October 20, 2025 • 49 mins
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What KB Liked – 8:43
What KB Didn't Like – 19:41
Twitter Questions – 28:16
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We are back. It is another edition of Colts Corner
with myself Kevin Bowen. Eddie Garrison is back with us
as well. The Monday to Wednesday cadence continues here as
we reached the midway point of the NFL season and
the talk of the league it should be, if it's
not already the six and one Indianapolis Colts. Eddie talked
(00:21):
last week on the pod a little bit about Well,
first off, welcome back.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
It's nice to be back. I can't remember the last
time I did a Monday pod with you.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
I know it has been in a while. You've been
doing some training here a.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Week one, week two, probably after one of those wins.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Yes, yeah, gosh, it's been that long. Well, great to
have you back, and you come a great time because
the Colts are playing some excellent, excellent football. But I
said this on last week's pod, Eddie, the Colts treated
Sunday like it meant something more than just an average game.
And I'm good with that. I'm fine with NFL teams
(00:56):
embracing that moment, not afraid to ignoitree those sorts of things.
But you got to meet it, and I think too
often late in seasons the Colts haven't met the moment recently,
and I don't want to make too much out of
mid October victory, but the Colts circled it, And now
(01:16):
how do you react to that? And they reacted pretty emphatically,
certainly from the start, and you know, if you need
any sort of reaction, and I'm you know, I think
the Colts set up publicly, but certainly behind the scenes,
they circled this one. Like just watch Quentin Nelson's reaction
in the final gun yesterday. MC Quentin Nelson's bouncing around
after a fourteen point win in October, Like he's bounced
(01:37):
around like that was a you know, Michael Badsley game
winning field goal in December to you know, Clint a
division or something. And you know, meeting the moment, circling games,
making sure that you play when the environment and the
stakes are a little bit higher, those are all things
that you want to have happened for you in December
(01:58):
and January and divorce Buckner even throughout the mother the
February post game yesterday, I'm fine with that. You can
talk it and then if that leads to you know,
better play by all means, so really surgical offensively. I mean,
there's nothing that you can really say about the offense
right now. It's flawless, it's unbelievable balance. It's a slew
(02:19):
of different guys at Shane Stykeen and Daniel Jones, two
football nerds just eating it up Monday through Saturday and
then delivering on Sunday. And defensively, no timely turnovers. I mean,
they're Crossing Grover Stewart, I mean huge, huge place. Like
when they happened. In the moment, I don't know if
we understood how big they were, but then as the
(02:40):
game played out, you realized how good the Chargers can
be offensively. Yeah, it just you have questions defensively, but
those two plays from Crossing and Grover were huge. So
six and one and now a massive two touchdown plus
favorite over the Tennessee Titans. Here coming up in Week eight,
(03:01):
the rare four to twenty five Colts Titans game. It's
kind of wild to think about this, keV.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
But like when you think about all the teams in
this state that have had success in the last year,
all of them have been, you know, discounted, How all
of them have been critiqued, overlooked, not taken seriously. Like
you look at Indiana last year, they weren't taken seriously.
They make it to the College Football Playoff. You look
(03:28):
at the Indiana Pacers, they weren't taken as serious as
they should have been going into the postseason run. They
make it to the NBA Finals. That Indiana fever were
not taken seriously going into the WNBA playoffs their game
and a quarter of five minutes away from making the
WNBA Finals to the team that ends up sweeping the
Phoenix Mercury. And now you've got the Indianapolis Colts, And
(03:49):
it felt like going into that game, it was another
one of those are the Colts real?
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Like? Are we going like? Is this team real?
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Or is it just one of those teams that's taken
adage of their schedule and they're just five and one
by happenstance. They went out and they dominated it once
again their opponent. Yeah, and yesterday, you know, I get
why people would have had questions.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
I mean, okay, Geno Raiders, you know, Jacoby Cardinals, two
of the Dolphins, etcetera, etcetera, Camboard Titans, Like I understand
maybe some pause, you know, I think ridiculing the Colts
or you know, ripping them for their schedule. I think
that's unfair, to be clear, but I understand if you
were in the camp of like, Okay, the schedule is
about to toughen up, let's see what happens. And yesterday
(04:33):
they answered that, and I thought JJ Watts kind of
ending to the game was a great line there of
you know, people continue to doubt the Colts and they
continue to do this something along those lines. I'm I'm
obviously paraphrasing with what he said there, but you know,
when you think about it, this was okay, Harball Herbert
on the road ironically, back to the one venue where
(04:55):
you lost earlier this year. You know, Shane Steich in
nine years with the Chargers, there's bad blood there, but
just you know, everyone is a competitor, You're you're naturally
going to have that one circle. Then now here we
are seven weeks into the season and four of their
wins are by at least fourteen points. Yeah, that is
I was looking up last night. I think you got
(05:16):
to go back over the last three years. I think
they had just five such wins and they've got four
of them already in seven weeks. So big picture. Obviously,
it means a lot for the AFC. It's another conference win.
