— which actually made me chuckle quite a bit— is that it appears that Boehm is thinking about hitting Williams then ultimately decides to once he sees Williams open up his body by jumping up to defend the pass. I love lineman who find work and he definitely excels at bullying defensive lineman around.</p>
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<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="BQZAGm">
<h2 id="QVbnVK"><strong>Analysis</strong></h2>
<p id="LXhDKe">The Colts’ five game sackless streak came to an end this past Sunday, but that was not because of Evan Boehm. He excelled in pass blocking and showed no sign of a drop off in replacing the injured Ryan Kelly. Where he really did struggle though was reaching and maintaining blocks in the second level. He struggled with the lateral ability of linebackers in space and needs to really improve getting his hands on them so he can control the block.</p>
<p id="BvjBPH">Overall I’d say it was a solid showing from the young center. He displayed an impressive mean streak in finishing blocks and finding work and showed some exellent awareness in pass blocking. He may be more limited than Kelly but he should be quite serviceable until Kelly is able to return. In short though, Boehm should absolutely be the starter until Kelly is able to return from his knee injury. </p>
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<p id="y7US5S"></p>
https://www.stampedeblue.com/2018/11/28/18115357/film-room-evan-boehm-up-and-down-in-first-start-for-the-coltsZachHicks212018-11-27T09:00:05-05:002018-11-27T09:00:05-05:00Indianapolis Colts Rookie Report: Week 12 vs. Miami Dolphins
<figure>
<img alt="Jacksonville Jaguars v Indianapolis Colts" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/C0PzIQuNh19CwctLLUV3PCcwv2g=/0x0:2793x1862/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62407340/1066323512.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="WO00tB">The <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/">Indianapolis Colts</a> continued to rely on contributions from first- and second-year players to pull off a fourth quarter comeback win at home against the <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Miami Dolphins</a>. The defensive side of the ball is still more heavily represented, with <span>Darius Leonard</span> showing no signs of slowing his blistering pace. However, an even larger group of young players is getting involved on both sides of the ball.</p>
<p id="fE9Z04">Let’s take a look.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="K16EUN">
<h3 id="lB8KqP"><strong>OFFENSE</strong></h3>
<p id="c3mfn1">Rookie offensive linemen <span>Quenton Nelson</span> and <span>Braden Smith</span> continue to dominate in terms of snap count. They both played 100% of the offensive snaps and are locked in as long-term starters at their respective positions. The offensive line gave ups its first sack in over five weeks on Sunday, with <span>Cameron Wake</span> beating <span>Smith</span> around the edge. </p>
<p id="UGeg9m">An earlier sack was waived off due to a defensive penalty called against Miami. Robert Quinn came around the edge against <span>Anthony Castonzo</span>, while <span>Luck</span> stood in the pocket like a statue. This sack would have been on Luck for holding the ball way too long if it stood.</p>
<p id="6Ii5ID">One of the bigger surprises of the game is that <span>Nelson</span> was called for numerous penalties, making life difficult for <span>Andrew Luck</span> and the offense. His first penalty was in the second quarter on a <span>Marlon Mack</span> run, the film shows that the call was questionable at best. If there was a hold, it didn’t impact the play at all. </p>
<p id="MIFWYE">The second hold occurred on the Colts first drive of the fourth quarter. This appeared to be a guess by the side judge. The reason Nelson drew the flag is because his right hand slid outside of the defender’s shoulders. As in-game commentators often mention, it is a cardinal sin for an offensive lineman to allow his hands to get outside of a defender’s body because officials will throw the flag all day — even if they get it wrong. </p>
<p id="k8lTVt">In this case, the defender lost his balance as he tried to redirect toward the rushing lane, which required that he move through Nelson’s left arm that was likely planted deeply in his sternum. The outside hand doesn’t grab or otherwise pull on the jersey but he was called for the penalty anyway. Officially, the penalty was declined on him and accepted on <span>Jack Doyle</span>.</p>
<p id="1ypIRR">The third penalty was a false start on the same fourth quarter drive. There is no explaining this one. Nelson flinched with his right arm and when the defender reacted, tried to play it off. The officials saw the flinch and he was rightly called for a false start.</p>
