Colts rookie WR Michael Pittman’s comments amid his recent hot stretch proves he’s maturing before our very eyes.
With injuries and age seemingly taking their toll on TY Hilton, the Indianapolis Colts haven’t had the luxury of deploying an undisputed No. 1 wide receiver for the entire season. However, the emergence of rookie Michael Pittman Jr. in recent weeks indicates that narrative could be drawing to a rapid conclusion.
We obviously need to see more than a three-game sample size before we anoint him as certified WR1, but the strides he’s made since returning from leg surgery — which sidelined him for a month — are a really encouraging sign for the rest of the campaign.
Why do we say that? Because Pittman’s comments about the progress he’s made since the beginning of the year prove that he’s maturing in significant fashion on a weekly basis when it comes to reading defenses and understanding his assignments.
Colts rookie WR Michael Pittman, who's starting to break out: "Now, I have confidence in what I’m doing. When we first started, I wasn’t reading the defense, I wasn’t sure of my routes and my assignments. Now I feel more sure of myself."
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) November 24, 2020
10 catches/167 yds/TD in last 2 games
It’s not often you see a player make this sort of leap in Year 1, and Pittman defying the odds proves that GM Chris Ballard made the right call in selecting him with his first pick (No. 34 overall) back in April.
Let’s not forget that unprecedented circumstances put Pittman — and all rookies, for that matter — in an unfavorable situation heading into training camp. Because of the coronavirus outbreak, the offseason was made virtually exclusive until the last week of July.
That really had him behind the eight ball coming into training camp, and his task picking up Indianapolis’ convoluted playbook was further put in a bind following the cancelation of the preseason, which, as we know, is a tremendous opportunity for rookies to work through growing pains.
"He’s fearless in every way, and when the ball is in his hands, he wants to hurt somebody."https://t.co/VE9B8k1gIR
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowen1070) November 18, 2020
However, Pittman’s play of late has really made fans forget that he had to overcome all of those obstacles before making his NFL debut. Over the last three games, the 23-year-old stud has compiled 14 receptions (on 18 targets) for 223 yards and one touchdown while playing 82.6% of the offensive snaps.
For those wondering, each of those figures lead the Colts during that stretch, and you can only assume that Pittman’s production will increase as he continues to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the playbook and a more enhanced ability to read opposing defenses.
If you couldn’t tell, we love what the future holds for the 2020 second-rounder.
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