September 3, 2024 • 45 mins
Jeffrey Gorman, Larra Overton and JJ Stankevitz preview every aspect of the Colts heading into the 2024 season, from expectations for Anthony Richardson to what this team will have to do to win the AFC South. The gang also looks at important under-the-radar role players and what the Colts can expect from Laiatu Latu as a rookie.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hello everyone, and welcome to the Official Colts Podcast. My
name is Jeffrey Gorman, joined by JJ Stankmitz and Latte
Lera Overton. Hey, guys, we've got a lot going on today. Okay,
it is game week. I just want the excitement level
because we've been doing this podcast for a long time
now and I'm talking when there's snow on the ground.
We're talking about expectations about twenty twenty, now, the upcoming draft,
(00:27):
et cetera, et cetera, Jj, where are your nerves? Where
are you at this week with the Houston Texans coming
into town and it's finally for real buzzing? Yeah, we're buzzing,
like buzzing, like like buzzing like.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
No, no, no, no, no drinking this week, no, no, no, buzzing
buzzing is I'm like like, uh bopping around the building?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Got you?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Okay? Yeah? No no no, no, no no no no no no.
We're in season mode now, Jeffrey. Uh no, it's this
is so exciting that the Colts open the season with
this game. You get that that immediate shot at Houston again.
And I had this thought this morning as I was
kind of thinking about how was going to do my
game preview on Colts dot Com, and it's going to
(01:08):
be something along the lines of Since the moment c J.
Stroud and the Texans walked off the field at Lucas
Oil Stadium as Division champs, the Colts and Texans offseasons
have been very different. The Texans have been defined by
big splashes, right, Stefan Diggs, Daniel Hunter, those type of guys.
The Colts have been defined by continuity. They re signed
(01:29):
pretty much all their own and added a couple of guys.
But the biggest difference on the field on Sunday will
not be Stefan Diggs or Daniel Hunter. It will be
Anthony Richardson, who did not play in that game last
week last year. So that is where like my brain
kind of goes. I was like, all right, the Texans
made all these moves and everyone's really excited about what
they can do. The Colts are going to have the
(01:50):
biggest single player difference on the field from the end
of twenty twenty three to the start of twenty twenty four.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Yeah, and all eyes are on ar. I mean, how
excited are we for this?
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Well, I mean so excited in the opportunity to do
it at home too. Rite Like you look at this
matchup and you're like, we're coming out of the gates,
like with an electric matchup within the division, and you
just think about getting this at home versus starting out
with Houston on the road, which is something we've done
a couple of years in a row. We had to
go to Houston first before getting them at home for
(02:20):
that second division game or second game against them within
the division. And that's huge to me. That's massive when
you look back to it's been since twenty thirteen that
the Colts won an opener. Ough, how crazy is that?
It doesn't sound right, It doesn't like this is the
time to like, you know, reown that, reclaim that and
(02:43):
and don't forget.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
I'm sorry to interrupt. Jim Mersey has said this year
in and year out, and I know for a fact
he's pissed off when this team doesn't, you know, when
they don't open the way they should at home. I mean,
this has been a cotton you know for a decade
now that it goes the importance of getting this first one.
And then obviously with all the bells and whistles of
the Houston Texans coming back into town, but I'm saying
(03:04):
it's from the top bottom. These are so important to
set the tone of this season.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
And I asked, I had Shane Stike in and Michael
Pittman in for Colts three sixty this week, so got
to do those interviews earlier in the week, and I
asked Shane, I said, you know, we've had so much
conversation all off season about continuity or you know, re
signing your own all of that, but how is this team?
What is different about this team? There's got to be
something and it's not just you know, ray Kwon Davis
(03:29):
and Laatu and Joe Flacco, right like, what is different
about this collective group? He said, There's such a difference
in the team chemistry and now it's time for that
to come to fruition. And you get the sense that
everything is working in the favor of Colts to have
a stronger start to the season than what we have
seen in years past because of not only the continuity,
but because of the position that you have put yourself
(03:50):
in where these guys are in terms of the dynamic
within offense, defense all of that. And I asked both
Shane and pitt like, when the schedule came out and
you have that still in the back of your mind,
Like that loss happened in January. Schedule comes out in May,
and Shane said, flat out excitement was his reaction. Yes,
(04:11):
we get this one, Like, we get this and we
have an opportunity to, you know, to I don't not
rectify last season, but you know you get a chance
now to go right back in to making someone. I mean,
I think it would be a statement right for the Colts,
and Pitt said, like that loss is something he has
thought about a whole lot. So in terms of like
(04:35):
Houston has kind of won the off season conversation, a
lot of people are picking them to be the AFC champs.
They're writing high right as they should. The Colts are
running in hungry and with something to prove.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Yeah, this is going to be exciting. Want to welcome
all of our Colts audio network listeners and our YouTube
channel viewers right here again. Le Overton, JJ Stankowitz, I'm
Jeffrey Gorman. We've got the Houston preview for you and
it's coming up on Thursday. This one is going to
be centered on the big overall outlook of the twenty
twenty four season and we're starting, obviously with Anthony Richardson
(05:06):
and health is everything. JJ, what's a statline look like
for a healthy Anthony Richardson and a successful Colts offense
this year?
Speaker 2 (05:16):
So I think the thing we need to remember here
is that you need work. I think the stat line
is actually really valid here because you're gonna have some
games where it's like, oh my gosh, look at what
he did out there, and then you're gonna have other
games where it's like, you want eleven to twenty, but
the Colts might win the game that he goes eleven
to twenty and lose the game where he throws her
three fifty. Like, this is gonna be an evolving process
(05:38):
with him. They're going to be games that maybe frustrate you,
and then there are going to be games that you
are like, this guy's going to win MVP someday. How
does he even that out throughout the season. I think
is a really interesting starting point here. And look, I
mean completion percentage. People are gonna focus on that, right
If he has a completion percentage under sixty percent, you're
(05:59):
gonna hear, well, you know he's not accurate. That is okay. Actually,
here's the thing that I'm looking for, Like the number
one stat I'm going to look for on Anthony Richardson
this year is his sacks. How often is he getting sacked?
Because the difference in Okay, say he's completing fifty nine
percent of his passes, which I think he can be
higher than that, certainly, but let's just say for this
(06:20):
he's at fifty nine percent, but he is top three
in the NFL and not taking sacks. You are getting
more positive plays out of your quarterback who isn't getting
sacked than you are at of a quarterback who's completing
sixty seven percent of his passes but is getting sacked
all the time. That that sack avoidance is going to
bring up the number of plays that the Colts win on.
(06:44):
So that's what I'm going to look at first.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Interesting with him, Interesting, Lara, I want to ask you.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
And he, by the way, he's really good at avoiding sacks.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Yeah, really good.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
So with that being said, we'd have to bring down right,
like what does that.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Look like, Larah in your eyes? Like, well, like just
what JJ said, which a great stat by the way,
to bring that up that when when you're talking, he's
not the type of player that's gonna take a sack,
He's gonna go what does he look like this year
offensively with his legs?
Speaker 3 (07:07):
How many carries do you think it's gonna be explosive?
I mean, it's just I go back to like training
camp when Shane was asked about Anthony's running ability, and
he's like, you know, would you would you? You're not
gonna limit Steph Curry from shooting threes?
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Right? Like?
Speaker 3 (07:19):
It just come on? Like, I know that everyone wants
him to play smart, and there's been a lot of
conversation about do you have to change his playing style,
but like one, that's an asset that he has. He
considers his running ability to be what he calls his superpower.
And if you watch the Behind the Colts with Anthony Richardson,
he says, if people don't know by now running and jumping,
(07:42):
I love to do that, Like you want your quarterback
out there having fun. I mean, how much does it
inject into not just the offense, but into this entire
team When you have seen in the past JJ like
JT breakout for those huge runs like and you think
about when he goes, you know, forty yards down the
field zone or these you know, explosive runs, which is
(08:02):
a word we have heard Shane reiterate in terms of
describing this offense.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Like, oh no, Shane's saying explosive runs and I'm not
getting roasted for it on here Great Things.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Right, Well, he didn't say explosive runs. He just said
explosiveness of the offense. But yeah, I'm all for it
because I think what you're going to see two is
he's going to be able to run and elude trouble
when he sees, you know, when he sees contact coming
his way.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
So here's here's where I'm at with Anthony and the
running stuff. So last year he only averaged six point
three rush attempts per game, which is a decent amount,
but Jalen Hurts in twenty twenty one with Shane Stichen
as his offensive coordinator was at nine point three two. Two,
I'm sorry to interrupt.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Are those designed or or is that coming off of Hey,
everyone's covered and I'm gonna go get three yards.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
It's gonna be probably more designed, okay, which you know
is not necessarily like you're running QB power where the
only thing he's doing on the play is running. You
probably have a lot of readoption stuff in there where okay,
you're reading you know, the end or the linebacker and
pulling it and taking it yourself, that type of stuff.
But in twenty twenty two he was at eleven rush
attempts per game and the Eagles kind of he kind
(09:13):
of built into that right in the offense that hey,
this is an identity, this is a big part of
our identity as an offense. His Hurts running the football
Anthony last year didn't have a chance to do that
because he got hurt four games into his season. So
I think you might see Richardson be a lot closer
where Hurts was in twenty twenty one. At about you know,
(09:34):
that's an increase of three rushing attempts per game. That's
significant over the That's fifty one more rushing attempts in
an entire seventeen game season. That's a lot. But like
Lara said, Shane Stikeen is not shy about if we
need to run the football with Anthony, we will do it.
And you can't coach scared and you can't play scared.
So you may say, really got hurt last year, do
(09:56):
we need to limit it? But if you start playing scared,
you lose what makes Anthony Richardson such an explosive weapon
in your offense.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
And look at what I mean. We've talked about this
game a whole lot. I mean, and I'm glad we
have another game so we can stop talking about this game.
But like the Rams game, right, Like I just went
back to look, I mean looking at yards right there,
Like he had fifty six rushing yards in that game
he broke off for like that big one, you know
if you remember specifically. But and that was a week
after he'd been inactive and you had a game like
(10:24):
that that was I mean, brought you out of you know,
twenty six oh halftime deficit, took it into overtime.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Like, I want to talk about that Rams game because
I think that I've written about this a little bit.
That game is so indicative I think of what like
you might see out of Anthony Richardson. So the Colts
in that game, Laara, you're right, they got down big
early twenty six nothing, right, I think it was twenty three. Okay, okay,
(10:50):
so you got you got down big, and then you know,
Richardson in the second half kind of took it over.
So I'm kind of fumbling around here trying to find
the first time. Yes, sorry, A still giving your heads.
I was like, I just think so Anthony Anthony Richardson.
By the way, in the first half of that game,
all fifty six of his rushing yards came in the
first half while the Colts were losing, and then he
(11:11):
turned it on as a passer. But he was four
of seven for forty seven yards in the first half.
Like it wasn't good. The Colts couldn't otherwise run the ball.
Zach Moss was five to ten, five carries for ten
yards in that first half. They weren't really moving the ball.
