Colts Fall to Bears: Preseason Under Review

The Indianapolis Colts dropped their second straight preseason game of the 2015 season. That might mean something, if the preseason mattered at all. The Colts gave up a halftime lead to the Bears, ultimately losing 23-11.

While the effort was marginally better, there were a few glaring problems that stood out from Saturday’s game. The tackling still leaves a lot to be desired, and pass protection was an issue as well.

At times, the Colts looked good on both sides of the ball this week. But there are still flaws in this team that appear to be easy to exploit. At times the Colts showed improvement, but it is hard to judge a unit (like the offensive line) on just a handful of series.

Here’s what stood out on Saturday night:

• Protection. The first two drives for the starting offense were a mess, and it was all due to pressure messing up the passing game. The Colts had two rough drives, and one great one but the pass protection
  • Jack Mewhort was dominated early by Purnell McPhee, but settled down after those first couple drives. On the sack, Mewhort went out wide while Todd Herremans helped inside, it left a huge lane for McPhee to the QB. That might have been the protection scheme, or one of the two linemen blew their assignment. Mewhort was beat badly on the next play, giving up a QB hit. It will be a steep learning curve for him to make the transition from guard to tackle.
  • Herremans failed to seal his man on the next drive, allowing for pressure up the middle. He has historically struggled in pass protection, which makes putting him next to Mewhort a confusing decision.
  • The second drive came to an end when Anthony Castonzo was beaten by Jared Allen. Mildly concerning as Castonzo is easily the team’s best lineman.
• Adjustments. After two rough drives, the Colts changed up their method of attack and started the drive with a few quick passes that didn’t allow a pass rush to develop. The quick strikes allowed for a deep shot to T.Y. Hilton down the middle of the field. The pass protection was a lot better, and it wasn’t just due to the quick passing.
  • Fortunately (or, unfortunately?) the Colts will get to test the offensive line this week when they face the St. Louis Rams, who have arguably the best defensive line in the league.
• Two carries, 10 yards. That was Frank Gore‘s stat line and I think we’ve seen enough of him in the preseason (he’s already better than the guy he’s replacing). There is no question that Gore is going to be a great contributor, now lets see what the other running backs on the roster have to offer.
• Red zone stops. The Colts starting defense did a good job in the red zone with the Bears starting unit getting down there twice, but settling for field goals. One caveat, celebrating after a stop on 3rd-and-goal from the 23-yard line? You’re supposed to win that battle.
• The Return. Vick Ballard got back on the field for the first time in over 700 days. He only had two carries for four yards (not given much room to work with) and was only on the field for eight snaps. While he still has an uphill battle to make the final roster, getting back on the field was a good first step.
• Where are the camp standouts? The Colts receivers looked great in training camp, specifically Duron Carter. But he’s been MIA in two preseason games. Carter was targeted just once, and dropped the pass despite being on the field for 27 plays, 12 of which were pass plays.
  • Part of the problem has been how the backup QBs have performed in the preseason. The Colts have struggled to move the ball well, and most of the pass attempts? Well, accurate would be incredibly generous.
• Getting better. Josh Robinson had another impressive game on Saturday. He led the team in rushing with 61 yards off 13 carries, a 4.7 yards per attempt average. He runs through would be tacklers and gets low with each carry, earning yards he likely has no right to. If game performance has any value, then Robinson should get a first team carry or two against St. Louis next week.
• Tackling. While the defense (at least the starters) looked better when it came to hitting and wrapping up the ball carrier, the special teamers still leave a bit to be desired. Pat McAfee is the best punter in the league right now, and can put the ball where ever he wants but the coverage hasn’t been there (and the tackling even less so).