Expect Colts starters to play a lot in the preseason
With the start of the preseason approaching, expect the Indianapolis Colts to get their starters a lot of snaps in the three games.
The Indianapolis Colts have been going hard in training camp, and soon, they will finally hit the field for an actual game. However, it’ll just be for a preseason game. While not the regular season, it will be a step up in intensity and a chance to see Indy against another team.
Typically, teams are very cautious in the preseason. Every team has a different approach but they all want the same outcome. They want to get the team up to speed, but they want to do that without anyone getting injured and also without putting too much of the playbook on film.
For some teams, they won’t even play some starters in any of the three games, for other teams, top players will be getting a lot of reps. The latter reflects the approach for the Colts in this preseason, the starters will get a decent amount of reps over the three games.
Speaking with the media, head coach Frank Reich revealed that the starters will play a little more than normal. He emphasized that it won’t be a whole lot more, but with a new quarterback and a new defensive coordinator, it’s important for Indy to get comfortable in live action before the regular season starts.
Frank Reich said he anticipates starters playing a little more in preseason than normal. It’s about having a new QB, new defensive scheme and a need to get off to better starts.
— Nate Atkins (@NateAtkins_) August 6, 2022
Colts will take advantage of preseason to adjust to changes
This seems like the right move because although the team may practice hard, it’s still a different challenge to implement new things in a live game, and the Colts are working on implementing a lot. For starters, Indy is working in a new quarterback into the offense.
While this is something Indianapolis has been doing every year for the last five seasons, Carson Wentz didn’t get the chance to play in the preseason last year because of injury. It makes sense for the Colts to get Matt Ryan a few live series so he can perfect the timing with everyone on the offense. Obviously, getting Ryan out of preseason games healthy will be important.
On defense, Indy has the challenge of implementing an entirely new scheme. With Matt Eberflus now head coach of the Chicago Bears, the Colts will work on perfecting Gus Bradley’s Cover 3 scheme. Fortunately, Indy has a ton of talent on defense and the unit has reportedly already been clicking. It’s now time for it to translate to a real game.
The Colts have big goals for this year and reaching the regular season healthy is a big step in achieving those goals. While getting up to speed in the preseason is important, Indy has to be wise and make sure they can avoid injury and any unnecessary wear and tear.