Thirty of Richardson's forty seven yards came on that one
insane pass to Josh Downs over the middle. And then
(11:32):
Richardson the second half he turned it on and you
saw the playmaking. You saw him get outside the pocket.
You might have games like this, you might have months
like this, but ultimately, at the end of the day,
Richardson's playmaking ability gives you a chance to win every
single football game until the clock is at zero.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
I also think it's going to open up opportunities because
in those situations in which we saw him have that production,
like you didn't have Jonathan right, they were like, so
you think about you account for that. The fact that
teams have to game plan for Jonathan Taylor is going
to create opportunities for Anthony Richardson because you kind of
have to like hedge your bets a little bit right
on how you're attacking both of those guys from a
(12:10):
run standpoint.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Zire Franklin told me during the preseason, He's like, with
those guys, you have to guess and sometimes you're gonna
guess wrong, and when you guess wrong, they're gone. Twenty
or five is gone. But you can't You have to
guess because you can't cheat on one or the other.
So it's like that unknown to that backfield, to me,
(12:31):
is one of the biggest threats this Colts team has.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Are you guys expecting a fifth overall start in the NFL?
That's the bottom line for this kid. Fifth overall start?
Are you expecting a slow start? And I don't mean
that negatively, but are we going to look over the
course of eighteen weeks and see the slow, steady climb
of him, either through the air or with his legs.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
I think when you think about just the leaps that
he took in the early part of last season. I
think that you are going to see I mean, you're
going to see a different player in the latter quarter
of the season versus what you do. You're going to
see all of the same things. He's just going to
do it with more consistency, I think, with more and
more repetitions. That's what we've heard, right, He just needs reps,
just needs the opportunity. And something I talked to you know,
(13:14):
Pitt about in in terms of where he's seen the growth,
because Pitt said something interesting to me back in camp
when we were talking about Anthony, and he said, I
think that there is like a path for quarterback success
in the league, and it works to the advantage of
a lot of young quarterbacks to sit for a year now.
A lot of times it's just that they aren't named
the starter and they have to sit behind a veteran.
(13:35):
It was a little bit different for Anthony right started
the season and then due to injury, was watching Gardner Minshew.
But Pitt was telling me just how much development he
has seen in Anthony, just the quick processing and that's
something that you can't replicate in terms of practice situations.
You've got to do that in games, your adaptability with
how defensive coordinators are going to start to you know,
(13:57):
read you and things you can't script in those practice
type of situations. So I think, just purely based on
experience alone, Yeah, it's going to be a steady climb
and you're gonna have some You're gonna have a little
bit of some up. That's any young player in this league.
But I think when you look at the collective performance,
you are gonna see immense growth in kind of first
(14:19):
to second quarter, third quarter, fourth.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Qu Yeah, I totally agree, because you you're going to
see the Colts develop an identity on offense that you know.
Last year, the the identity on offense became we're going
to be the best RPO team in the NFL, and
we're just gonna pepper RPOs over and over and over
and over again because that's what works. This year, it
could be something completely different. This could be a we
(14:41):
are going to be a downfield passing attack this year
with a run game that's explosive. It could be another
season of RPOs that's just juiced up because you have
richardson there and you have Taylor next to him. It
could be a team where we're going to run the
ball and we're going to be you know, Shane's mentality
of pass to score, run to win. Maybe at be
comes run to score, run to win. But we don't
(15:03):
know yet. And I'm so fascinated how Anthony Richardson and
Shanstike can grow into the season together because we haven't
seen it and it can go so many different directions
based on Richardson's ability to do so much as a quarterback.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
All right, Lara, we're gonna find out where we're getting
better right now at this overall look for the twenty
twenty four season. I want to start with you defensively,
and we have to start with I'm guessing with Leatu
Latu and what he brings to this. I say that
with reservation because I know he's such an exciting player.
But boy, oh boy, we were excited last year jj
lera fifty one sacks from this defense, setting a club
(15:39):
record while getting after it. And now you bring this
rolling ball of butcher knives in here into this defense
with lat two. Obviously, let's start there. How they're gonna
get better?
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Oh, I mean I think that it's a guy who
you you kind of shoot out of a cannon right like,
with how ready he is to make an impact on
this And that's something you know, any first round pick
you kind of expect to be an immediate country. But
I believe that one his skill set already gives you
something different right within this defensive front. And then you
(16:08):
look at where he's just developed even in the time
that he has been here in the building, and he's
been so good about immediately like, and I'm acting like
a rookie, okay, not playing like a rookie, acting like
a rookie in terms of coming in. Okay, what is
DeForest Buckner doing to be as consistent as he's been
able to be? What notes am my taking from? Defo? Okay?
(16:30):
Quitty Pay. Actually, I saw these guys going in to
take yoga this morning together, Quitty Pay, Dio Dangbo Latu
Latu go and spending their off day doing some yoga.
We talked extensively about how rigorous Quitty's offseason program is.
He's taking notes from what Quit he's doing. He has
been doing that in the entire time he got in
the building. He's like, I want to learn from everyone,
and he has such a great group to learn from
(16:50):
and every single guy in that D line group talks
about that, the questions that he asks, the eagerness that
he has to learn and to just kind of be
a contribute. I think that he sees this as I
want to be the best player that I can, but
I want to be the best player for this team.
It's not about how many sacks can I have. I mean, sure,
you know in some way, but it's more so, how
(17:11):
am I being the best asset to this group in
its entirety, more so than I need to come out
with a specific number in mind. How are we all
making each other better? And he is. He's been so
impressive so far, and I think it's going to be
really interesting in terms of how you see offenses having
to account for him as he continues to be more
(17:33):
and more of a thread up front.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
I think I love putting you on the spot. Is
he a double digit guy this year?
Speaker 2 (17:37):
All?
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Right?
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Here you go. There have only been five double digit
sack getters as rookies in the last ten seasons. It's
been let's see me. I find my list here. It
is Josh Heinz, Allen, Joey Bosa, Bradley Chubb, Max Crosby,
Michael Parsons. Two of those five guys won Defensive Rookie
of the Year. If I think, I think if Layoutu
Latu gets to ten sacks, he wins Defensive Verka Because
(17:58):
think about this, there are not Lot two is the
first defensive player drafted this year. In previous years, you
could have ten sacks, but you get overshadowed by Sauce Gardner.
You know, a corner who has an insane season. There
isn't that other guy in this class with like the
amount of hype that lat two has and it you know,
(18:21):
awards are so narrative based, right like, so I mean,
you know, maybe like a terran Ardold comes out as
a great year Quinja Mitchell for Philly or something like
that as a cornerback. But I think Lot two, if
he gets there, people are gonna notice and he's got
a shot to do it based on how NFL ready
he is.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Right now, Hey, we saw eight and a half sacks
last year out of Quitty pay. Do we have a
double digit Wait a minute, do we have a two
headed monster? Double digit?
Speaker 2 (18:46):
I I stop talking about sacks though, Okay, here's here's
we've talked about pressure rate. So I wrote this last week,
and I'm gonna test to see if you wrote you
read ten Colts things. How many teams with a bottom
eleven pressure rate made the playoffs in twenty twenty three.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
How many teams are the bottom eleven pressure rate made
the playoffs?
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Two zero? Yeah, you did go to me on that,
because I figure you read it and testing Jeffrey, No,
I read it.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Yeah, it was long. It was a long thing, but
that really stuck out to me that like, oh man,
I mean you and and by the way, of the
top twelve teams in pressure rate last year, eleven made
the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Okay, let's go. Let's just I want to pressure that quarterback.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
That's good.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
So that's part of me for this week. One. Yes, Like,
you want your offense to be productive. You got to
protect the football right, you want to get JT going,
you want the accuracy to get all that, you want
to avoid the takeaways. But like, I think one of
the underscored critical elements of this game is affecting CJ.
(19:53):
Stroud early. Like, I think we've talked so much about
the offense, and rightfully so, but I think that this
defensive front is going to be put to the test
early on, and that is going to be if they
can impact CJ early in this game, that to me
is one of the probably top three critical factors in
that victory period.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
By the way, the other thing about pressure rate, because
in that game against the Texans, the Colts did not
get enough pressure on CJ. Stroud late in the game.
There were too many instances where he it was third
down and they couldn't get pressure on him and he
was able to make a play that helped Houston squeak
out that win. The Colts last year, in the fourth
quarter and overtime, they had the fourth lowest pressure rate
(20:36):
in the NFL, even though they had twenty sacks, which
was second most in the league. Interesting, no teams at
the bottom fifteen pressure rate in the fourth quarter or
overtime made the postseason. So if you're gonna get pressure,
you better be getting it late.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Certainly not garbage sacks.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
But no, no, no, no no. It wasn't like they're getting
a bunch of garbage time sacks, but it was when
they got pressure they were hitting home. That's great, but
you gotta consistently get it because a third and seven
play where CJ. Stroud is a clean pocket, he's got
a really good chance of picking up that first down.
But a third and seven to play where he's got
someone in his face immediately and he can't go through
(21:13):
his progressions. You got a shot there to get off
the field.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Guys, we're over. We are looking at the twenty twenty
four outlook of a season again. We've got the preview
with the Texans coming up on Thursday's official Colts podcast.
I want to go to the defensive backfield. We're spitting
all all over the place today, but overall twenty twenty four,
seventeen games. Sammy Woomett comes in after some cuts in
San Francisco. Defensive backfield, Stay there for a minute. What's
(21:36):
y'aut look for the defensive backfieldsy Loo.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
They're gonna be challenged early on, and one of the
best assets for them is the defensive front. You have
to have those guys up front that works in tandem
right when you're getting pressure up there, gives the guys
on the back end time to get in position like
all of that, right, So I think that you are
going you're going to be stressed, like you're going to
be that defensive backfield is going to be stretched early on,
(22:01):
and they're going to try to test you. You know,
they're gonna come at you hard early. You know in
this game. When you're just talking about week one specifically,
I'm not going because I think things can change. Yeah,
I mean, but so okay, just the first three games
of this season. But I'm excited for Juji Brent to
have this opportunity, you know, excited for Jalen Jones and
you know the guys that are within that group. I
(22:21):
think that there is a lot on the shoulders of
Kenny Moore being the leader within that group to bring
those you know, help bring those safeties along, right, Julian Blackman,
that's on you to make sure that you have those
guys back there leveling up to what the expectation has
to be. Because Chris Ballard is showing a lot of
confidence in that group to develop and to show up.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Right.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
He didn't go out when people speculated they would make
a ton of offseason moves. Yes, you just signed Womack,
that was one, but you didn't, you know, make a
big swing on you know, somebody who was out there
in free agency. So you're you're betting on your own
a little bit, and these guys should feel great about that,
but like you've got to reciprocate that and let it
show on the field.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
Yeah, I mean that you're absolutely right that they're going
to be tested early because like think about this, if
you're going into early in the season and you are
game planning for the Colts, you're probably not You're you're
always game planning for perceived weaknesses, right, and you're you're
not looking at that defensive line as a perceived weakness,
or you're not looking at the linebackers as a perceived weakness.