<p id="GF3Dy3">Rookie running backs <span>Nyheim Hines</span> and <span>Jordan Wilkins</span> both received backfield snaps. <span>Hines</span> led the rookies with 26 snaps. He carried the ball 9 times for 28 yards and caught 2 passes for another 22 yards. <span>Wilkins</span> saw the field for 8 early offensive snaps and did not receive a rushing opportunity. He did catch two passes for 32 yards but coughed up a fumble that was recovered by the Dolphins. </p>
<p id="OszquE">Second-year feature running back <span>Marlon Mack</span> played on 36 offensive snaps, leading the team with 15 attempts, 85 rushing yards and 2 receptions for 11 yards. His average of 5.7 yards per carry and long run of 25 yards were both impressive. A concussion on a helmet-to-helmet hit from <span>Kiko Alonso</span> has him in concussion protocol and uncertain for next week’s game in Jacksonville.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="aU6PUU">
<h3 id="WYwlm5"><strong>DEFENSE</strong></h3>
<p id="7NXkY4">Each week is the same story on defense, at least as it pertains to rookie contributions. No defensive player has a greater impact on the game than <span>Darius Leonard</span>. He took the field for 48 defensive snaps, missing only five after an early injury scare. He led the team with 10 tackles and had the defense’s only sack of the day. </p>
<p id="QIlQbV">Leonard has stretched his tackle lead to 17 over the next defender and has played in 10 games — each of those players have played in 11. He is averaging 11.4 tackles per game. They are averaging 8.8. He also leads the team in sacks, on a team that rarely blitzes.</p>
<p id="PEJmgH">Second round rookie ends <span>Tyquan Lewis</span> and <span>Kemoko Turay</span> both had opportunities. Surprisingly, Lewis more than doubled <span>Turay</span>’s snap count — 40 to 17 respectively. Neither rookie recorded a tackle but both collected quarterback hits. Lewis led the team with 2 and Turay added another. </p>
<p id="WLj035">This is a situation worth monitoring as the team moves forward. Turay had really started showing signs of development so it is tough to fully speculate as to the reason Matt Eberflus felt like sticking with Lewis. Perhaps even more surprising is that Lewis received more snaps than <span>Jabaal Sheard</span> as well. It would be interesting to break down how many of those snaps were at defensive tackle.</p>
<p id="XRVtWj">Tied with Turay was linebacker <span>Matthew Adams</span>, who used his 17 snaps to make three tackles, including a monster hit on <span>DeVante Parker</span> late in the fourth quarter to help force a three-and-out. Early in the season, <span>Zaire Franklin</span> was getting more opportunities on defense. Now, <span>Adams</span> has taken over those reps.</p>
<p id="0SyzkR">Undrafted rookie linebacker <span>Skai Moore</span> also saw the field for 7 defensive snaps but did not record a tackle. He came onto the field to replace Darius Leonard for the five snaps he missed early in the game. </p>
<p id="DK6XJD">The second-year defenders were led by Kenny <span>Moore</span> II and <span>Malik Hooker</span>, who both played on every defensive snap. Moore had two tackles and pass defensed. <span>Hooker</span> had two tackles <em>and an unofficial pass breakup on what would have otherwise been a </em><span><em>Quincy Wilson</em></span><em> interception in the end zone</em>.</p>
<p id="O7ktD8">Linebacker Anthony Walker had another solid game. He used his 41 snaps to gather 9 tackles, two tackles for a loss and a pass defensed. He drew a defensive pass interference call early in the game playing aggressively in the middle of the field and nearly had a pick-six that he wasn’t able to haul-in — intended for Frank Gore. If he can continue to develop in coverage, the Colts could be in really good shape at linebacker in 2019.</p>
<p id="qLWqcq">Corner <span>Quincy Wilson</span> was on the field for 36 defensive snaps and had one tackle with one pass defensed. The pass breakup was on great coverage in the end zone. </p>
<p id="TbJoh7">Defensive tackle <span>Grover Stewart</span> saw the field for 13 snaps. His only contributions were a tackle that was waived off due to an offensive holding penalty and an embarrassing off-sides penalty that came during an obvious hard count situation at the end of the third quarter.</p>
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https://www.stampedeblue.com/2018/11/27/18113790/indianapolis-colts-rookie-report-week-12-vs-miami-dolphinsBrett Mock2018-11-26T11:30:04-05:002018-11-26T11:30:04-05:00Colts vs Dolphins: Week 12 snap counts
<figure>
