The Indianapolis Colts will be without star wide receiver Alec Pierce (left heel) for at least four weeks, though a longer absence sounds more likely. This probably could've been avoided by holding him out for the first couple of games of the season, but that's neither here nor there.
Beyond the obvious impact that his absence will have on the passing game, the Colts' offense as a whole will take a big hit. Jonathan Taylor is a superstar, and one would assume that they could just roll with him while Pierce is gone, and while that makes perfect sense, history isn't on their side.
As NFL analyst Warren Sharp pointed out, Taylor's efficiency takes a huge hit whenever Pierce isn't on the field. His YPC average drops from 5.4 to 3.8, as he's faced 8-man boxes at a 41 percent rate when Pierce sits, compared to a 29 percent rate when he plays.
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor will miss wideout Alec Pierce badly
This isn't the only way Pierce's impact hurts the running game. Colts reporter Mike Chappel revealed that last season, with a healthy Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce, Taylor averaged 6.0 yards per carry, 113.9 yards per game, and had five 100+ yard games. Without Jones, Taylor's numbers dropped to 3.2 YPC, 63.7 YPG, and he didn't top 100 rushing yards once.
Breaking news: The team is better when the star player is on the field. We know this isn't necessarily the invention of the wheel, but it's something to keep an eye on, especially as they aim for the first win of the season against a Houston Texans defense that's giving up just 85.5 rushing yards per contest.
Everyone knew Pierce wasn't fully healthy. He was walking awkwardly in training camp, and he was barely moving when he was on the field. There was no need to rush him back on the field, and it looked more like an attempt to justify his highly polarizing contract and a desperate move to start the season on the right foot — no pun intended.
The Colts may have to think outside the box and find someone else to fill in for him. Deion Burks is a speedster, and while unproven, he can be a big-play threat if they trust him enough to get him on the field often and give him some scripted looks. He's by no means Alec Pierce, but maybe they can use him similarly.
Taylor will get his touches, and superstars always find a way, but this is a team sport first and foremost. There's never a good time to be without one of your best players, but Pierce's injury might just be the straw that broke the camel's back and might doom this regime once and for all.
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