(23:17):
So you're gonna those guys are going to be challenged
right off the gate by Houston, which by the way,
has three really really good wide receivers. I mean, and
you're looking at Nico Collins as your ex like if
he's going up against Juju Brents quite a bit in
this game. Juju's got to come to play. You're looking
at Tank Dell playing a lot on the Tank Dell
(23:38):
is a great outside receiver. I think people just sort
of thinkas an injury right coming off an injury, but
he's maybe small, undersized, he's a he's kind of like
t Y Hilton type size, what he can do on
the outside. And then by the way, they got Steffan
Diggs now too, who can play in the slot, who
can play outside, he can play everywhere. It's gonna be
it's gonna be a challenge for those guys. But if
you can come out of this game, like right off
(24:00):
the bat, I think those guys, if we get to
the end of this game against Houston and those guys
all competed and they had their moments and they played generally,
you come out feeling like they played well. That can
be such a springboard of confidence for those guys to say, hey,
we did it, because they've done it in the past.
We've seen Juju Brns have a great game against the
Las Vegas Raiders. We've seen Jalen Jones have his moments.
(24:23):
You got to do it consistently. But I think starting
strong for these guys is so important.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
Brentson Baltimore last year that I'm like, like, I am
putting this out there. I'm going to say, I think
Juju BRNT comes up with a takeaway Week one against them.
I just put that out there and I manifesting it.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
But I mean, look that I think lair. The way
that you put that was perfect. Of like Chris Ballard
has shown his faith, the Colts have shown their faith
in these guys. They need to go reward it. And
because this is your opportunity. This is everyone's opportunity in
that defensive backfield, whether it's Juju b 's, Jalen Jones,
Nick Cross, this is your shot to cement your spot
in the NFL of who you're going to be as
(25:06):
a player, how long you're going to play. This is
a great opportunity for all them. They've shown their flashes
of talent. This isn't blind faith that the Colts have
in these guys. They've shown their moments. Now it's time
to go earn it.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
All right, let's talk about some role players, some guys.
Obviously the stars are all there, but I want to
talk about some role players, the most important guys. Maybe
not the biggest stars, sometimes aren't the biggest role players,
but overall, looking at this twenty twenty four season, who
do you like, Yello that you're keeping your eye on?
Speaker 3 (25:34):
So who do we like or who are is most important?
Speaker 1 (25:36):
Well?
Speaker 2 (25:36):
The most important role players?
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Yeah, backup, running backs? What are you doing behind Jonathan Taylor.
I like, look look at how critical Zach Moss's play
was last year. Look at who you had Week one
last year without Jonathan Taylor out there on the field.
To me, what are you doing behind JT to reinforce
(25:59):
your ability, your availability, the versatility of this run game
with who is behind him?
Speaker 2 (26:04):
I mean you need you need to and Tray Sermon.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Gave you good play last year. Like you know, you're
excited for what he brings theirs. You know with Goodson,
Tyler Goodson had a great preseason. How does that translate
over how are you utilizing him? To me, that's what
it is because you know Jonathan, you know and what
he's able to do. You know what he's gonna give
you when he's on the field. But you also have
to give yourself somewhere to go in the instance is
(26:26):
what he is not out there taking some Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
I mean Jonathan Taylor in twenty twenty one and three
hundred and thirty two rushing attempts that led the NFL.
That is that's a high number. That is putting a
lot on your running back. Now, Anthony Richardson can take
some of that off of him, but you're gonna have
snaps where you're going to need Trace Sermon on the field.
You're gonna have snaps, or you need Tyler Goodson on
the field. Maybe Evan Hall gets brought up from the
practice squad. You're gonna need those guys because it's hard
(26:51):
to expect a running back in the NFL to carry
over three hundred times in a season. It's hard. So
you're gonna have carries. You're gonna and I mean, look,
if JT does have to miss it game, who steps
in there? I totally committee Maybe yeah, I mean it
could be by committee, but I think you'd like to
have what you had in Zach Moss last year. Obviously,
Zach Moss got a great opportunity in Sincy, so he's
(27:12):
not back, but that sort of comfort of, hey, look,
we want to have JT out there for all seventeen games.
We'd love to give them the ball three hundred times.
But if we need someone to step in, the level
of play is going to still be good enough that
we can win two things.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
It's also just a change of pace, right, Zach Moss
gave you a change of pace when he was out
there versus Jonathan Taylor, and that was really good. With
what you were able to do, right, I think that
that's something that you're not asking them to do the
same things. I think that was very valuable for Shane
to be able to just keep defenses like back in
their heels a little bit right where you've got something
(27:49):
different that you're able to kind of plug in there
when JT's taking and breathe different situations like this is
ideal for good eye or for sermon, whatever it is.
If your philosophy is throw to score, run to win,
and you've got to be able to do that with
more than.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Just a R and JO And also you need, you know,
you might need a third down back correct right where
you need someone to come in and hey, we're gonna
give JT a breather, but we need the pass protection
to be on point.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Anything on Leonard Fournette, I heard he came in for
a cup of coffee in a visit. Recently.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
We signed we signed up a big fellow coming in here.
We signed David Long junior cornerback from that that group
that was reported, So nothing on that currently currently. All right,
so my guy, my important role player, same thing back
up on offense, it's Blake Freeland and Mackinzalvas as the
backup tackles. Yeah, you know, the Colts needed Blake Freeland
(28:36):
to start seven games at right tackle and two games
at left tackle last year, and offensive line is a
weak link system. We saw teams go at Blake Freeland
last year and he had some some tough assignments. I
mean the Rams when he was in that game, they
were lining Aaron Donald up over him because they're like, well,
we got to go with the rookie, Let's see what
he can do. You have Miles Garrett lining up over him,
(28:59):
tj Y Cameron Jordan, like he got thrown into the
fire last year. Can he be your swing tackle again?
Does Macknzalvez eat into that? Does Macknsalvez compete there? But
if you need someone to come in at tackle, that
is a spot where teams are going to just go
right at you. So can either of those guys hold
(29:20):
up and play good football? If something happens to Bernard
Ryman or Braden Smith those two guys I'm looking at
because I mean, you hope, obviously you get thirty four
starts out of your starting tackle and Smith and Ryman
because they're really good players. But if they have to
miss a game or two and you got a critical
opponent coming up, big game. Can those guys play winning
(29:43):
football and keep the level of your offensive line where
it needs to be. And by the way, like Blake
Freeland had some moments last year, he had some good games.
You turn on that the Jags game last year, he
actually had a pretty good game at right tackle. But
there you know, if they need to step in, are
they going to be at the level that they need
to be at. I think that offensive line room is
(30:04):
so good for young guys, Like it's talking to Mackensolvus
or Tannerborderleini about this in the preseason, that the vets
in that room set such a high standard and then
they help the young guys beat it. Tony Sparano does
a great job with those guys. There's talent in there.
There's absolutely talent in there. But I'm gonna be looking
at those guys if they need to come in as
really important role players.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
I love the role player. And you guys got me thinking, Leara,
you started it with this and you followed it up
with that. Linebackers. I'm just saying linebackers. You go from
Zaire Franklin. You go from EJ. Speed and if there's
a game or two that's missed right there, does this
defense the way that it's set up by Gus Bradley
still indicate that there will be success for somebody filling
in as far as the tackling machine, Zaiir or Franklin.
(30:46):
You know what I'm saying. I'm looking at those guys
in the back end. Knock on wood wherever it is,
stay on the field, both of you. But that's what
I'm saying. I know Zayer's an all. You know, it's
you know, top one hundred in the league and everything,
but hopefully not on what everybody stays home and those
backup guys when they do get in there have that
same sort of energy and are all over the place defensively.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
I mean, this is when I'm looking for J. C. Carlis, Like,
I mean, this is That's what I was looking at you, Like,
that's your Mazoo guy, right, Like I have had my
eyes on him, like since they came in for rookie
Mini Camp. I think that he he is a guy
who's really interesting, you know, within that group or in
certain situations where you know he steps in again like
Zaire is like the Iron Man. Like I don't want
(31:23):
to jinx him at all, but like that man's.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
Almost played in Carolina, I know last year and a
week pretty easy. It crushed him to not play, but
he came. He came really close. He did to playing
in that game when he was he was real banged up.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
I would I seriously think that if you didn't have
the Germany game after that, knowing the travel and the
toll that's kind of involved in that, Like, I think
it may have been a different situation. Was also, I
think he went into it knowing it was a very
winnable game, like with the people that you had and
they were equipped, Like if he needed to play, he
would happen.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
But he still came close.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
He still came really close.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
Hey, time for a game show. You know. I like
playing games, you know, and I did want to help
you start before my career is done. I want to
do a little what if game with you. Let's go
to the what if game? You ready for this, I'm
gonna start with you. The Cults will win the af
cel AFC South if.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
Two things happen. One Anthony Richardson plays all seventeen games
and two the Colts have a I'm going to talk
about it again. The Colts are top ten in pressure rate.
Speaker 1 (32:22):
Pressure rate is your big baby.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
That's my big that's my big baby this year.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
Yeah, I like that.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
If the Colts consistently get pressure on opposing quarterbacks and
Anthony Richardson plays all seventeen games, this team's gonna have
a real shot to win.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
In the first five minutes of this podcast, week in
and week out, I want pressure rate from the previous week. Sure,
can we just lay that out there. It's like a
little appetizer, a little buffet before we start.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
Maybe get a little little stinger in there, little queen,
Yeah yeah, coming in? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Anything. No, I want the pressure right stats each week.
If we can get them. What do you think, l
what do you think? Same question to you. The Cults
will win the AFC South.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
If you win eleven games.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
Eleven? Okay, however you do a.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Lot of people think think the Texans are going to
win twelve or more. But okay, but so let's talk
about the Texans.
Speaker 3 (33:05):
You also have I mean, look at the schedule. You
have to I mean, I understand when you look at
what they did last year, you have a tougher schedule
in twenty twenty a.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
First place schedule, which means, by the way, so the
biggest difference there is. And look, anything can happen in
a season. It's hard to project this out, but Houston
gets Dallas in the NFC East and the Colts get
the Giants. So and look, the Giants have some talent,
they're good, the good team, good coach and Brian Dable.
There are people picking the Giants to have the number
(33:33):
one overall pick. No one's picking the Cowboys to have
the number one oulra pick next year.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
Some people are picking those Cowboys for the Super Bowl
this year. I mean, that's how talented they're. The Colts
win the AFC South, if what are you thinking, Well,
I'm thinking I like what you said with the eleven,
but I think they to win the AFC South. I
think it's gonna take I think it'll take twelve. I
just got a feeling I think it'll take twelve. You know,
(33:59):
we're not talking about the Jaguars and the success that
Trevor Lawrence's career could have or does he take a
nose dive for one year.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
He's gonna sneakly be a lot better this year is
the Titans.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Titans.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
Titans hadded a lot of talent the SAFT season.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
That those quarterbacks starts for Levos, big coaching change there,
you know, the big culture chant. You're right, it's gonna
be a tough one. I don't care where they're playing,
when we're playing, what the records are, throw them out
because the Tennessee Titans come here, we go down there.