You're now two games above Jacksonville, you know, sneaky place
for me. I thought the Miror Abdullah kick return was
a huge player.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Without it, I did not have him as an impactful
player these last couple of weeks for the Colts.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
No, but without doing you know, you needed another kick returner. Yeah,
and so that's why he was back there with Anthony Gould.
And yeah, he's risen, you know, to kind of second
on that depth charge. I'm sure we'll get the shravarisward
at some point. But you know, when they put him
on IR. They brought up Abdullah to the fifty three
man roster after some practice squad elevations there, and you know,
kind of those fourth downs Eddie I also thought were big,
(06:02):
like the fourth and inches the replay assist. You know,
the Colts are likely not challenging that. You probably aren't
gonna win that challenge. Frankly, you're talking about the Jonathan
Taylor run right right right early in the game. Mm hmm.
You don't challenge spots like that. I thought that was
a big play there that you know, just kind of
ignited things, and you built that double digit lead, and
(06:24):
then obviously you get the Steward and you get the
cross interceptions and the rest is history. So plus you
got anything else to add, I would say, let's get
into it.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
One final thing to add keV And I know there's
a lot of conversations like, oh, who's the best team
in football? Like, because that's always you know, Monday reaction
for a bunch of you know, different markets, different teams
or whatever. The Colts may not be the most talented team,
they are very talented, but right now they're probably the
only team that's playing as well as they can in
(06:54):
terms of complimentary football, the offense picking up the defense,
the defense picking up the offense, special teams picking up everything.
Like that's the one comment that I think I'll have before.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
I'll we dive into what you do and I'll just
ti them in real quick and maybe it's more of
a Wednesday conversation, But like you know, there are rungs
of the ladder that you routinely get judged upon, certainly
in the NFL. And like I can hear, the next
rung is this, are the Colts to the best team
in the NFL? Or are they the best offense, right, which, okay,
(07:23):
I can get that. And you know, the beauty of
it is you're gonna have, you know whatever, nine more
tests in the regular season and whatever the playoffs hold,
and you get the chance to continue to answer to
those questions. Like the Indiana football analogy was a great
one last year. Ready, kurtz Ignetti's bunch dified so much,
(07:44):
and then when it got real, real tough, that's when
the ladder finally gave out on the Okay, Ohio State
is here, Notre Dame's here, and we're still here. Yeah, Okay,
So like that's the beauty of sports is you can
get to the if you are answering questions, you can
keep on having them thrown at you. And the Pacers
they answered them time and time again all the way
(08:06):
to the brink of the final game of the season.
So that's the beauty of it is. You're going to
continue to get all of this and the cult have
earned the cults have earned this opportunity and again December
January February meaningful football moments. I mean, let's be honest,
After Sunday, Eddie, you can look at all these games
the rest of the season and be like, Wow, that's
(08:28):
a pretty good team they're gonna play, or like that's
a decent team, or it's a divisional game. Yeah, I mean,
I guess Sunday Counts is divisional game. But still, I mean,
after this, you know, pretty much everybody you play, I
would guess maybe Houston's not is probably within a game
of the playoffs, if not in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Right now, let's get into what you did, like, starting
with the guy who's been making all the right decisions offensively,
Shane stike In in his approach, is the first thing
that you liked about Sunday's win, Kevin, Yeah, I.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Mean he is. The Colts offense is a wagon. It's
a wagon and stike and it's just it's beautiful what
they're doing. The offensive balance. Here's JT going, here's the checkdowns.
Here's a home run Balld to Piers. Here's Tyler Warren.
Seemingly every game wide the UNI would opened. It's amazing
at every level of the defense, Eddie, how wide ass
(09:16):
open the Colts are every level, dumps, checkdowns, bootlegs, intermediate stuff. Obviously,
the deep bald to Piers, you know, stands out and
that whole red zone stat that they had going there.
It is kind of funny there that you know, they
(09:37):
they all of a sudden, you know, run into their
own red zone halting by their own doing it. And
by that I mean that they had scored what twelve
straight red zone touchdowns and by kicking the field goal
then the first half, they unfortunately got into the red zone,
so that that stat stopped there at twelve. I think
a franchise record was fifteen, which you know, with how
(10:00):
they've gone, the easy probably would have gotten that. So
you know, I kind of forgot watching the game yesterday
that Josh Downs didn't play and yet they still score
thirty eight and if they wanted to, it could have
been forty five or maybe even fifty two. So I
think you just got to mention Stike and you know,
if you want to talk big picture again, meeting the moment,
(10:22):
I think he told his team, hey, this game is
a little bit more and not just for him, I'd
say for the twenty twenty five Colts as well. They
met that Penalties a little bit of an issue early
in the season. I haven't talked about them as much lately.