<img alt="Miami Dolphins v Indianapolis Colts" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/saZaLIQFomV4SkXzmklxxU20D8A=/0x0:3597x2398/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62400291/1072297560.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="elZyTO">The Colts got another win, however ugly, to extend their streak to 5 straight and continue the march toward a playoff spot. There is a lot to be improved upon after this week 12 game, and if the Colts want to sniff the playoffs, they will need to play better as a whole. </p>
<p id="3NsV8T">What is most critical though, is that they got the win. With a road divisional game against the rapidly self-destructing Jaguars ahead, let’s take a look at the snap counts for this past week to see how the Colts distributed playing time in week 12.</p>
<p id="yo2aGC"></p>
<div id="H4lJGI"><div data-anthem-component="table:1976022"></div></div>
<p id="AqTClZ"><strong>Notes</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="UJcgXG">With just two tight ends active Sunday, the <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/">Colts</a> saw increased time for <span>Dontrelle Inman</span>, who appears to have supplanted <span>Ryan Grant</span> as the Colts’ WR2. <span>Grant</span> and <span>Chester Rogers</span> saw similar playing time.</li>
<li id="SzpSaK">
<span>Eric Ebron</span> was used much more heavily in this game than he has been most of the season. He typically gets between 30-40% of the offensive snaps and saw himself at 71% this week. I would expect that to change again once they get their tight end room healthy.</li>
<li id="T51fpU">
<span>Nyheim Hines</span> was in on 26 snaps, just 10 fewer than Marlon Mack. He was only targeted on 2 passes and had 9 rushing attempts. His role as a motion man and decoy has made him an important part of the offense, even when he isn’t getting touches.</li>
<li id="EBRlCk">The consistency on the offensive line continues to be valuable. Having everyone play nearly every snap along the line since week 6 has really helped them grow as a group and enabled them to move <span>Evan Boehm</span> in to take over for Kelly without as much of an impact as it otherwise might have made.</li>
</ul>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="65zjU5">
<div id="r5GI4I"><div data-anthem-component="table:1976045"></div></div>
<p id="5XtBsV"><strong>Notes</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="BzgpDW">
<span>Malik Hooker</span> played every defensive snap in this Sunday’s game. Given that he missed last week and wasn’t all that impressive, it was a little surprising to see him with such a heavy workload, while <span>George Odum</span>, who got all the snaps in his absence at FS, saw none. I am not convinced that <span>Hooker</span> is healthy, and he did not have a great showing.</li>
<li id="XhLAfY">The defensive line is getting healthy again, with snaps being more evenly distributed around. <span>Kemoko Turay</span> saw a drop in snaps, which was a bit surprising, while <span>Tyquan Lewis</span> continues to get heavy usage. Lewis led the team with 2 QB hits.</li>
<li id="qg7Kq0">
<span>Nate Hairston</span> did not play a single defensive snap on Sunday. For a guy who looked so promising last season, that is certainly surprising to see. Hopefully he bounces back, and he was returning from injury, but with the offseason almost certainly bringing an influx of defensive backs into the mix, it isn’t a good look for him.</li>
<li id="M1qAe9">Seeing Denico Autry back to getting heavy involvement on the defense is good for this Colts team. When he is healthy he has played well and helped the other players be more effective around him. </li>
</ul>
<div id="9rZIic"><div data-anthem-component="table:1976142"></div></div>
https://www.stampedeblue.com/2018/11/26/18112548/colts-vs-dolphins-week-12-snap-countsChris Blystone2018-11-26T09:30:06-05:002018-11-26T09:30:06-05:00Revisiting the Keys to the Game: Colts mount comeback, defeat the Dolphins 27-24
<figure>
<img alt="NFL: Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yKq5c9mL99i2O-CDTkcV0db6oUE=/2x0:3617x2410/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62399114/usa_today_11732976.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="42Tu12">It has been a long time since the <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/">Colts</a> were able to win one of these games. There were no signs of life, numerous mistakes and missteps and a seemingly insurmountable wave of negative momentum throughout three quarters of the game. If you are a Colts fans and you didn’t feel like there was little or no chance they were going to pull this win out for a big chunk of the game, I need to start watching games with you. </p>
<p id="Kb2Znd">At one point, I felt like I was watching some kind of predetermined outcome unfold before my eyes. <span>Jordan Wilkins</span> coughs up the ball while the offense was rolling in the first half. <span>Andrew Luck</span> throws back-to-back interceptions. WHAT?!?!?! I mean, even the 4th-and-1 pass to Luck reeked of desperation. </p>