It's gonna be you.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
Know there, they're gonna be. They're gonna be better than
people think. I think a lot of people are just
writing them off as they're gonna finish last in the South.
And I go six and eleven, five and twelve, like,
it's not just bringing in Brian Callahan, it's bringing in
Bill Callahan that offensive line that I was two first
round picks on it and Scarronsky and Latham, right, and
they got Calvin Ridley.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
Now does anybody else just immediately go to the oh
my god, Tommy boy, like, oh Tommy calls like, I
don't know, I just kind of went that way.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
Oh of course. One of my one of the best.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
Quotable movies that's that's out there. Sorry to take this off, No, you're.
Speaker 1 (34:58):
Not we're still playing my game show. Anthony Richardson will
have an encouraging year two. Interesting word, encouraging year two.
If and and I'm not just gonna say this, you
can't say, play seventeen games.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
Yep, oh, I would say that's it. No, I was
gonna say I'm getting I'm like, I would say, you know,
ten plus, I'm saying ten plus ten plus.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
If he gets enough starts, we're going to see what
he's Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
I think it's you see that development that we talked
about in the third and fourth quarters of the season,
that you see as the season goes on, when you
get to November and December, that it's like you have
you have something here in the quarterback coach pairing of
Anthony Richardson and Shane Steichen. When you get to the
end of this year and you're like, we got it
(35:43):
that and and you'll know it when you see it.
And I think you would feel that if the last
eight games of the year you start to see the
ascent really take off for Anthony Richardson, I love it.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Let's go how about this one last one? Leatu lato
will leatu latu rather excuse me, will win defensive Rookie
of the Year. We kind of covered this earlier, but
is it gonna take double digits and they're going to
give him the chip or what? Well?
Speaker 2 (36:05):
So Will Anderson Junior won it last year with seven
and half. He didn't have the most sacks, didn't have
the most sacks.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
And fourth most sacks, but he was a pressures fails.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
Yes, yep, and his pressure rate was really high.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
And you again, that's another guy. You turn on the
tape and you're like, yep, that's the defensive road.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
He's hurt right now?
Speaker 2 (36:23):
Interesting Will Anderson Junior? Well, so couple, I mean just
used to have some injury things.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
They might have a problem Houston.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Get it?
Speaker 1 (36:32):
Uh, that's good one.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
The two guys to keep an eye on this week
for the Colts would be Matt Gay, who's dealing with
a groin injury, per Shanesteichen, the Colts science spencer Strader
to their practice squad, and then Josh Downs. What's what
is he going to look like when we get that
first injury report on Wednesday.
Speaker 3 (36:48):
I would love for Josh to play. And I was
thinking about this this morning. I could see a situation
much like the New England game last year in which
he goes, I can give you ten to fifteen.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
You know, he gives you what he gave you against
New England. Does that diving catch?
Speaker 1 (37:03):
Great?
Speaker 2 (37:03):
Sign me up.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
That's my thing is that we saw that last year
in his ability to do that, and obviously you want
to protect his long term health throughout the season. That
durability that's there, but the toughness that is in a
Josh Downs I can totally see this being something where
if he's just working his way back in a little bit,
maybe he's limited. In practice, there is a situation in
(37:24):
which there is a specific Josh Downs package at your disposal.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
And by the way, the Colts wide receiver depth is
way better, yeah, right now than it was when the
Colts got on that plane to Germany with oh God,
who knows how many plays Josh down.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Night one day. Okay, we're wrapping up here, guys. I
want to bring up something we have not talked about.
We're out looking sort of for this twenty twenty four
season as a whole, right there, But I want to
ask you both before we say goodbye, the importance of
the maturation of Shane Steichen and the reason I'm saying
this is I do feel Lara watching the great go
(38:00):
through here, like the Jim Caldwells and of course the
Tony Dunge's and stuff, when men get behind their leader
and they are all dialed in on the same page
and says, come out here and do this, trust me,
you'll have success. And I think we're getting that with Shane.
And to see the maturation of his experience as that
head coach, whether it's throwing the challenge flag or whether
(38:20):
it's the way he's calling an offense. I can't wait
for this because that year one to year two jump
in anything in professional sports is a big one.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
And he's just so direct, like the expectations are very
clear with you know, how he operates, what the expectations are,
what he feels this team is comp capable of the
position he's going to put them in, you know, to
be in a position to win week in and week out.
I think all of that has been reinforced. And I
asked Pitt about this a while back and I was like,
(38:51):
you know, what's the difference, and he's like, you know,
Shane hasn't changed. And Shane's so even you guys, right,
like so steady, like through everything he went through as
a rookie head coach, everything kind of was throwing and
came his way, but like he was the same person
every single day, Like it was like, all right, this
is what do I have to work with. This is
how we're gonna make it work. This is what we're
gonna do this week. So I think guys really respect
(39:12):
that about Shane. But it goes back to that whole
chemistry thing, like the just and this is something that
pitts that he knows all of us even better, Like,
you know, he knew us then, but now he really
knows us. And you've had all of this time to
just spend around each other, and like that is something
that really great teams have.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
I mean, you think about last year where you're putting
a staff together, You're you know, ironing out your pillars
and your your expectations for the team. You're setting a
tone from the top. There's a lot of stuff. I mean,
like like he probably didn't sleep at all last year, right,
he's sleeping on the you know, his couch in his office.
And now everyone who's back, which by the way, is
(39:56):
most of the team. As we talked about understands exis
exactly what he's all about. And you buy into it
last year because he's your coach, he's your leader. You
buy into him. Now you buy into it not just
because he's your coach and your leader, but because you
believe that he is putting you in the best positions
to succeed. And I love talking to defensive guys about
(40:18):
Shane because he's you know, he's the offensive guru. He's
the guy who's calling the plays. But I asked EJ.
Speed about Stichen, like, hey, you know what, what does
he do that empowers you as players? And he told me, quote,
he's very confident in what he asks of us. He's
very confident in the players that he's got. And I
think ninety percent of the game is going on the
field to have confidence. So if you've got a confident coach,
(40:41):
someone you know is confidence in you, it means a lot.
And like for players that that's everything. If your coach
is direct and demanding but confident that you can do it,
that matters so much for this team. And everyone knows
exactly the expectations. Some Ryan Kelly brought up to me
is that there's no you know what it is, but
(41:03):
also that everyone, all these coaches from Shane on down,
believe you can do it, and that is so empowering
for these guys to go out there, like you always
wonder sometimes like why do teams that have all this
talent perceived talent fall short? And why do teams that
maybe don't have as much perceived talent succeed?
Speaker 1 (41:22):
Leadership?
Speaker 2 (41:23):
Leadership that's where it starts, and the Colts have a really,
really damn good leader.
Speaker 1 (41:28):
Well said both of you. Well said, let me get
this read out of the way here really quick, because
we are going to talk some local football in a minute.
I know you're fired up about that. Coming up on
the Colts Audio Network this week, We've got Inside Football
with Rick Venturi on Wednesday. Another episode of the Official
Colts Podcast, like we said, is Thursday, previewing that Texans game,
Matt Taylor, Bill Brooks, Casey Vale, Two Minute Drill on Friday,
(41:48):
and All the last Minute you need news that you
need is on Colts dot Com. You hear from these
two at Larra Overton, at JJ Stankoviitz on Twitter x
and after Sunday's game, Jj and Bill Brooks will break
down a week one on Instant Reaction Rate review and
subscribe to us here on the Colts Audio Network. Before
we say goodbye, congratulations to you and your hoogiers and
(42:10):
your man Kurt Signetti getting a one er start for for.
Speaker 3 (42:13):
Illiam, my guy Jeff Brahm in the University of Louisville
as well off to one to know start shut out
or Austin P. Excuse me, Austin P. And in week
one they got a big one against Jacksonville State.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
So go cards, go cars.
Speaker 1 (42:24):
Okay, yeah, okay, I know we love you and Matt Taylor.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
I mean, Lara's all on the zoom badwagon now I
am yeah. You know, got JC Carlies showing up down
there at coult Hoodie and uh we got the student
section blasting mister Bright's side, Like what else could you watch?
Speaker 3 (42:40):
I don't know, Like I yes, now I'm I have
to go. I now I have to find a trip
to Columbia, Missouri.
Speaker 1 (42:45):
Where does that start? Because Michigan football does that at
the Big House, like everyone does it? Well, who's like
the first like to play?
Speaker 2 (42:51):
It wasn't the Zoo.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
It wasn't Miszoo play bright Side.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
They do well though Zoo was the first Homecoming though,
that's what we got. They do it, well, we invented homecoming.
Speaker 1 (42:59):
Yeah, that's for another show. What Maszoo did? Yeah? Nah?
And by the way, Chase Daniel friend of the show,
will he be ba.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
Front of the pod? Yeah, well we'll try to get
him back on.
Speaker 3 (43:08):
He was great, great, Aga, Can I sing mister Bright's
Side Adam a Zoo game with Chase Daniel?
Speaker 2 (43:13):
Okay, that's how we get you on the bandwagon. All right,
Well I'll start a group text Chase, do.
Speaker 1 (43:19):
You want to try? It? Started the fourth over here
on Sunday, Lucas Oil. Let's go down on the field now,
Larra Overton singing.
Speaker 3 (43:24):
Shout out to Willie made Us who always plays mister
bright Side pregame for me actually at the stadium, that's
my that's my walkout song there, like.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
Whenever I'm at the gym, by the way, and I'll
hear like songs playing and I'm just like, that's the
song that we played before kickoffs or oh, that's the
song that we play at this break like I have
it all down in my head.
Speaker 1 (43:43):
That's great, that's great. Hey, it's coming up one o'clock
kickoff against the Texans is on Sunday. You'll hear JJ
over the loud booming Voice of God microphone and speakers
that is there a great job keeping up Ello. You're
gonna be on the sidelines doing your game. We're gonna
see a lot of you before the game leading up
to Sunday and obviously after the game as well. Colts
dot Com has the latest information. I want to thank
(44:05):
you Connor for doing this. Folks, we're gonna wrap this
up start this season out. Want to know it's important
get that home victory. And of course the AFC South,
you know, is so huge getting that first one underneath
your belt because they kind of count as two in
my opinion, always have. But anyway to the Houston Texans players,
if you're coming here and do have some time to
look around the city, there's a canal downtown that we
(44:26):
have and you can rent some bikes, and god, we
have Newfield Gardens, which is part of the Indianapolis Museum
of Arts. It's so fun. There's a walking tour down
in the midsection Meridian that you can do look at
some old houses. There's so many fun things to do here.
Why don't you come in the day early and maybe
we'll see over at Top Golf or something for Lara
Overton at JJ whatever. I'm just saying, there's a whole
(44:49):
hell of a lot of fun things to do here
in Indianapolis Houston and we can't wait to see you
down here in about four days. Maybe come a day
early and we'll personally give you a tour around the city.