Red zone play a little bit of an issue early
in the season. Now it's been otherworldly here late. So
that's what you want to see. You want to see growth,
you want to see areas that are weaknesses show up.
(10:45):
So I just think so much of this is stikeing,
you know, offensively, I've always been very very high on him,
but some of the other stuff as a head coach,
more of that on your plate and handling that stuff.
I think that has been there as well.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
I just think the job that he did, especially early
on those fourth down plays and just knowing when to
go for it and realizing, like, these guys can't stop
us right now, and I'm just going to ride the
hot hand and I'm going to keep pounding it with
with johnthan Taylor' this offensive line and then the play
designed on the Michael Pittman junior touchdown was absolutely phenomenal well.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
And the thing too that he does such a great
job of before we transition to Daniel Jones Eddie is
he always is applying stress or pressure to the opponent,
and in little ways he did it yesterday by stealing
the time out against Harball. He never lets you rest
and like some people I've talked to you, they're like
(11:42):
they get frustrated, win Stich and sends the offense out
there and just waits till the play clock either you know,
runs out, or you know, he takes his time out
with one on the play clock or the quarter ends
or something like that, and they're just trying to sneak
it off sidees penalty at you. But that's what he's
trying to. Let's stress you to the nth degree and
(12:03):
try to make you strain, strained, strain, and maybe you'll
crack at some point. It's not as obvious later in
the game. And like, imagine if the Chargers score there
on that twenty one play drive, Imagine, imagine that would
have been a touchdown. Now all of a sudden, they
still only have two timeouts the rest of the way,
and that easily could have been a huge impactful moment
(12:24):
at some point as well. So you know, that's the
thing that he just does such such a great job.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Number two, Kevin, In terms of what you like the
offense in general, let's start with the man who has
three games this year with three touchdowns and Jonathan Taylor. Yeah,
it's just I guess.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
I probably didn't didn't do a good good enough job
there in hitting on Daniel Jones. But you know, from
an offensive standpoint, to me, the debate right now is
such a great one of who's your MVP? Is it
Daniel Jones or as a Jonathan Taylor? And you could ask
that league wide, I mean, both of them would be
(13:03):
I think you could make cases for both of them
being on an MVP case league wide, and obviously internally
you would say that as well. Let's start with Jones.
He finds answers so decisively and so efficiently. Every play
has an answer. You know, you always hear that from quarterbacks,
(13:25):
but how quickly do you recognize that answer and then
do you deliver in that moment? And Jones, to me,
has found that not everything's gonna be third and seventeen
home run dallop here. Some of that might be, Hey,
third and ten in the red zone, you're gonna check
it down to Amir Abdullah. Oh wow, did that just
turn into fourth and two? Now you're going for it now,
(13:45):
Shane sikens in his bag. Now, Michael Pittman, JUNR Is
wide opening the end zone like those plays. Again, Pittman's
touchdown does not happen without Jones sitting there on third
and ten and saying instead of fourthing one, what if
I check it down? And what if we get into
fourth and now go zone? And obviously they did the decisions.
(14:05):
They never seem panic to me again, decisive. I think
he's throwing the ball on target in stride. Hell, it's
easy to catch me. He's had a clean sheet in
what five to seven games. I saw a stat where
he's already reached his career high in passer rating games
of more than one hundred in a season. He's had
(14:25):
six of them already, And that's staying away from negatives,
and that is keeping everything methodical. They just they stay
ahead of the chains, and he does such a great
job of just again finding easy answers. And some of
those answers are checkdowns. Some of it is just a
three yard ball in the air, but it leads to
(14:49):
something you know, bigger than that, or it leads to
maybe a more manageable situation to then go ahead and
go for it after that. So Jones great and then
obviously Taylor, I mean, the the the touchdowns obviously stand
out to you from a fantasy football standpoint, Andie, I
thought that was one of the best opening quarter games
(15:09):
they've had running it in a while. Oh yeah, Taylor
and and Abdullah was sprinkled in there a little bit there,
but you know, they end the game over six yards
per carry. Now, to be fair, on paper, I think
this was expected to be a huge advantage for you.