<p id="BbYN7Y">It might be hard to believe this, but Indy’s 7 penalties for 52 yards were fewer than the 10 called on the <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Dolphins</a>. Maybe it felt like more because the penalties came at the worst times. They constantly put <span>Andrew Luck</span> and the offense in difficult situations when the team already had to dig out of a hole. A hole that seemed to get deeper. A 10-point deficit that somehow felt like 40.</p>
<p id="D1VRSv">You have to believe that the players could feel it too. There was no real surge of momentum until under 5 minutes to play in the fourth quarter. Andrew Luck threaded a needle to <span>Eric Ebron</span> to tie the game. <span>Xavien Howard</span> was so upset that he leveled <span>Ebron</span> well after the play was over and put his offense in a horrible situation.</p>
<p id="wNQQTV">After a masterful pooch kick by <span>Rigoberto Sanchez</span> on the ensuing kickoff, the defense roared to life. All three of Miami’s ensuing offensive plays were brutally blown up. </p>
<p id="uB8Ziz">On the previous possession, <span>Margus Hunt</span> blew up a <span>Kenyan Drake</span> run in the backfield on third down to force a punt. He followed that up by stuffing <span>Frank Gore</span> for no gain on first down. <span>Matthew Adams</span> nearly separated Devante <span>Parker</span>’s soul from his body for no gain on a wide receiver screen pass to the right. <span>Mike Mitchell</span> came up from his safety position to stop <span>Drake</span> for only 4 yards to setup the final punt of the game.</p>
<p id="67htmF">After that, Andrew Luck took over. Two unsuccessful and uninspired plays to <span>Nyheim Hines</span> took the game to the two minute warning. Queue Luck’s magic act, avoiding a likely sack or possible fumble, finding <span>Chester Rogers</span> for a 34 yard back breaker. For all intents and purposes, once Rogers hauled in that pass, the game was over.</p>
<p id="ScXgie">This was not a drawn up play. This isn’t how things were supposed to work. Nothing about that play went how it was supposed to happen. The only thing that happened was Andrew Luck doing as he has done many times in his career, willing his team to a late-game victory to keep its playoff hopes alive.</p>
<p id="TXHdLX">It feels like an eternity since the Colts have won a game like this one. I remember a time when Colts fans never felt like a game was out of reach. There was a strange confidence that things would work out and <span>Peyton Manning</span> or Andrew Luck would find a way to get the job done. </p>
<p id="RmT4Nx">I didn’t have that feeling on Sunday. </p>
<p id="nF3tSE">Maybe now, I will start to get it back.</p>
<p id="m2s0W4">Let’s revisit the keys to the game.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="RgrTfY">
<h3 id="xmK2sT"><strong>ESTABLISH THE RUNNING GAME</strong></h3>
<p id="k0kaHE">While this wasn’t the most inspiring running game for the Colts this season, it was enough to maintain balance. 26 rushes for 118 yards, a 4.5 yards per carry average. <span>Marlon Mack</span> ran 15 times for 85 yards, 5.7 yards per carry on his own.</p>
<p id="57AmCD">There were definitely times that the play-calling seemed too obvious and a number of holding calls on run plays that hurt the cause, but Frank Reich refused to abandon the ground game and did what it took to keep the Dolphins defense honest.</p>
<p id="uDqa8S"><strong>KEEP THE PRESSURE COMING</strong></p>
<p id="BiPUYE">While the Colts only tallied a single sack on the game, they beat up <span>Ryan Tannehill</span> for much of the game. The unit totaled 7 quarterback hits, with rookie <span>Tyquan Lewis</span> leading the team with two on his own. It was one of those games where it felt like sacks weren’t landing but the pressure was there.</p>
<h3 id="fGOtoh"><strong>THE GHOST NEEDS TO MAKE ANOTHER APPEARANCE</strong></h3>
<p id="uwTDij">Did he ever? Hilton caught 7 passes on 10 targets for 125 yards. It was glaringly obvious that the lack of tight end depth hurt Indy’s offensive efficiency. Missing Mo Alie-Cox and <span>Erik Swoope</span> allowed the Dolphins to pin back their ears on the edges and took away a big part of what makes Frank Reich’s offense so dynamic. To make up for it, Hilton had to have a big day.</p>
<p id="dTNK9G">Outside of a forced throw that resulted in an interception, Hilton had his way with Miami’s secondary. He beat safety <span>Minkah Fitzpatrick</span> numerous times throughout the game. One of his best catches didn’t count as the Colts accepted a penalty. Over a third of the Colts passing offense went through Hilton.</p>
<h3 id="cWhak2"><strong>CATCH THE DAMN BALL</strong></h3>