And by the way, we'll be talking to you after
kickoff on Sunday as well. I'm Jeffrey Gorman, JJ's think
of it's Learra Overton the Official Coats Podcast again. On Thursday.
You're going to see the preview and we will talk
(45:11):
to you next week
Hello everyone, and welcome to the Official Colts Podcast. My
name is Jeffrey Gorman, joined by JJ Stankmitz and Latte
Lera Overton. Hey, guys, we've got a lot going on today. Okay,
it is game week. I just want the excitement level
because we've been doing this podcast for a long time
now and I'm talking when there's snow on the ground.
We're talking about expectations about twenty twenty, now, the upcoming draft,
(00:27):
et cetera, et cetera, Jj, where are your nerves? Where
are you at this week with the Houston Texans coming
into town and it's finally for real buzzing? Yeah, we're buzzing,
like buzzing, like like buzzing like.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
No, no, no, no, no drinking this week, no, no, no, buzzing
buzzing is I'm like like, uh bopping around the building?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Got you?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Okay? Yeah? No no no, no, no no no no no no.
We're in season mode now, Jeffrey. Uh no, it's this
is so exciting that the Colts open the season with
this game. You get that that immediate shot at Houston again.
And I had this thought this morning as I was
kind of thinking about how was going to do my
game preview on Colts dot Com, and it's going to
(01:08):
be something along the lines of Since the moment c J.
Stroud and the Texans walked off the field at Lucas
Oil Stadium as Division champs, the Colts and Texans offseasons
have been very different. The Texans have been defined by
big splashes, right, Stefan Diggs, Daniel Hunter, those type of guys.
The Colts have been defined by continuity. They re signed
(01:29):
pretty much all their own and added a couple of guys.
But the biggest difference on the field on Sunday will
not be Stefan Diggs or Daniel Hunter. It will be
Anthony Richardson, who did not play in that game last
week last year. So that is where like my brain
kind of goes. I was like, all right, the Texans
made all these moves and everyone's really excited about what
they can do. The Colts are going to have the
(01:50):
biggest single player difference on the field from the end
of twenty twenty three to the start of twenty twenty four.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Yeah, and all eyes are on ar. I mean, how
excited are we for this?
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Well, I mean so excited in the opportunity to do
it at home too. Rite Like you look at this
matchup and you're like, we're coming out of the gates,
like with an electric matchup within the division, and you
just think about getting this at home versus starting out
with Houston on the road, which is something we've done
a couple of years in a row. We had to
go to Houston first before getting them at home for
(02:20):
that second division game or second game against them within
the division. And that's huge to me. That's massive when
you look back to it's been since twenty thirteen that
the Colts won an opener. Ough, how crazy is that?
It doesn't sound right, It doesn't like this is the
time to like, you know, reown that, reclaim that and
(02:43):
and don't forget.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
I'm sorry to interrupt. Jim Mersey has said this year
in and year out, and I know for a fact
he's pissed off when this team doesn't, you know, when
they don't open the way they should at home. I mean,
this has been a cotton you know for a decade
now that it goes the importance of getting this first one.
And then obviously with all the bells and whistles of
the Houston Texans coming back into town, but I'm saying
(03:04):
it's from the top bottom. These are so important to
set the tone of this season.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
And I asked, I had Shane Stike in and Michael
Pittman in for Colts three sixty this week, so got
to do those interviews earlier in the week, and I
asked Shane, I said, you know, we've had so much
conversation all off season about continuity or you know, re
signing your own all of that, but how is this team?
What is different about this team? There's got to be
something and it's not just you know, ray Kwon Davis
(03:29):
and Laatu and Joe Flacco, right like, what is different
about this collective group? He said, There's such a difference
in the team chemistry and now it's time for that
to come to fruition. And you get the sense that
everything is working in the favor of Colts to have
a stronger start to the season than what we have
seen in years past because of not only the continuity,
but because of the position that you have put yourself
(03:50):
in where these guys are in terms of the dynamic
within offense, defense all of that. And I asked both
Shane and pitt like, when the schedule came out and
you have that still in the back of your mind,
Like that loss happened in January. Schedule comes out in May,
and Shane said, flat out excitement was his reaction. Yes,
(04:11):
we get this one, Like, we get this and we
have an opportunity to, you know, to I don't not
rectify last season, but you know you get a chance
now to go right back in to making someone. I mean,
I think it would be a statement right for the Colts,
and Pitt said, like that loss is something he has
thought about a whole lot. So in terms of like
(04:35):
Houston has kind of won the off season conversation, a
lot of people are picking them to be the AFC champs.
They're writing high right as they should. The Colts are
running in hungry and with something to prove.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Yeah, this is going to be exciting. Want to welcome
all of our Colts audio network listeners and our YouTube
channel viewers right here again. Le Overton, JJ Stankowitz, I'm
Jeffrey Gorman. We've got the Houston preview for you and
it's coming up on Thursday. This one is going to
be centered on the big overall outlook of the twenty
twenty four season and we're starting, obviously with Anthony Richardson
(05:06):
and health is everything. JJ, what's a statline look like
for a healthy Anthony Richardson and a successful Colts offense
this year?
Speaker 2 (05:16):
So I think the thing we need to remember here
is that you need work. I think the stat line
is actually really valid here because you're gonna have some
games where it's like, oh my gosh, look at what
he did out there, and then you're gonna have other
games where it's like, you want eleven to twenty, but
the Colts might win the game that he goes eleven
to twenty and lose the game where he throws her
three fifty. Like, this is gonna be an evolving process
(05:38):
with him. They're going to be games that maybe frustrate you,
and then there are going to be games that you
are like, this guy's going to win MVP someday. How
does he even that out throughout the season. I think
is a really interesting starting point here. And look, I
mean completion percentage. People are gonna focus on that, right
If he has a completion percentage under sixty percent, you're
(05:59):
gonna hear, well, you know he's not accurate. That is okay. Actually,
here's the thing that I'm looking for, Like the number
one stat I'm going to look for on Anthony Richardson
this year is his sacks. How often is he getting sacked?
Because the difference in Okay, say he's completing fifty nine
percent of his passes, which I think he can be
higher than that, certainly, but let's just say for this
(06:20):
he's at fifty nine percent, but he is top three
in the NFL and not taking sacks. You are getting
more positive plays out of your quarterback who isn't getting
sacked than you are at of a quarterback who's completing
sixty seven percent of his passes but is getting sacked
all the time. That that sack avoidance is going to
bring up the number of plays that the Colts win on.
(06:44):
So that's what I'm going to look at first.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Interesting with him, Interesting, Lara, I want to ask you.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
And he, by the way, he's really good at avoiding sacks.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Yeah, really good.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
So with that being said, we'd have to bring down right,
like what does that.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Look like, Larah in your eyes? Like, well, like just
what JJ said, which a great stat by the way,
to bring that up that when when you're talking, he's
not the type of player that's gonna take a sack,
He's gonna go what does he look like this year
offensively with his legs?
Speaker 3 (07:07):
How many carries do you think it's gonna be explosive?
I mean, it's just I go back to like training
camp when Shane was asked about Anthony's running ability, and
he's like, you know, would you would you? You're not
gonna limit Steph Curry from shooting threes?
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Right? Like?
Speaker 3 (07:19):
It just come on? Like, I know that everyone wants
him to play smart, and there's been a lot of
conversation about do you have to change his playing style,
but like one, that's an asset that he has. He
considers his running ability to be what he calls his superpower.
And if you watch the Behind the Colts with Anthony Richardson,
he says, if people don't know by now running and jumping,
(07:42):
I love to do that, Like you want your quarterback
out there having fun. I mean, how much does it
inject into not just the offense, but into this entire
team When you have seen in the past JJ like
JT breakout for those huge runs like and you think
about when he goes, you know, forty yards down the
field zone or these you know, explosive runs, which is
(08:02):
a word we have heard Shane reiterate in terms of
describing this offense.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Like, oh no, Shane's saying explosive runs and I'm not
getting roasted for it on here Great Things.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Right, Well, he didn't say explosive runs. He just said
explosiveness of the offense. But yeah, I'm all for it
because I think what you're going to see two is
he's going to be able to run and elude trouble
when he sees, you know, when he sees contact coming
his way.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
So here's here's where I'm at with Anthony and the
running stuff. So last year he only averaged six point
three rush attempts per game, which is a decent amount,
but Jalen Hurts in twenty twenty one with Shane Stichen
as his offensive coordinator was at nine point three two. Two,
I'm sorry to interrupt.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Are those designed or or is that coming off of Hey,
everyone's covered and I'm gonna go get three yards.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
It's gonna be probably more designed, okay, which you know
is not necessarily like you're running QB power where the
only thing he's doing on the play is running. You
probably have a lot of readoption stuff in there where okay,
you're reading you know, the end or the linebacker and
pulling it and taking it yourself, that type of stuff.
But in twenty twenty two he was at eleven rush
attempts per game and the Eagles kind of he kind
(09:13):
of built into that right in the offense that hey,
this is an identity, this is a big part of
our identity as an offense. His Hurts running the football
Anthony last year didn't have a chance to do that
because he got hurt four games into his season. So
I think you might see Richardson be a lot closer
where Hurts was in twenty twenty one. At about you know,
(09:34):
that's an increase of three rushing attempts per game. That's
significant over the That's fifty one more rushing attempts in
an entire seventeen game season. That's a lot. But like
Lara said, Shane Stikeen is not shy about if we
need to run the football with Anthony, we will do it.
And you can't coach scared and you can't play scared.
So you may say, really got hurt last year, do
(09:56):
we need to limit it? But if you start playing scared,
you lose what makes Anthony Richardson such an explosive weapon
in your offense.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
And look at what I mean. We've talked about this
game a whole lot. I mean, and I'm glad we
have another game so we can stop talking about this game.
But like the Rams game, right, Like I just went
back to look, I mean looking at yards right there,
Like he had fifty six rushing yards in that game
he broke off for like that big one, you know
if you remember specifically. But and that was a week
after he'd been inactive and you had a game like
(10:24):
that that was I mean, brought you out of you know,
twenty six oh halftime deficit, took it into overtime.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Like, I want to talk about that Rams game because
I think that I've written about this a little bit.
That game is so indicative I think of what like
you might see out of Anthony Richardson. So the Colts
in that game, Laara, you're right, they got down big
early twenty six nothing, right, I think it was twenty three. Okay, okay,
(10:50):
so you got you got down big, and then you know,
Richardson in the second half kind of took it over.
So I'm kind of fumbling around here trying to find
the first time. Yes, sorry, A still giving your heads.
I was like, I just think so Anthony Anthony Richardson.
By the way, in the first half of that game,
all fifty six of his rushing yards came in the
first half while the Colts were losing, and then he
(11:11):
turned it on as a passer. But he was four
of seven for forty seven yards in the first half.
Like it wasn't good. The Colts couldn't otherwise run the ball.
Zach Moss was five to ten, five carries for ten
yards in that first half. They weren't really moving the ball.
Thirty of Richardson's forty seven yards came on that one
insane pass to Josh Downs over the middle. And then
(11:32):
Richardson the second half he turned it on and you
saw the playmaking. You saw him get outside the pocket.