The Chargers were a really poor run defense team. But still,
just the offensive balance you have right now with these
two is eye popping. And with these two, I mean,
(15:31):
you know, Jones and then and then Taylor as well,
and and throwing the O line. You know, you have
questions about the group entering the year, you're incorporating two
new starters. Health has been on your side, but still
just a really really sound job from that unit. I
don't feel like Jones is getting hit very much at all,
and when he's getting hit, he's still hanging in there
and delivering. It's a big place for For.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
The first time in a while, Kevin, You've got the
quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts and the quarterback of the
New England Patriots doing something that the rest of the
NFL hasn't done.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
You know what that is? No, I don't know specifically.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Daniel Jones and Drake May are the only quarterbacks in
the NFL to have over two hundred passing yards in
all seven games this season.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Really wow? Oh no, I guess how with Drake May.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Yeah, both of them are currently the only quarterbacks to
do that, and Drake May has been absolutely balling for
New England as a LA, But we'll save that for
a different time. Let's move on to the defensive side
of the football, KB and what you liked The two
guys with interceptions, Big Grove, Grover Stewart and Nick Cross.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Huge plays, absolutely huge plays. And let's start with Grover.
What a awesome play, Just a man that deserved it,
Like he got his big old pall up there for
the lat too pick a few weeks ago. His play
has grown and honestly, the Colts probably don't have a
lot of great options right now, but still his play
has grown to where like, oh yeah, let's put Grover
on the field on a third down and he's out
there in a pass rush moment and I just thought
(17:02):
it was hilarious, Like literally, I thought the band was
out on the field when it all emptied out there
for him to celebrate with him, just like he deserved
that moment as well. But like if that ball is dropped,
the Cameron Dicker makes a field goal, and the Chargers
still feel like they're, you know, somewhat in the realm
of things. And then cross later, I mean to have
(17:24):
that one hand to play with Quentin Johnson. You know,
a lot of the cross plays we've seen so far
this year, Eddie, I think have been more around the
line of scrimmage, you know, even in the backfield. And
by no means it's he'd been perfect in coverage. You
obviously saw the roller coaster a little bit with him
during the game. Ronde Gatz and got a couple of
big plays, but you know, that is such a huge
interception right there. I don't know if they go for
(17:46):
the fourth down after that, but again they could kick
it with Dicker and you know, still you know, feel
like they're with an earshot of things. So those two
interceptions on the day, when you allow Justin Herbert to
throw for a career high, when the Chargers they only
punted once, right, I'm pretty sure they're only punted once
in the game, I think, so like you have to
(18:07):
find stops in other areas, and those were the stops
you weren't really holding them, you know, naturally outside of
that first drive, which the will Disleey Dropp really helped there,
but you know, naturally holding them to field goals when
they have those three straight touchdown drives and about the
second half, you're able to get stops in other ways
and those individual plays just huge and really around the
red zone that you think about some of the turnovers,
(18:29):
you know, Geno Smith's pick, and then you know after that,
you know you obviously had the Arizona game and how
that one ended with a stop on a fourth and goal.
You know, those sorts of stops in the confined, restricted
areas of the field, those matter even more to you.
So big plays, big plays by Grover, big plays by
(18:49):
Nick Cross.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Anything else to add to what you like, Kevin or
do you want to transition to what you did not like?
Speaker 1 (18:56):
I feel like we covered it all there. Yeah. Dlek
Pierce is down there somewhere. Yeah, he is. He is,
And I tweeted out late when he iced the game.
He's gonna get paid a lot of money. And I
don't know who it's gonna be by, but he's gonna
get paid a lot of money. Colts probably have to
find a way they're gonna have to lift up some cushions. Yeah,
they're gonna have to find it. Yeah, it's not gonna
be easy, you know, I think I don't. I mean,
(19:17):
you know, we saw a team all for a second
round pick for Alec Pierce back in the draft and
the Colts said no. And now look what he's done.
I mean, I would say he's taking his game to
another level here in this contract here, So that one
is gonna be that money will surprise some people, I think,
but the NFL will that believe views alk Pierce in
(19:38):
that light. But hey, welcome to paying a quarterback big money.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Right, that's absolutely right. There was one glaring thing on
what you and I probably are in agreement on what
in terms of what we did not like considering the
fact that LA lost, you know, pretty much every offensive
lineman over the course of the last three weeks or so.
Certainly during the course of the season through seven weeks,
the Colts were only able to to get home three
(20:01):
times on Justin Herbert. So the pass rush, uh, number
one of two things that you did not like from
Sunday's win.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Yeah, I was really really disappointed in And the pass
rushing is kind of finishing of those plays. And I
get that Herbert, you know, can be pretty elusive back there.