<p id="YLMw18">Outside of what might have been a difficult catch for <span>Chester Rogers</span>, the Colts were sure-handed. Good thing too. I’m not sure the team could have overcome drops in this one.</p>
<h3 id="HyjsLA"><strong>AGGRESSIVE PLAY IN THE SECONDARY</strong></h3>
<p id="IAgHvy">The most aggressive part of the Colts pass defense on Sunday came from the linebacker position. <span>Anthony Walker</span> was called for pass interference as he batted down a pass over the middle. He also nearly picked off a pass intended for Frank Gore. <span>Matthew Adams</span> blew up <span>DeVante Parker</span> on Miami’s final offensive drive of the game. <span>Darius Leonard</span> picked up the team’s lone sack for the game.</p>
<p id="mNs534">It wasn’t a terrible showing for the secondary. <span>Quincy Wilson</span> had an interception knocked away by his teammate <span>Malik Hooker</span> and <span>Kenny Moore</span> knocked down a pass, but <span>Pierre Desir</span> failed miserably on what should have been another interception with a poorly timed jump that allowed <span>Leonte Carroo</span> to score an 80-yard touchdown near the end of the first half.</p>
<p id="O5LcYe"></p>
https://www.stampedeblue.com/2018/11/26/18112281/revisiting-the-keys-to-the-game-colts-mount-comeback-defeat-the-dolphins-27-24Brett Mock2018-11-26T09:00:04-05:002018-11-26T09:00:04-05:00Colts vs Dolphins: Week 12 winners and losers
<figure>
<img alt="Miami Dolphins v Indianapolis Colts" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Qd0K-u6VezAiDKN8SJhzfaYMvqY=/162x0:4536x2916/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62396552/1065232172.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="M9r1I4">The <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/">Colts</a> squeaked out a win in what was an ugly and mistake-riddled performance. Ultimately, what counts is that they got the win, and they’ll move to 6-5 on the season and extend their win streak to 5 games. It would be foolish to expect that there will not be some games where the team struggles, and this was certainly one of those. Let’s take a look at the winners and losers from this game.</p>
<h2 id="lCP3zE">Winners</h2>
<h4 id="X3NLao">Darius Leonard</h4>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NFL: Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/lE5gZZolH74uXyl32kcpBQXIGaA=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/13469617/usa_today_11732339.jpg">
<cite>Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<p id="11gA5g">Let’s just go ahead and pencil him in as a winner from here on out, because that’s something he has earned. <span>Leonard</span> continues his exemplary play and notched another 10 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 QB hit. He is 17 total tackles ahead of the next guy, and he <em>missed a game</em>. </p>
<p id="EbnGiu">After going down on the first play of the game and leaving with what looked like a knee injury, Leonard was back in action again when the defense next took the field. He continues to be their most reliable defensive player and it is tough to remember that he is still so young and that his ceiling is even higher still. </p>
<h4 id="QhLSSu">T.Y. Hilton</h4>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NFL: Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_Reh0xrvhZ22om4u1rTzc02l76M=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/13469620/usa_today_11732512.jpg">
<cite>Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<p id="fD1had"><span>Hilton</span> couldn’t top his game last week, but he did his best to come close. He was 7 of 10 for 125 yards on the day, and asserted himself once again as a key cog to the Colts’ offense. With just two tight ends active today, the Colts couldn’t run their 3 tight end sets that have become a standard with Frank Reich. Hilton’s continued production allowed them to be effective despite that loss of personnel. </p>
<p id="sVigR1">Even with all the different players getting targeted and Hilton missing 2 games, he is still on pace to have a career high in touchdowns, and to surpass his yards total from last season. That’s exactly what the Colts need out of him if they want to keep rolling.</p>
<h4 id="50WXEy">Eric Ebron</h4>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NFL: Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cRTFZKRUncFogZL2jCQRoqyp_9o=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/13469636/usa_today_11733007.jpg">
<cite>Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<p id="QL2C8D"><span>Eric Ebron</span> has 11 receiving touchdowns. That is good for a tie with <span>Antonio Brown</span> and <span>Tyreek Hill</span> for first in the NFL. You can bet both those guys have seen more targets than Ebron, too. It seems like all he does is make teams pay in the red zone. </p>
