The brutal start to the Indianapolis Colts‘ 2021 schedule was no joke. The Seattle Seahawks handed it to them in nearly every facet of the game en route to an effortless 28-16 victory.
Did many expect a Colts win? Not exactly. They’re banged up and have a new quarterback under center. However, not many saw their usual strengths seemingly disappearing.
Their front seven got bullied, which played a role in the secondary largely getting torched. Russell Wilson was impossibly good, going 18-of-23 with four touchdowns. Seattle’s rushing attack averaged nearly six yards per carry.
But the most worrisome of all? The usually stout Colts’ offensive line getting bullied by the Seahawks’ front seven, allowing quarterback Carson Wentz to get clobbered so often. The man is already injury-prone. Did Colts fans’ hearts not drop into their stomachs after this hit?!
Bryan Mone with a spear to Carson Wentz pic.twitter.com/utPLBiBRk8
— Kendall (@_kendallrjones_) September 12, 2021
Colts QB Carson Wentz took a lot of big hits on Sunday against the Seahawks.
And he got up after that?! For as oft-injured Wentz is, he sure is tough. Seahawks defensive tackle Bryan Mone delivered the textbook spear and sent the quarterback crashing into the ground.
On the day, Wentz was hit 10 times (and all of them seemed really hard) and sacked four times. He was constantly under pressure. The offensive line did not look prepared for this battle with a ferocious Seahawks’ defense, which is problematic since Indy will be facing defenses that are supposed to be even better.
Ouch!! Carson Wentz destroyed here in Indy
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) September 12, 2021
Wentz has been sacked 3 times already and hit 9 times in his Colts debut #CarsonWentz was the MOST sacked QB in the NFL last year despite sitting the final 4 games pic.twitter.com/VsIa3TbSJS
Among the problems here? Maybe rushing back Quenton Nelson? He didn’t entirely appear ready since he had a shortened offseason due to foot surgery. The Seahawks’ interior d-linemen were blowing up plays left and right. A more definitive, tangible issue? The left tackle position. Signing Eric Fisher really felt like the Colts were waving the white flag for the first few weeks of the year because they found no viable backups to step in while the former Chiefs star made his way back from an Achilles injury.
It seems like more bad luck for Wentz, who can’t seem to escape poor offensive line play, which deeply affected his ability to perform in Philadelphia. Hopefully his Colts debut wasn’t a preview of what’s to come because the assignment only gets harder next week against Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams.
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