But you know, the Chargers came in the league, I believe,
I think it was bottom I think it was bottom quartile,
and sacks allowed Herbert and sacks seventeen times a six games,
(20:29):
So by no means is he like untouchable. And it
takes your well was it thirty seventh past attempt of
the game before you get him onto the ground, and
you know he's in a lot of obvious passing situations too,
And like I was adamant that this is a game
where your d line has got a feast and you
just laid out where the Chargers were at from an
offensive line standpoint. My acknowledgment of that doesn't even come
(20:55):
to how the Colts internally believed they thought they would
absolutely whip the Chargers up front, like they thought it
would just be an absolute ass kicking, and that was
not what it was in terms of finishing plays. I mean,
Herbert's I have no idea how many games justin Herbert's
playing his career, I guess I don't know, probably over
seventy eight probably, hell, probably nearly ninety games in his career.
(21:20):
I think it's just an absolute, you know, just just
really a poor effort in that you weren't able to
create more from that aspect of the game, especially when
you have the investments that you do right now. It
seems like it's a diforce Buckner splitting, or it's you
get absolutely nothing from that. So that's kind of how
(21:42):
I view where things are at right now. It's Buckner
or bust, really, and I haven't gone here just yet.
I've kind of debated over the last few weeks out
you have okay, do you know end the linebacker corner?
Where are you at right now in terms of trying
to upgrade? Do you do a trade, et cetera, et cetera.
I would say the edge rush is the one that
(22:03):
now I am all in on from a trade standpoint,
I think it's needed. And he also had a couple injuries.
Yesterday Sampson epcom gets a friendly fire from Buckner and
the knee Taekwon lewis at the groin. You know, where
are they going to be at here moving forward? You
know at corner you could tuck yourself into, Hey, Tavarius Ward,
you know it is back in a few weeks. You
(22:23):
hope Jalen Jones at some point, you know, I think
there was a thought that in October he could be back,
you know, at some point to see give you something.
I don't see where that is at all from a
defensive line defensive end standpoint. And I also think, you know,
you can find a situational rusher that you know it's
not too taxing on them. Hey, third down, Welcome to Indy.
You don't need to know a lot of verbis a
(22:44):
lot of language. Just beat the dude in front of you.
That's kind of how I view things. I feel like
all the pressure you create, or a lot of the
pressure that you create, is off of stunts or largely
high effort plays. It's not enough of individual guys winning
one on one. So I think that's where some of
the frustration for me lies right now with the with
the past rush.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Here's my rebuttal to you KB. Even when you go
back and you look at the lou Ayne and Ramo
days with Cincinnati, like it was just Trey Hendrickson. Outside
of that, they they didn't get a lot of pass
rush from whomever the opposite end was, whether that's Sam
Hubbard or somebody else, And I have to wonder is
this more of a scheme thing, because is it more
(23:26):
gap integrity and versus the past with Gus Bradley. I
think I can't remember who it was that said this
on It was Taekwon Lewis. We had him on Korean
Company a few like a month ago, and he said
that this defense is more gap integrity wise versus just
trying to generate pressure at the quarterback. So it makes
me wonder if it's more of the scheme than it
(23:46):
is the talent. But I also think there could be
some lack of talent there as well.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Yeah, well, I don't know if I'm seeing the gap
integrity either, because I think when Herbert wanted to run
yesterday he was able to do that as well, you know,
getting into some of those A and B gaps and
things like that. So I I don't I understand the
Hendrickson side of it, But to me still it's just
not enough. It's not enough from these individual players, whether
it was Gus Bradley or now lou Ana Roumo. You know,
(24:13):
Gus's scheme was very much of a you know, get
up field, get up field, get up field, And I
still didn't think you got the defensive play making that
was necessary there. So I think you got some definite
questions with that group in general there. And it goes
back to the Crossing Stewart Place, how pivotal those were
in you know, getting stops for you. And you know,
(24:34):
if you look at some of these quarterbacks that hell,
you know, depending on Right now, the Colts are the
one seed, but like you know, if you fell into
that wildcard weekend, you could be facing Herbert again. Yeah,
you could be facing Patrick Mahomes, you could be facing
Josh Allen. I mean right now the Patriots are when
the ac So you know those guys in your building,
you know, in a controlled climate, you know, passwords canna
(24:57):
be vital, So trying to get those guys you know,
off their games there. So it's just it kind of
gets back to the I get these are great players
that you're playing, but just because they're great, does that
mean that they should have a career high against you. No,
you know, that to me is where the expectations should
(25:19):
be met at a little bit more of a higher
standard there. So, yeah, disappointed in the in the passers
and maybe just kind of the natural ability to get
off the field a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
And then the second item kind of nitpicking here, Kevin,
when there's a lot of things that go well, the
fact that Michael Badgeley missed at Pat indoors.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Yeah, and my question becomes, this does change second? Trust him?