You might have games like this, you might have months
like this, but ultimately, at the end of the day,
Richardson's playmaking ability gives you a chance to win every
single football game until the clock is at zero.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
I also think it's going to open up opportunities because
in those situations in which we saw him have that production,
like you didn't have Jonathan right, they were like, so
you think about you account for that. The fact that
teams have to game plan for Jonathan Taylor is going
to create opportunities for Anthony Richardson because you kind of
have to like hedge your bets a little bit right
on how you're attacking both of those guys from a
(12:10):
run standpoint.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Zire Franklin told me during the preseason, He's like, with
those guys, you have to guess and sometimes you're gonna
guess wrong, and when you guess wrong, they're gone. Twenty
or five is gone. But you can't You have to
guess because you can't cheat on one or the other.
So it's like that unknown to that backfield, to me,
(12:31):
is one of the biggest threats this Colts team has.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Are you guys expecting a fifth overall start in the NFL?
That's the bottom line for this kid. Fifth overall start?
Are you expecting a slow start? And I don't mean
that negatively, but are we going to look over the
course of eighteen weeks and see the slow, steady climb
of him, either through the air or with his legs.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
I think when you think about just the leaps that
he took in the early part of last season. I
think that you are going to see I mean, you're
going to see a different player in the latter quarter
of the season versus what you do. You're going to
see all of the same things. He's just going to
do it with more consistency, I think, with more and
more repetitions. That's what we've heard, right, He just needs reps,
just needs the opportunity. And something I talked to you know,
(13:14):
Pitt about in in terms of where he's seen the growth,
because Pitt said something interesting to me back in camp
when we were talking about Anthony, and he said, I
think that there is like a path for quarterback success
in the league, and it works to the advantage of
a lot of young quarterbacks to sit for a year now.
A lot of times it's just that they aren't named
the starter and they have to sit behind a veteran.
(13:35):
It was a little bit different for Anthony right started
the season and then due to injury, was watching Gardner Minshew.
But Pitt was telling me just how much development he
has seen in Anthony, just the quick processing and that's
something that you can't replicate in terms of practice situations.
You've got to do that in games, your adaptability with
how defensive coordinators are going to start to you know,
(13:57):
read you and things you can't script in those practice
type of situations. So I think, just purely based on
experience alone, Yeah, it's going to be a steady climb
and you're gonna have some You're gonna have a little
bit of some up. That's any young player in this league.
But I think when you look at the collective performance,
you are gonna see immense growth in kind of first
(14:19):
to second quarter, third quarter, fourth.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Qu Yeah, I totally agree, because you you're going to
see the Colts develop an identity on offense that you know.
Last year, the the identity on offense became we're going
to be the best RPO team in the NFL, and
we're just gonna pepper RPOs over and over and over
and over again because that's what works. This year, it
could be something completely different. This could be a we
(14:41):
are going to be a downfield passing attack this year
with a run game that's explosive. It could be another
season of RPOs that's just juiced up because you have
richardson there and you have Taylor next to him. It
could be a team where we're going to run the
ball and we're going to be you know, Shane's mentality
of pass to score, run to win. Maybe at be
comes run to score, run to win. But we don't
(15:03):
know yet. And I'm so fascinated how Anthony Richardson and
Shanstike can grow into the season together because we haven't
seen it and it can go so many different directions
based on Richardson's ability to do so much as a quarterback.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
All right, Lara, we're gonna find out where we're getting
better right now at this overall look for the twenty
twenty four season. I want to start with you defensively,
and we have to start with I'm guessing with Leatu
Latu and what he brings to this. I say that
with reservation because I know he's such an exciting player.
But boy, oh boy, we were excited last year jj
lera fifty one sacks from this defense, setting a club
(15:39):
record while getting after it. And now you bring this
rolling ball of butcher knives in here into this defense
with lat two. Obviously, let's start there. How they're gonna
get better?
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Oh, I mean I think that it's a guy who
you you kind of shoot out of a cannon right like,
with how ready he is to make an impact on
this And that's something you know, any first round pick
you kind of expect to be an immediate country. But
I believe that one his skill set already gives you
something different right within this defensive front. And then you
(16:08):
look at where he's just developed even in the time
that he has been here in the building, and he's
been so good about immediately like, and I'm acting like
a rookie, okay, not playing like a rookie, acting like
a rookie in terms of coming in. Okay, what is
DeForest Buckner doing to be as consistent as he's been
able to be? What notes am my taking from? Defo? Okay?
(16:30):
Quitty Pay. Actually, I saw these guys going in to
take yoga this morning together, Quitty Pay, Dio Dangbo Latu
Latu go and spending their off day doing some yoga.
We talked extensively about how rigorous Quitty's offseason program is.
He's taking notes from what Quit he's doing. He has
been doing that in the entire time he got in
the building. He's like, I want to learn from everyone,
and he has such a great group to learn from
(16:50):
and every single guy in that D line group talks
about that, the questions that he asks, the eagerness that
he has to learn and to just kind of be
a contribute. I think that he sees this as I
want to be the best player that I can, but
I want to be the best player for this team.
It's not about how many sacks can I have. I mean, sure,
you know in some way, but it's more so, how
(17:11):
am I being the best asset to this group in
its entirety, more so than I need to come out
with a specific number in mind. How are we all
making each other better? And he is. He's been so
impressive so far, and I think it's going to be
really interesting in terms of how you see offenses having
to account for him as he continues to be more
(17:33):
and more of a thread up front.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
I think I love putting you on the spot. Is
he a double digit guy this year?
Speaker 2 (17:37):
All?
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Right?
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Here you go. There have only been five double digit
sack getters as rookies in the last ten seasons. It's
been let's see me. I find my list here. It
is Josh Heinz, Allen, Joey Bosa, Bradley Chubb, Max Crosby,
Michael Parsons. Two of those five guys won Defensive Rookie
of the Year. If I think, I think if Layoutu
Latu gets to ten sacks, he wins Defensive Verka Because
(17:58):
think about this, there are not Lot two is the
first defensive player drafted this year. In previous years, you
could have ten sacks, but you get overshadowed by Sauce Gardner.
You know, a corner who has an insane season. There
isn't that other guy in this class with like the
amount of hype that lat two has and it you know,
(18:21):
awards are so narrative based, right like, so I mean,
you know, maybe like a terran Ardold comes out as
a great year Quinja Mitchell for Philly or something like
that as a cornerback. But I think Lot two, if
he gets there, people are gonna notice and he's got
a shot to do it based on how NFL ready
he is.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Right now, Hey, we saw eight and a half sacks
last year out of Quitty pay. Do we have a
double digit Wait a minute, do we have a two
headed monster? Double digit?
Speaker 2 (18:46):
I I stop talking about sacks though, Okay, here's here's
we've talked about pressure rate. So I wrote this last week,
and I'm gonna test to see if you wrote you
read ten Colts things. How many teams with a bottom
eleven pressure rate made the playoffs in twenty twenty three.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
How many teams are the bottom eleven pressure rate made
the playoffs?
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Two zero? Yeah, you did go to me on that,
because I figure you read it and testing Jeffrey, No,
I read it.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Yeah, it was long. It was a long thing, but
that really stuck out to me that like, oh man,
I mean you and and by the way, of the
top twelve teams in pressure rate last year, eleven made
the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Okay, let's go. Let's just I want to pressure that quarterback.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
That's good.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
So that's part of me for this week. One. Yes, Like,
you want your offense to be productive. You got to
protect the football right, you want to get JT going,
you want the accuracy to get all that, you want
to avoid the takeaways. But like, I think one of
the underscored critical elements of this game is affecting CJ.
(19:53):
Stroud early. Like, I think we've talked so much about
the offense, and rightfully so, but I think that this
defensive front is going to be put to the test
early on, and that is going to be if they
can impact CJ early in this game, that to me
is one of the probably top three critical factors in
that victory period.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
By the way, the other thing about pressure rate, because
in that game against the Texans, the Colts did not
get enough pressure on CJ. Stroud late in the game.
There were too many instances where he it was third
down and they couldn't get pressure on him and he
was able to make a play that helped Houston squeak
out that win. The Colts last year, in the fourth
quarter and overtime, they had the fourth lowest pressure rate
(20:36):
in the NFL, even though they had twenty sacks, which
was second most in the league. Interesting, no teams at
the bottom fifteen pressure rate in the fourth quarter or
overtime made the postseason. So if you're gonna get pressure,
you better be getting it late.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Certainly not garbage sacks.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
But no, no, no, no no. It wasn't like they're getting
a bunch of garbage time sacks, but it was when
they got pressure they were hitting home. That's great, but
you gotta consistently get it because a third and seven
play where CJ. Stroud is a clean pocket, he's got
a really good chance of picking up that first down.
But a third and seven to play where he's got
someone in his face immediately and he can't go through
(21:13):
his progressions. You got a shot there to get off
the field.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Guys, we're over. We are looking at the twenty twenty
four outlook of a season again. We've got the preview
with the Texans coming up on Thursday's official Colts podcast.
I want to go to the defensive backfield. We're spitting
all all over the place today, but overall twenty twenty four,
seventeen games. Sammy Woomett comes in after some cuts in
San Francisco. Defensive backfield, Stay there for a minute. What's
(21:36):
y'aut look for the defensive backfieldsy Loo.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
They're gonna be challenged early on, and one of the
best assets for them is the defensive front. You have
to have those guys up front that works in tandem
right when you're getting pressure up there, gives the guys
on the back end time to get in position like
all of that, right, So I think that you are
going you're going to be stressed, like you're going to
be that defensive backfield is going to be stretched early on,
(22:01):
and they're going to try to test you. You know,
they're gonna come at you hard early. You know in
this game. When you're just talking about week one specifically,
I'm not going because I think things can change. Yeah,
I mean, but so okay, just the first three games
of this season. But I'm excited for Juji Brent to
have this opportunity, you know, excited for Jalen Jones and
you know the guys that are within that group. I
(22:21):
think that there is a lot on the shoulders of
Kenny Moore being the leader within that group to bring
those you know, help bring those safeties along, right, Julian Blackman,
that's on you to make sure that you have those
guys back there leveling up to what the expectation has
to be. Because Chris Ballard is showing a lot of
confidence in that group to develop and to show up.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Right.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
He didn't go out when people speculated they would make
a ton of offseason moves. Yes, you just signed Womack,
that was one, but you didn't, you know, make a
big swing on you know, somebody who was out there
in free agency. So you're you're betting on your own
a little bit, and these guys should feel great about that,
but like you've got to reciprocate that and let it
show on the field.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
Yeah, I mean that you're absolutely right that they're going
to be tested early because like think about this, if
you're going into early in the season and you are
game planning for the Colts, you're probably not You're you're
always game planning for perceived weaknesses, right, and you're you're
not looking at that defensive line as a perceived weakness,
or you're not looking at the linebackers as a perceived weakness.