<p id="pWE3mP">Ebron went 5 of 7 for 45 yards and 2 touchdowns. If Luck had thrown a better ball, he might have even had a 3<sup>rd</sup> score today as well instead of <span>Xavien Howard</span> getting a second interception. It is a long shot, but there is an actual possibility that Ebron could break <span>Rob Gronkowski</span>’s single season receiving touchdown record by a tight end of 17 if he continues his current pace. Pretty decent free agent pickup.</p>
<h4 id="cQ5QaO">Marlon Mack</h4>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NFL: Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gOCwx_w_yrIHg256n07Yh5PUjLY=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/13469633/usa_today_11733184.jpg">
<cite>Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<p id="emizpL">With the game hanging in the balance and the offense struggling for much of the first three quarters, <span>Mack</span> sort of took over this game. He rushed for 85 yards on 15 attempts, 34 of those yards coming in the 4<sup>th</sup> quarter on a critical drive that ended in a field goal and helped give the team much needed momentum as they pushed to get back into the game. </p>
<p id="0cXVQr">Mack left the game with a concussion on that drive, but he continues to be an effective weapon on the ground and added another 2 catches for 11 yards in the passing game for 96 yards from scrimmage. For the lead back in a committee, that’s a nice performance. Had he not had to leave the game, he was well on his way to another 100-yard game on the ground. </p>
<p id="7BzUMb"><em><strong>Honorable Mentions</strong></em><em>: </em><span><em>Nyheim Hines</em></span><em>, </em><span><em>Mike Mitchell</em></span><em>, </em><span><em>Margus Hunt</em></span><em>, </em><span><em>Quincy Wilson</em></span></p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="3Vlbw8">
<h2 id="mQzqY8">Losers</h2>
<h4 id="WG7XW3">Pierre Desir</h4>
<p id="ziIGMu">It is hard to label someone a loser from just one play, but if that play is a 74-yard touchdown, you might have to make an exception. That’s exactly what <span>Desir</span> gave up to <span>Leonte Carroo</span> with just over a minute left in the first half. QB <span>Ryan Tannehill</span> scrambled to buy himself time to throw the ball and went deep to <span>Carroo</span>, who had his route undercut by Desir. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tannehill lets if FLY! <a href="https://twitter.com/LeonteCarroo1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeonteCarroo1</a> takes it 74-yards for the TD‼️‼️<br><br> » <a href="https://twitter.com/NFLonCBS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NFLonCBS</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIAvsIND?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIAvsIND</a> |<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FinsUp?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FinsUp</a> <a href="https://t.co/SQ4JXiZbzU">pic.twitter.com/SQ4JXiZbzU</a></p>— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) <a href="https://twitter.com/MiamiDolphins/status/1066825654308560896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2018</a>
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<p id="MaJ0DY">What followed was one of the poorest vertical leaps I’ve ever witnessed in an NFL game. To make matters worse, Desir gets knocked down while going for the ball, so he isn’t even able to make a tackle after whiffing on the interception. Hooker also gets an honorable mention and won’t be feeling great when his loaf on this play is called out in meetings this week. Not a great showing for the secondary here.</p>
<h4 id="5iMsZH">Jordan Wilkins</h4>
<p id="nyrrSW">Wilkins didn’t get a lot of time in this game, but he made an impact nonetheless. While the Colts didn’t use him in the running game, his 3 passes for 32 yards were a strong showing. Unfortunately, at the end of one of those 3 catches, Wilkins fumbled the ball away. </p>
<p id="UriXAT">That fumble came on the heels of a defensive stop, and stunted the momentum of the offense, which was moving the ball effectively up to that point. There are a lot of things to like about <span>Jordan Wilkins</span>. He has shown that he has value as a rotational back, but he won’t be able to continue to get looks if he cannot protect the ball. His fumble didn’t result in points for Miami, but he can’t make those kinds of mistakes going forward.</p>
<h4 id="M7vvbz">Special Teams</h4>
<p id="74PEiy">It was a rough outing for the special teams unit Sunday. The Colts found themselves often in poor field position, pinned inside their own 15-yard line 4 different times by the <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Dolphins</a>’ punt team. By comparison, they were able to put Miami at their 11-yard line once, which was the only time a punt put them deeper than their 34-yard line.</p>