Like the fourth and four eddie in the second quarter
before they overruled the Anthony gold play, that was a
forty yard field goal attempt and they were going for it.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Is that because a lack of trust Michael Badgley or
is that just the utmost confidence in your offense? And
maybe knowing that hey points maybe out of premium here,
considering the nature of our secondary.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
Probably the easy answer is both. You know, again, watching
badgery kick of practice, I think I asked some questions
about his leg strength in general. Obviously the extra point
I think I was the first miss I believe since
Matt Gay in Cincinnati that rainy December game against Jake
Browning in a few years ago. It's pretty rare to
(26:31):
see an indoor missed extra point, especially for the Colts.
And my questions now are what happens in Hinesfield, what
happens in Arrowhead, what happens in Seattle? If you don't
get the one seed and you are in a playoff run.
You know a lot of the other AFC teams are
outdoor venues. Do you have a kicker that you can
trust when fourth and four is now fourth and seven?
(26:54):
Do you have a guy that you trust? Because right
now I get the sense that Shane sty can trust
Michael Bazie about as much as I trust myself to
only have one plate of food on Thanksgiving.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
Goes back to the question I can't remember if I
asked you on this pod or if I asked you
on the show, and you're on with Jake on Fridays
whenever Tyler bast or if he does, at this point
from Buffalo make a return like and they obviously you're
not keeping two kickers on the roster. Do you make
a move at Matt Prater with you know, the kicks
that he's made in his career and the way he's
kicked it for the Buffalo Bills this year.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Yeah, I definitely keep the list handy. You know they
always say you have the list in that top drawer.
I might move the disc, move move the disc, move
the list to the desk. And then when Michael Basie
walks in may move the list to the other side
of the desk underneath the legal power too. Let's get
it back. I just think, you know, in this league
(27:48):
and right now, it's so hard to even comprehend Eddie
because the Folts are beating the you know what out
of these teams. Yeah, but in this league, so much
of it can come down to what happens. I mean,
how many big kicks that Harrison Bucker make to win
an ice games? How many big kicks did the Colts
have to deal with? You know, from a vander Jack
standpoint back in the day, good and bad. You know,
(28:11):
that stuff just matters a ton. So I don't know,
just something to keep it on.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Let's get into twitter questions. We have a handful of
them to get to, starting with Wakespike to kind of
continue the conversation about the Colts pass rush. Kevin Wakespike wonders,
am I crazy for thinking that the eighth string Chargers
lineman should have been far more destroyed by the Colts
defensive ends? Chris Baller can't draft defensive ends. The Colts won,
(28:37):
but justin Herbert should have been smashed way more than
he was.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Yeah, this is kind of what I am. I'm getting
at it, and again my question now becomes this Eddie
trade candidates. Okay, let's look at teams that are thrown
the towel or are going to throw in the towl Jets, Dolphins, Titans, Saints, Raiders.
You know, the Bradley Chubbs, the Jalen phillips Is, the
Cavon Thibodeau's, Carl Granderson, you know those. You don't have
(29:07):
your sixth rounder. Now, theoretically, at some point you'll probably
get a mid round pick back for Anthony Richardson, I
would assume, so you know, maybe that can kind of
offset some things. But a third, a fourth, and fifth,
I'm not you know, I'm not gonna talk. I'm gonna
talk realistically. I don't think Max Crosby or Miles Garrett
or any of those are realistic, particularly with your cap
situation and what Daniel Jones is gonna garner. But those
(29:29):
are the spots I would look at, and I just
view I think that past rush, like pass rush and corner,
they both matter. I think pass rush matters more. That's
how I view it. You know, to me, which one
would I rather have? Be elite? Obviously I think both,
But if I'm gonna pick one or the other, I
(29:50):
would pick your pass rush. I think it's easier to
if you can disrupt earlier in downs, I think it
can lead to more chaos than it is. Just Hey,
if you have blanket cover, it is so hard to
hold up for five, six, seven seconds period, even if
you are some elite corner. Whereas if your past rush
can accomplish it, I think it's gonna lead to a
(30:11):
more disruption.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
The follow up to this, are you looking for somebody
who's under contract for multiple years? Are you looking for
like a rental situation here?
Speaker 1 (30:20):
I'm not gonna be overly greedy.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
The only reason why I ask is we've already kind
of talked about the you know, the situation the culture
room with some players that are going to be due for
contracts Daniel Jones, Nick Cross, Alec Pierce. So the question
is like, that's something that you have to consider. I
feel like, right, yeah, and.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
I guess fitting it into down the road, I mean,
right now, Quitty pay looks like a guy you let walk,
right yeah. So I mean yeah, I mean in a
perfect world, I think anytime you do a trade, you'd
find a young guy that's able to help you for
more than that year. But I don't know, maybe financially,
maybe they are more in a you know, three month
rental sort of situation here, So it's a good question.