(23:17):
So you're gonna those guys are going to be challenged
right off the gate by Houston, which by the way,
has three really really good wide receivers. I mean, and
you're looking at Nico Collins as your ex like if
he's going up against Juju Brents quite a bit in
this game. Juju's got to come to play. You're looking
at Tank Dell playing a lot on the Tank Dell
(23:38):
is a great outside receiver. I think people just sort
of thinkas an injury right coming off an injury, but
he's maybe small, undersized, he's a he's kind of like
t Y Hilton type size, what he can do on
the outside. And then by the way, they got Steffan
Diggs now too, who can play in the slot, who
can play outside, he can play everywhere. It's gonna be
it's gonna be a challenge for those guys. But if
you can come out of this game, like right off
(24:00):
the bat, I think those guys, if we get to
the end of this game against Houston and those guys
all competed and they had their moments and they played generally,
you come out feeling like they played well. That can
be such a springboard of confidence for those guys to say, hey,
we did it, because they've done it in the past.
We've seen Juju Brns have a great game against the
Las Vegas Raiders. We've seen Jalen Jones have his moments.
(24:23):
You got to do it consistently. But I think starting
strong for these guys is so important.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
Brentson Baltimore last year that I'm like, like, I am
putting this out there. I'm going to say, I think
Juju BRNT comes up with a takeaway Week one against them.
I just put that out there and I manifesting it.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
But I mean, look that I think lair. The way
that you put that was perfect. Of like Chris Ballard
has shown his faith, the Colts have shown their faith
in these guys. They need to go reward it. And
because this is your opportunity. This is everyone's opportunity in
that defensive backfield, whether it's Juju b 's, Jalen Jones,
Nick Cross, this is your shot to cement your spot
in the NFL of who you're going to be as
(25:06):
a player, how long you're going to play. This is
a great opportunity for all them. They've shown their flashes
of talent. This isn't blind faith that the Colts have
in these guys. They've shown their moments. Now it's time
to go earn it.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
All right, let's talk about some role players, some guys.
Obviously the stars are all there, but I want to
talk about some role players, the most important guys. Maybe
not the biggest stars, sometimes aren't the biggest role players,
but overall, looking at this twenty twenty four season, who
do you like, Yello that you're keeping your eye on?
Speaker 3 (25:34):
So who do we like or who are is most important?
Speaker 1 (25:36):
Well?
Speaker 2 (25:36):
The most important role players?
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Yeah, backup, running backs? What are you doing behind Jonathan Taylor.
I like, look look at how critical Zach Moss's play
was last year. Look at who you had Week one
last year without Jonathan Taylor out there on the field.
To me, what are you doing behind JT to reinforce
(25:59):
your ability, your availability, the versatility of this run game
with who is behind him?
Speaker 2 (26:04):
I mean you need you need to and Tray Sermon.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Gave you good play last year. Like you know, you're
excited for what he brings theirs. You know with Goodson,
Tyler Goodson had a great preseason. How does that translate
over how are you utilizing him? To me, that's what
it is because you know Jonathan, you know and what
he's able to do. You know what he's gonna give
you when he's on the field. But you also have
to give yourself somewhere to go in the instance is
(26:26):
what he is not out there taking some Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
I mean Jonathan Taylor in twenty twenty one and three
hundred and thirty two rushing attempts that led the NFL.
That is that's a high number. That is putting a
lot on your running back. Now, Anthony Richardson can take
some of that off of him, but you're gonna have
snaps where you're going to need Trace Sermon on the field.
You're gonna have snaps, or you need Tyler Goodson on
the field. Maybe Evan Hall gets brought up from the
practice squad. You're gonna need those guys because it's hard
(26:51):
to expect a running back in the NFL to carry
over three hundred times in a season. It's hard. So
you're gonna have carries. You're gonna and I mean, look,
if JT does have to miss it game, who steps
in there? I totally committee Maybe yeah, I mean it
could be by committee, but I think you'd like to
have what you had in Zach Moss last year. Obviously,
Zach Moss got a great opportunity in Sincy, so he's
(27:12):
not back, but that sort of comfort of, hey, look,
we want to have JT out there for all seventeen games.
We'd love to give them the ball three hundred times.
But if we need someone to step in, the level
of play is going to still be good enough that
we can win two things.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
It's also just a change of pace, right, Zach Moss
gave you a change of pace when he was out
there versus Jonathan Taylor, and that was really good. With
what you were able to do, right, I think that
that's something that you're not asking them to do the
same things. I think that was very valuable for Shane
to be able to just keep defenses like back in
their heels a little bit right where you've got something
(27:49):
different that you're able to kind of plug in there
when JT's taking and breathe different situations like this is
ideal for good eye or for sermon, whatever it is.
If your philosophy is throw to score, run to win,
and you've got to be able to do that with
more than.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Just a R and JO And also you need, you know,
you might need a third down back correct right where
you need someone to come in and hey, we're gonna
give JT a breather, but we need the pass protection
to be on point.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Anything on Leonard Fournette, I heard he came in for
a cup of coffee in a visit. Recently.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
We signed we signed up a big fellow coming in here.
We signed David Long junior cornerback from that that group
that was reported, So nothing on that currently currently. All right,
so my guy, my important role player, same thing back
up on offense, it's Blake Freeland and Mackinzalvas as the
backup tackles. Yeah, you know, the Colts needed Blake Freeland
(28:36):
to start seven games at right tackle and two games
at left tackle last year, and offensive line is a
weak link system. We saw teams go at Blake Freeland
last year and he had some some tough assignments. I
mean the Rams when he was in that game, they
were lining Aaron Donald up over him because they're like, well,
we got to go with the rookie, Let's see what
he can do. You have Miles Garrett lining up over him,
(28:59):
tj Y Cameron Jordan, like he got thrown into the
fire last year. Can he be your swing tackle again?
Does Macknzalvez eat into that? Does Macknsalvez compete there? But
if you need someone to come in at tackle, that
is a spot where teams are going to just go
right at you. So can either of those guys hold
(29:20):
up and play good football? If something happens to Bernard
Ryman or Braden Smith those two guys I'm looking at
because I mean, you hope, obviously you get thirty four
starts out of your starting tackle and Smith and Ryman
because they're really good players. But if they have to
miss a game or two and you got a critical
opponent coming up, big game. Can those guys play winning
(29:43):
football and keep the level of your offensive line where
it needs to be. And by the way, like Blake
Freeland had some moments last year, he had some good games.
You turn on that the Jags game last year, he
actually had a pretty good game at right tackle. But
there you know, if they need to step in, are
they going to be at the level that they need
to be at. I think that offensive line room is
(30:04):
so good for young guys, Like it's talking to Mackensolvus
or Tannerborderleini about this in the preseason, that the vets
in that room set such a high standard and then
they help the young guys beat it. Tony Sparano does
a great job with those guys. There's talent in there.
There's absolutely talent in there. But I'm gonna be looking
at those guys if they need to come in as
really important role players.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
I love the role player. And you guys got me thinking, Leara,
you started it with this and you followed it up
with that. Linebackers. I'm just saying linebackers. You go from
Zaire Franklin. You go from EJ. Speed and if there's
a game or two that's missed right there, does this
defense the way that it's set up by Gus Bradley
still indicate that there will be success for somebody filling
in as far as the tackling machine, Zaiir or Franklin.
(30:46):
You know what I'm saying. I'm looking at those guys
in the back end. Knock on wood wherever it is,
stay on the field, both of you. But that's what
I'm saying. I know Zayer's an all. You know, it's
you know, top one hundred in the league and everything,
but hopefully not on what everybody stays home and those
backup guys when they do get in there have that
same sort of energy and are all over the place defensively.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
I mean, this is when I'm looking for J. C. Carlis, Like,
I mean, this is That's what I was looking at you, Like,
that's your Mazoo guy, right, Like I have had my
eyes on him, like since they came in for rookie
Mini Camp. I think that he he is a guy
who's really interesting, you know, within that group or in
certain situations where you know he steps in again like
Zaire is like the Iron Man. Like I don't want
(31:23):
to jinx him at all, but like that man's.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
Almost played in Carolina, I know last year and a
week pretty easy. It crushed him to not play, but
he came. He came really close. He did to playing
in that game when he was he was real banged up.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
I would I seriously think that if you didn't have
the Germany game after that, knowing the travel and the
toll that's kind of involved in that, Like, I think
it may have been a different situation. Was also, I
think he went into it knowing it was a very
winnable game, like with the people that you had and
they were equipped, Like if he needed to play, he
would happen.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
But he still came close.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
He still came really close.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
Hey, time for a game show. You know. I like
playing games, you know, and I did want to help
you start before my career is done. I want to
do a little what if game with you. Let's go
to the what if game? You ready for this, I'm
gonna start with you. The Cults will win the af
cel AFC South if.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
Two things happen. One Anthony Richardson plays all seventeen games
and two the Colts have a I'm going to talk
about it again. The Colts are top ten in pressure rate.
Speaker 1 (32:22):
Pressure rate is your big baby.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
That's my big that's my big baby this year.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
Yeah, I like that.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
If the Colts consistently get pressure on opposing quarterbacks and
Anthony Richardson plays all seventeen games, this team's gonna have
a real shot to win.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
In the first five minutes of this podcast, week in
and week out, I want pressure rate from the previous week. Sure,
can we just lay that out there. It's like a
little appetizer, a little buffet before we start.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
Maybe get a little little stinger in there, little queen,
Yeah yeah, coming in? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Anything. No, I want the pressure right stats each week.
If we can get them. What do you think, l
what do you think? Same question to you. The Cults
will win the AFC South.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
If you win eleven games.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
Eleven? Okay, however you do a.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Lot of people think think the Texans are going to
win twelve or more. But okay, but so let's talk
about the Texans.
Speaker 3 (33:05):
You also have I mean, look at the schedule. You
have to I mean, I understand when you look at
what they did last year, you have a tougher schedule
in twenty twenty a.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
First place schedule, which means, by the way, so the
biggest difference there is. And look, anything can happen in
a season. It's hard to project this out, but Houston
gets Dallas in the NFC East and the Colts get
the Giants. So and look, the Giants have some talent,
they're good, the good team, good coach and Brian Dable.
There are people picking the Giants to have the number
(33:33):
one overall pick. No one's picking the Cowboys to have
the number one oulra pick next year.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
Some people are picking those Cowboys for the Super Bowl
this year. I mean, that's how talented they're. The Colts
win the AFC South, if what are you thinking, Well,
I'm thinking I like what you said with the eleven,
but I think they to win the AFC South. I
think it's gonna take I think it'll take twelve. I
just got a feeling I think it'll take twelve. You know,
(33:59):
we're not talking about the Jaguars and the success that
Trevor Lawrence's career could have or does he take a
nose dive for one year.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
He's gonna sneakly be a lot better this year is
the Titans.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Titans.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
Titans hadded a lot of talent the SAFT season.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
That those quarterbacks starts for Levos, big coaching change there,
you know, the big culture chant. You're right, it's gonna
be a tough one. I don't care where they're playing,
when we're playing, what the records are, throw them out
because the Tennessee Titans come here, we go down there.