<p id="VuFej4"><span>Adam Vinatieri</span>, despite kicking the game winner, shanked a field goal try in the 3<sup>rd</sup> quarter and a blocked punt set the Dolphins up at the Colts’ 42-yard line which resulted in a field goal. Both Rigoberto Sanchez and <span>Adam Vinatieri</span> would probably like to have a do-over on this game. They’ll undoubtedly be fine, but the unit as a whole needs to step it up down the stretch, because the margin for error is slim, and wins are at a premium.</p>
https://www.stampedeblue.com/2018/11/26/18112082/colts-vs-dolphins-week-12-winners-and-losersChris Blystone2018-11-26T07:30:04-05:002018-11-26T07:30:04-05:00Colts Cast: Colts improve to 6-5, stay in Wild Card hunt with comeback win over Dolphins
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<p id="BmvFzi">The <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/">Indianapolis Colts</a> were sitting at .500 and in a battle with several other teams, including the <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Miami Dolphins</a>, for the AFC Wild Card hunt before their Week 12 matchup. it wasn’t pretty, and there were several situations in which the Colts could have dropped this one, but they managed to pull it out and improve to 6-5.</p>
<p id="X45nXM"><span>Andrew Luck</span> wasn’t perfect, but he had another 3-touchdown performance and eclipsed 300 passing yards again as well. He did take his first sack in over 200 snaps, but all wasn’t lost with one play. <span>T.Y. Hilton</span> broke out again with a 125-yard game, <span>Eric Ebron</span> hauled in 2 touchdowns and the running game was back on pace again as well.</p>
<p id="M6oS6q">The Colts defense did enough to allow the offense to do its thing, but there were some issues with mistakes that could cost the Colts against a better team. Frank Reich has been excellent with his play-calling, but he made a real bone-headed call in this one. And the Colts are lucky it didn’t cost them to be perfectly honest.</p>
<p id="o9Rv3l">The Colts now look to be as close to controlling their own destiny as they head down the back stretch of the season. The <a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Baltimore Ravens</a> are the only other 6-5 team right now in the AFC, and they absolutely have a more difficult road to a playoff berth. The Colts have 3 AFC road battles remaining and a couple against the NFC East to deal with, but if the Colts can get to 10 wins on the season, you have to believe that they should have a very good chance to make the postseason.</p>
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<h2 id="E4CjD4"><em><strong>Stampede Blue Podcast Links:</strong></em></h2>
<p id="D0V7fG"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/stampede-blue-colts-cast/id1260116854?mt=2"><strong>Apple Podcasts</strong></a><strong> | </strong><a href="https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=144417&refid=stpr"><strong>Stitcher</strong></a><strong> | </strong><a href="https://www.art19.com/admin/series/17cbf87c-a63b-47d3-98f6-355a28d98018/content"><strong>Art 19</strong></a><strong> | </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfm20uX_qWozApkKgXWb1tA?view_as=subscriber"><strong>SB Colts Cast YT Channel</strong></a><strong> | </strong><a href="https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9yc3MuYXJ0MTkuY29tL3N0YW1wZWRlLWJsdWU%3D"><strong>Google</strong></a><strong> | </strong><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6aKs29IxQvJ889USxWAtLc"><strong>Spotify</strong></a></p>
https://www.stampedeblue.com/2018/11/26/18112112/colts-cast-colts-improve-to-6-5-stay-in-wild-card-hunt-with-comeback-win-over-dolphinsMatt Danely2018-11-25T19:23:00-05:002018-11-25T19:23:00-05:003 takeaways from Colts 27-24 comeback win over Dolphins
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<figcaption>Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="nyzBwa">The <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/">Indianapolis Colts</a> entered their Week 12 matchup with the <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Miami Dolphins</a> heavily in the throes of the AFC Wild Card battle. While the Colts were looked upon as relatively comfortable favorites in this one, the game went right down to the wire.</p>
<p id="LyTxLb">We saw one of the most interesting endings to the first half anyone can remember, in which <span>Andrew Luck</span> tossed 2 interceptions to the same player within seconds of each other, and we also saw <span>Luck</span> look exactly like he has over the past several games for long stretches as well. He finished 30-of-37, 343 yards and 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and continues carries that 3-touchdown streak into Week 13.</p>