(31:00):
I'm not overly greedy though. To me, I just think
that DeForest Buckner is commanding so many freaking double teams. Yeah,
that they the others should be feasting in these one
on one opportunities. Have you ever seen I don't know
if I've ever seen an NFL game where I've seen
a team sub in more offensive lineman within a game,
(31:22):
Like it seemed like every time the camera's pan of
the Chargers sideline, they're subbing in a new offensive lineman. Yeah,
I'm like, what is this wide out corner wild? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (31:33):
Name that I thought of immediately, Kevin when with where
things are at with their season is Miami and Jalen
Phillips would fit the bill.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
Right, people said Phillips who have said Chubb.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
Just because Phillips is on the last year of his
rookie deal, right and he would be a free agent
after this year. So if it doesn't paint out, then
you know, you don't lose anything really, Yeah, Plus you
don't worry about the future contract at the room down
the road, Brian would like to know, was Zire Franklin's
play against Lad McConkie the play of the game, or
at least the play of the second half if Zayre
(32:03):
doesn't get back in coverage and break that pass up
at the touchdown in a one possession game. For all
the flak he's taken so far this season about his
coverage issues, he came up huge there, Brian.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
I'm glad you mentioned this. Kudos to Brian for mentioning this, Eddie.
I was kind of stunned when all of a sudden,
I was like, wait, that was forty four Yeah, that
far down the field, that close to Lad mcconkkee, and
then making the play at the moment of truth, that
was a big time yeah. I you know, where do
you rank it on the magnitude of plays in the game?
(32:36):
I mean, yeah, play the second half. I thought the
Abdullah kick return was pretty big, but I mean, what
would that have been Chargers score there with what like
probably three thirty to go? Does that sound right? I'll
go back and look, but something along those lines. I mean, yeah,
that was a big play. I you know, so they
were down to two timeouts at that point. You know,
(32:58):
the Colts probably have to get what two first down
to win the game? Yeah? Huge, It was huge, And
just credit, I mean credits.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
I I don't three forty three.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
Yeah, so yeah, right around three three thirty credit to
him because I don't think it. You know, I don't
view his season so far by any means pro Bowl
ish or but I thought that was a big time
playing coverage by a guy that's played every single snap
defensively for you there, and yeah, I think that deserves
more more mentioned. And I mean you've been on the
(33:28):
field for how many plays at that point of the drive.
Was that a twenty one play drive? Uh? Yes, you
know that's probably worth pointing out as well.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
That was play let's see here, so that was twenty
one twenty that was play. Uh, that was play twenty.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
Yeah, big time, big time.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
Josh's next, any reason why Rico Berto Sanchez is not
doing kickoffs anymore? Was Spencer Schrader doing them before he
got insured?
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Yeah? I mean I think it was a little bit
of talk if you don't want to put too much
on Rigo's leg, but hell, he's right now. So yeah,
I thought they were a little better yesterday than they
have been. But now the kickoff really matters. All these rules,
I mean, the kickoff just really matters. So yeah, I
(34:21):
thought it was a I was curious if they would
put Sanchez, you know, back there on it.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
You know what I'm waiting for to see one of
these kickers do like Johnny Hecker with when he was
with the Rams, came up with like the watermelon punt,
like you would drop the both sideways and wou.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
Yeah, it'spin over that way.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
I'm waiting for one of these kickers to put the
ball on the tee sideways and it's like a freaking
you know, slicing line drive in baseball, or like you're
kicking on one side and it's like slicing away from
the returner.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
Yeah. I think the only issue there is like would
he go out of bounds? You know? Yeah? Yeah? So yeah,
I you know how teams I think evolve with the kickoff.
I think we'll be very interesting as well, not only
this year, but kind of in future years as well.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Two questions left Gary's is with Daniel Jones, are the
Colts better off in our quarterback situation? Or do the
Colts still need to be looking for a quarterback? Also,
how does Anthony Richardson fit into the equation? If I
could only listen to one Colts podcast, this would be
the one.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
Thanks Gary, Gary, it's a very nice of you on
that there. I edited that one in there. I just
sent it to you and just try to make it
look like the rest of you really font there.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Yeah, so anytime there's like, hey, love listening to the
podcast to you.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Right, uh huh okay, yeah, yeah, you can find that
on me. Gary, Thank you. It means a lot. I
know there are a lot of great coltspots out there, frankly,
so we appreciate you. Man.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
I'm I'm so sure none of these are your burners
that you're just making up to ask questions to make
it look like we have listeners.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Right right exactly, dms are empty. I'm just simply sending
you over to you most common American names out there
here we go, which we actually have a large international audience,
so I should also include that. Well, you know me,
I've always been team draft and developed I think an
ideal NFL world. You aren't immediately paying the quarterback thirty
(36:16):
to forty million, yeap whatever Daniel Jones is going to
command next offseason, Like that would be an idea, Like
you can build it a little bit with the five
year rookie window, and then at some point you have
to then pay that quarterback and now he covers up
the holes you support him, support him, supported in the
first five years, and then the training wheels come off. Yeah,
that's kind of my thought in general from a quarterback
(36:39):
standpoint now right now, I mean it's just, I mean,
it's incredible what Jones has done. So you know, there's
part of me that kind of thinks back to the
ballad quote of you need to find the next quarterback
when you have the quarterback, you know, kind of doing
whatever more the Green Bay method to things here. And
(37:01):
I mean, I'm trying to think, Eddie, who who are
you paying? You're paying Pierce, Braden Smith, Nick Cross, potentially
Quitty pay. I think who else in contract years?