It's gonna be you.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
Know there, they're gonna be. They're gonna be better than
people think. I think a lot of people are just
writing them off as they're gonna finish last in the South.
And I go six and eleven, five and twelve, like,
it's not just bringing in Brian Callahan, it's bringing in
Bill Callahan that offensive line that I was two first
round picks on it and Scarronsky and Latham, right, and
they got Calvin Ridley.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
Now does anybody else just immediately go to the oh
my god, Tommy boy, like, oh Tommy calls like, I
don't know, I just kind of went that way.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
Oh of course. One of my one of the best.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
Quotable movies that's that's out there. Sorry to take this off, No, you're.
Speaker 1 (34:58):
Not we're still playing my game show. Anthony Richardson will
have an encouraging year two. Interesting word, encouraging year two.
If and and I'm not just gonna say this, you
can't say, play seventeen games.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
Yep, oh, I would say that's it. No, I was
gonna say I'm getting I'm like, I would say, you know,
ten plus, I'm saying ten plus ten plus.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
If he gets enough starts, we're going to see what
he's Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
I think it's you see that development that we talked
about in the third and fourth quarters of the season,
that you see as the season goes on, when you
get to November and December, that it's like you have
you have something here in the quarterback coach pairing of
Anthony Richardson and Shane Steichen. When you get to the
end of this year and you're like, we got it
(35:43):
that and and you'll know it when you see it.
And I think you would feel that if the last
eight games of the year you start to see the
ascent really take off for Anthony Richardson, I love it.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Let's go how about this one last one? Leatu lato
will leatu latu rather excuse me, will win defensive Rookie
of the Year. We kind of covered this earlier, but
is it gonna take double digits and they're going to
give him the chip or what? Well?
Speaker 2 (36:05):
So Will Anderson Junior won it last year with seven
and half. He didn't have the most sacks, didn't have
the most sacks.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
And fourth most sacks, but he was a pressures fails.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
Yes, yep, and his pressure rate was really high.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
And you again, that's another guy. You turn on the
tape and you're like, yep, that's the defensive road.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
He's hurt right now?
Speaker 2 (36:23):
Interesting Will Anderson Junior? Well, so couple, I mean just
used to have some injury things.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
They might have a problem Houston.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Get it?
Speaker 1 (36:32):
Uh, that's good one.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
The two guys to keep an eye on this week
for the Colts would be Matt Gay, who's dealing with
a groin injury, per Shanesteichen, the Colts science spencer Strader
to their practice squad, and then Josh Downs. What's what
is he going to look like when we get that
first injury report on Wednesday.
Speaker 3 (36:48):
I would love for Josh to play. And I was
thinking about this this morning. I could see a situation
much like the New England game last year in which
he goes, I can give you ten to fifteen.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
You know, he gives you what he gave you against
New England. Does that diving catch?
Speaker 1 (37:03):
Great?
Speaker 2 (37:03):
Sign me up.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
That's my thing is that we saw that last year
in his ability to do that, and obviously you want
to protect his long term health throughout the season. That
durability that's there, but the toughness that is in a
Josh Downs I can totally see this being something where
if he's just working his way back in a little bit,
maybe he's limited. In practice, there is a situation in
(37:24):
which there is a specific Josh Downs package at your disposal.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
And by the way, the Colts wide receiver depth is
way better, yeah, right now than it was when the
Colts got on that plane to Germany with oh God,
who knows how many plays Josh down.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Night one day. Okay, we're wrapping up here, guys. I
want to bring up something we have not talked about.
We're out looking sort of for this twenty twenty four
season as a whole, right there, But I want to
ask you both before we say goodbye, the importance of
the maturation of Shane Steichen and the reason I'm saying
this is I do feel Lara watching the great go
(38:00):
through here, like the Jim Caldwells and of course the
Tony Dunge's and stuff, when men get behind their leader
and they are all dialed in on the same page
and says, come out here and do this, trust me,
you'll have success. And I think we're getting that with Shane.
And to see the maturation of his experience as that
head coach, whether it's throwing the challenge flag or whether
(38:20):
it's the way he's calling an offense. I can't wait
for this because that year one to year two jump
in anything in professional sports is a big one.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
And he's just so direct, like the expectations are very
clear with you know, how he operates, what the expectations are,
what he feels this team is comp capable of the
position he's going to put them in, you know, to
be in a position to win week in and week out.
I think all of that has been reinforced. And I
asked Pitt about this a while back and I was like,
(38:51):
you know, what's the difference, and he's like, you know,
Shane hasn't changed. And Shane's so even you guys, right,
like so steady, like through everything he went through as
a rookie head coach, everything kind of was throwing and
came his way, but like he was the same person
every single day, Like it was like, all right, this
is what do I have to work with. This is
how we're gonna make it work. This is what we're
gonna do this week. So I think guys really respect
(39:12):
that about Shane. But it goes back to that whole
chemistry thing, like the just and this is something that
pitts that he knows all of us even better, Like,
you know, he knew us then, but now he really
knows us. And you've had all of this time to
just spend around each other, and like that is something
that really great teams have.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
I mean, you think about last year where you're putting
a staff together, You're you know, ironing out your pillars
and your your expectations for the team. You're setting a
tone from the top. There's a lot of stuff. I mean,
like like he probably didn't sleep at all last year, right,
he's sleeping on the you know, his couch in his office.
And now everyone who's back, which by the way, is
(39:56):
most of the team. As we talked about understands exis
exactly what he's all about. And you buy into it
last year because he's your coach, he's your leader. You
buy into him. Now you buy into it not just
because he's your coach and your leader, but because you
believe that he is putting you in the best positions
to succeed. And I love talking to defensive guys about
(40:18):
Shane because he's you know, he's the offensive guru. He's
the guy who's calling the plays. But I asked EJ.
Speed about Stichen, like, hey, you know what, what does
he do that empowers you as players? And he told me, quote,
he's very confident in what he asks of us. He's
very confident in the players that he's got. And I
think ninety percent of the game is going on the
field to have confidence. So if you've got a confident coach,
(40:41):
someone you know is confidence in you, it means a lot.
And like for players that that's everything. If your coach
is direct and demanding but confident that you can do it,
that matters so much for this team. And everyone knows
exactly the expectations. Some Ryan Kelly brought up to me
is that there's no you know what it is, but
(41:03):
also that everyone, all these coaches from Shane on down,
believe you can do it, and that is so empowering
for these guys to go out there, like you always
wonder sometimes like why do teams that have all this
talent perceived talent fall short? And why do teams that
maybe don't have as much perceived talent succeed?
Speaker 1 (41:22):
Leadership?
Speaker 2 (41:23):
Leadership that's where it starts, and the Colts have a really,
really damn good leader.
Speaker 1 (41:28):
Well said both of you. Well said, let me get
this read out of the way here really quick, because
we are going to talk some local football in a minute.
I know you're fired up about that. Coming up on
the Colts Audio Network this week, We've got Inside Football
with Rick Venturi on Wednesday. Another episode of the Official
Colts Podcast, like we said, is Thursday, previewing that Texans game,
Matt Taylor, Bill Brooks, Casey Vale, Two Minute Drill on Friday,
(41:48):
and All the last Minute you need news that you
need is on Colts dot Com. You hear from these
two at Larra Overton, at JJ Stankoviitz on Twitter x
and after Sunday's game, Jj and Bill Brooks will break
down a week one on Instant Reaction Rate review and
subscribe to us here on the Colts Audio Network. Before
we say goodbye, congratulations to you and your hoogiers and
(42:10):
your man Kurt Signetti getting a one er start for for.
Speaker 3 (42:13):
Illiam, my guy Jeff Brahm in the University of Louisville
as well off to one to know start shut out
or Austin P. Excuse me, Austin P. And in week
one they got a big one against Jacksonville State.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
So go cards, go cars.
Speaker 1 (42:24):
Okay, yeah, okay, I know we love you and Matt Taylor.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
I mean, Lara's all on the zoom badwagon now I
am yeah. You know, got JC Carlies showing up down
there at coult Hoodie and uh we got the student
section blasting mister Bright's side, Like what else could you watch?
Speaker 3 (42:40):
I don't know, Like I yes, now I'm I have
to go. I now I have to find a trip
to Columbia, Missouri.
Speaker 1 (42:45):
Where does that start? Because Michigan football does that at
the Big House, like everyone does it? Well, who's like
the first like to play?
Speaker 2 (42:51):
It wasn't the Zoo.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
It wasn't Miszoo play bright Side.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
They do well though Zoo was the first Homecoming though,
that's what we got. They do it, well, we invented homecoming.
Speaker 1 (42:59):
Yeah, that's for another show. What Maszoo did? Yeah? Nah?
And by the way, Chase Daniel friend of the show,
will he be ba.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
Front of the pod? Yeah, well we'll try to get
him back on.
Speaker 3 (43:08):
He was great, great, Aga, Can I sing mister Bright's
Side Adam a Zoo game with Chase Daniel?
Speaker 2 (43:13):
Okay, that's how we get you on the bandwagon. All right,
Well I'll start a group text Chase, do.
Speaker 1 (43:19):
You want to try? It? Started the fourth over here
on Sunday, Lucas Oil. Let's go down on the field now,
Larra Overton singing.
Speaker 3 (43:24):
Shout out to Willie made Us who always plays mister
bright Side pregame for me actually at the stadium, that's
my that's my walkout song there, like.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
Whenever I'm at the gym, by the way, and I'll
hear like songs playing and I'm just like, that's the
song that we played before kickoffs or oh, that's the
song that we play at this break like I have
it all down in my head.
Speaker 1 (43:43):
That's great, that's great. Hey, it's coming up one o'clock
kickoff against the Texans is on Sunday. You'll hear JJ
over the loud booming Voice of God microphone and speakers
that is there a great job keeping up Ello. You're
gonna be on the sidelines doing your game. We're gonna
see a lot of you before the game leading up
to Sunday and obviously after the game as well. Colts
dot Com has the latest information. I want to thank
(44:05):
you Connor for doing this. Folks, we're gonna wrap this
up start this season out. Want to know it's important
get that home victory. And of course the AFC South,
you know, is so huge getting that first one underneath
your belt because they kind of count as two in
my opinion, always have. But anyway to the Houston Texans players,
if you're coming here and do have some time to
look around the city, there's a canal downtown that we
(44:26):
have and you can rent some bikes, and god, we
have Newfield Gardens, which is part of the Indianapolis Museum
of Arts. It's so fun. There's a walking tour down
in the midsection Meridian that you can do look at
some old houses. There's so many fun things to do here.
Why don't you come in the day early and maybe
we'll see over at Top Golf or something for Lara
Overton at JJ whatever. I'm just saying, there's a whole
(44:49):
hell of a lot of fun things to do here
in Indianapolis Houston and we can't wait to see you
down here in about four days. Maybe come a day
early and we'll personally give you a tour around the city.
And by the way, we'll be talking to you after
kickoff on Sunday as well. I'm Jeffrey Gorman, JJ's think
of it's Learra Overton the Official Coats Podcast again. On Thursday.
You're going to see the preview and we will talk
(45:11):
to you next week
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