After reviewing the tape of all of the Colts’ games thus far, something has become clear; the Colts have an issue at the quarterback position.
It was never going to be an ideal situation. Jacoby Brissett was thrust into a position that he wasn’t prepared for. Right after Andrew Luck retired in preseason, he found himself as the new starting quarterback for the franchise. It was a lot to take in.
Since then, he has had some good moments. He threw for 310 yards against the Falcons in a home win. He also threw for 326 yards and 4 touchdowns in a home win against Houston. But he’s had far too many down moments this season as well.
There’s no better example of this than Thursday night. Brissett looked scared to push the ball down the field. When he did, he missed open guys. He missed Eric Ebron over the middle of the field with a wide open throw that could have extended a drive in that game.
Brissett finished with just 129 yards on 16 completions. It’s almost like he was too afraid to make a mistake. Yes his smart decisions with the ball is one of the reasons the Colts like him. He doesn’t throw many interceptions. But you can’t be afraid to make throws down the field.
There have been several performances where Brissett has thrown for under 200 yards this season. In fact, in three of his first five games he was under 200 yards. His last two games have been as well. That can’t happen in today’s NFL.
The Colts showed some faith in him by giving him a two-year extension. But it didn’t cost them a lot and they still have plenty of cap space to use. They could use a pick in the draft to get another quarterback and possibly start Brissett again next year while the incumbent develops.
That would help alleviate an issue that has reared its ugly head as the Colts try to fight for a playoff spot. But this season, there really doesn’t look to be a lot the coaches can do. Frank Reich can help his QB by calling more crossing routes and finding ways to get receivers in space.
If the Colts can get better play out of Brissett, they still have a chance to make the playoffs. If they don’t, they’ll be watching from home.