By now, every Colts fan knows just how bad the team’s offensive line was last year, and the tremendous consequences that came with it. However, on Week 1, against the star-studded Bengals front, the line finally seemed solid. Is this the result of proper coaching and development? Or did star rookie guard Quenton Nelson fix the line all by himself?
Last season, the Colts offensive line was once again, one of, if not the worst in the entire NFL. On pass-protection, Indy lead the entire NFL with 56 sacks allowed, and came in 6th in QB hits with 113 allowed.
Not only did the O-line fail miserably at protecting the quarterback, but also at opening rushing lanes for the running back. The Colts were in the bottom 5 in yards per carry, with a measly 3.7 average and were also among the teams with the least amount of explosive runs (15 yards or more).
On the season opener against the Bengals, the narrative seemed to change. Andrew Luck was just sacked twice in 53 pass attempts. It is also worth noting that the offensive line faced no easy task going up against a strong Bengals defensive line featuring players such as Geno Atkins, Carl Lawson or Carlos Dunlap.
The running game also seemed to work efficiently in the first half, with Jordan Wilkins performing really well. Unfortunately, the Colts seemed much less committed to the run in the second half so it kind of faded away.
The newfound progress of this position group is mainly because of Quenton Nelson. Chosen with the 6th overall pick (An absurdly high pick for a guard), Nelson was expected not only to start, but to become a star since day one. So far, he is delivering. Nelson allowed just two hurries protecting Luck and he looked polished and quick opening up lanes for the running back.
Along with Nelson, the Colts also have center Ryan Kelly, a former first rounder that can also hold his own, and coming back next week (probably) is longtime starter at left tackle Anthony Castonzo.
Even though the Colts’ loss against the Bengals reintroduced Colts fans to many past issues (key turnovers, blowing leads), one silver lining is that the offensive line appears to have finally turned the corner.