<p id="B2CJdV">The Colts came back from a 10-point deficit to tie up the game late in the fourth quarter, and were able to rattle off 13-straight points to finish off the Dolphins to push the Colts to 6-5 on the season. Here are 3 takeaways from the Colts big win tonight.</p>
<h3 id="dpaZ0r"><em><strong>Colts defense gave them chances to finish off the Dolphins</strong></em></h3>
<p id="YSjcdq">We often talk about the Colts defense being an opportunistic bunch, and sometimes that’s about all. Of course we discuss the young talent that the Colts will have to build upon over the next couple years, but today they gave the Colts a lot of chances to do something when they did have the ball. </p>
<p id="9gkIjc">After allowing a touchdown on the Dolphins first drive, the defense forced four-straight punts and a fumble in the first half. Additionally, in the fourth quarter, the defense forced a critical punt giving the offense the ball back down 7 points, with less than 8 minutes left in the game. This, of course, set up the game-tying touchdown pass from Luck to <span>Ebron</span>.</p>
<p id="GAgdie">They did allow a couple big plays by the Dolphins, but also held <span>Ryan Tannehill</span> to a fairly remedial day production-wise, the Miami rushing attack to just over 100 yards on the ground, and was able to get several hits on <span>Tannehill</span> as well as several tackles for loss on the day.</p>
<p id="LnNAWL">With the offense being pretty average for large parts of the day, all things considered, you have to love that the defense was there to do their part on the day.</p>
<h3 id="CnZsQr">
<span><em><strong>Hilton</strong></em></span><em><strong> back to getting big production</strong></em>
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<p id="JM7fEK">Last week we saw <span>T.Y. Hilton</span> get back into the mix in a very big way with 155 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. This week, his production came with a steady flow of targets and a more methodical approach to his game than it was with the big splash plays from a week ago. </p>
<p id="g7TTzI">Today Hilton was targeted 10 times, and hauled in 7 receptions for 125 yards on the day. It’s not so much that Hilton gave everyone something to scream about — even though he did have a big 36-yard catch-and-run late in the game — but he absolutely did remain a consistent part of the gameplan all day long. </p>
<p id="UpXHQH">We’ve seen Hilton disappear a couple times this year, or just fail to have real productive performances. However, if you’re a Colts’ fan, seeing him heavily targeted throughout all four quarters of the game is a very good sign for big things to happen.</p>
<h3 id="OuCVnq"><em><strong>Too many miscues took points off the board</strong></em></h3>
<p id="gp5EOb">Look, we’re not talking about a kick return for touchdown, or a field goal attempt being blocked and returned for points, but today the Colts had too many issues going on in this game. </p>
<p id="dtcKd2">First, we start with the craziness at the end of the first half. Luck threw two interceptions in just a a few game-seconds apart. Now, looking back, the first one wasn’t nearly as big of a deal being as the Dolphins fumbled on the very next play from scrimmage and the Colts got the ball back in plus-territory. </p>
<p id="8RIjHB">But, Luck’s second one was an opportunity spoiled. The Colts could have at least ended the half with a field goal to take the lead into halftime, but Luck’s poorly thrown ball towards <span>Eric Ebron</span> took that off the table. </p>
<p id="cab9Ci">Early in the game — the Colts second possession — we also had a fumble from <span>Jordan Wilkins</span> just as the Colts were beginning to move down the field. That didn’t turn into points for Miami, but the Colts certainly missed out on some after a hot start to the game.</p>
<p id="6W44ca">On the first possession of the second half for the Colts, they were forced off the field in just three plays — which is bad enough — and that was compounded by <span>Rigoberto Sanchez</span> taking a half hour to get his punt off. It was blocked and the Dolphins got the ball at the Colts 42-yard line as a result. </p>
<p id="Lz2mvM">Once again, the Colts put together a sustained drive that ends up being cut short by a strip-sack on Luck, however, they were still well within field goal range for Adam Vinatieri. Vinny completely botched this attempt, though, and the Colts left the field without points yet again. </p>
<p id="A2t28o">This simply cannot continue going forward. The Colts had been the ones forcing mistakes from their opponents, but today they shot themselves in the foot far too often. The Colts came out on top, but the mistakes have to be controlled because good teams won’t allow them to comeback the way they did today.</p>
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https://www.stampedeblue.com/2018/11/25/18111697/3-takeaways-from-colts-27-24-comeback-win-over-dolphinsMatt Danely