The Colts have been without their starting running back 4 out of the 6 games they have played. But clearly he makes a big difference with the offense.
Marlon Mack has had injury problems this season. He has only played in two games this season. Interestingly enough, those are the two games that the Colts have won. Is that just a coincidence? Or is there something to Mack’s presence that makes the team win?
If you look at the stats, Mack’s presence definitely does something to this team. In the two Colts wins, both of which Mack was a part of, Andrew Luck threw the ball a combined 54 times. To put that in perspective, he threw it 59 times in their loss to New England.
What does that mean? Clearly it means that more balance is good for this team. And more balance is even better when this guy is in the backfield. He gives the Colts a home run threat from the running back position. He also does a good job seeing holes when the offensive line struggles.
Mack isn’t the sole reason the Colts won those two games. The defense played very well in both contests, giving up a combined 14 points. But make no mistake, Mack is a big reason why the offense worked in both of those contests.
This week, the Colts play the Raiders. They have a middle of the pack defense. The Colts ran well last week against a top 10 Buffalo defense. Clearly they can make it work if the offensive line is somewhat healthy, and if Mack is in the backfield.
The Colts would be wise to keep Mack in the gameplan as much as possible. Allowing him to touch the ball often spells good things for the offense. And that will result in more wins.