Speaker 2 (37:13):
Uh Cross, Pierce, Quitty pay Daniel Jones.
Speaker 1 (37:18):
Right, I mean, do we get back to the Pierce
versus Pittman debate? You know, you and I had this
during the off season.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
You know, I think it's different now than it was
in the off season because I thought there was hope
for ad Mitchell turning into something, right, okay, and now
that doesn't seem like it's going to be the case.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
You're gonna give Pittman a third contract.
Speaker 2 (37:38):
Braden Smith free agent as well.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
Right now, that to me seems past the torch. I
think they're high on Jalen Travis. I know it's not
again you would love to resign all these so yeah,
I And as far as Richardson is concerned, no, I don't.
I mean, I think there was always a thought here
in the season, as long as we was healthy that
(38:02):
you know, when Jones gets hurt, Richard someonoy would would
get a chance. But now win's Richardson back? Is he
back this season?
Speaker 2 (38:10):
The well currently have just north of sixty nine million
dollars in cap space for next season, but that includes
the capitols where Braden Smith, Quitti Pay and Samson ebcom.
Speaker 1 (38:24):
You know, the more we get into this season and
the more you watch Shane Stichen and Daniel Jones, these
just mad Bill Nye, the science guy scientists go to work.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
I like the the micd Up moment was that last
week against the Arizona game. After the Arizona game. It's
like they're looking over to the play called she and
he goes, hey, what do you like here?
Speaker 1 (38:46):
You like this one? Or we can go here? Yeah,
and you know Dan's like I like this when he goes,
all right, me too, let's go Like these two are.
The more I watch it play out, the more I'm
honestly confused by the Anthony Richardson draft pick, just because
it seems like Shane is so obsessive and once needs
(39:07):
his quarterback to meet him at that level that you
know Richardson a Yeah, I mean, I guess maybe you're
back into a corner as a franchise. And I mean
Shane liked richards It's not like Shane was against the pick.
But these two are just they're two football nerd.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
There I am.
Speaker 1 (39:26):
I show this on a morning show today. There I
am Friday night. And like Friday night for those unfamiliar
with NFL life, it's the one time you get freedom. Yeah,
Like basically the NFL day on a Friday for players
ends about two o'clock. Yeah, and for the most part,
you're high tailing out of there pretty quickly after that,
and even some coaches and you get that whatever that
(39:47):
three o'clock to you know, whatever time you go to
bed Friday night window and then you're back in the
building Saturday morning. And once you're back in the building,
you're probably going straight from the buildings to the airport.
Like Saturday is a walk through and then travel day
or the ordered the team hotel. Yeah, order the team
hotel for for for home games exactly. Now, you know,
maybe a little bit of time in between to go home,
(40:07):
but you know, when you so again, Friday is pretty
much that I'm walking into the Butler basketball game Friday night,
Butler Notre Dame.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
I'm surprised you're calling it the Butler basketball game for
that mascout out.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
To the beautiful Pinkle field. That's great. A new video
boards in there. And are you familiar with the Butler
Bowl the football stadium. Uh? Yes, okay, so yeah, it's like,
I don't know Bronzish bulldog. You know, I think everybody
knows the Butler mascot. Yes, bronze bulldog. You know, great
looking uh statue, he's got his cage and everything. Max
Bones sees that and he's locked in. I mean he's
(40:42):
climbing on that bulldog getting the bulldog. He's acting like
he's getting the bulldog food. You know, it's like six forty, so,
you know, starting to get a little dark as kind
of a dreary night. I'm like, come on, Max, come on,
you know, I'm trying to get him to you know,
move along, move along. And next thing you know, you
got this like nice looking suv pulling up. I'm like, Max,
speed up a little bit here, and in a very
(41:03):
playful man of the driver of the stuv is like,
will you hurry up up there? And was it Shane
Sichon or Daniel Jones? And I'm like, what is going
on over here? Bow? And all of a sudden, I
walk over there, Shane sick and driving Daniel Jones at
the front seat.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
No way, I knew they were at the game together.
I didn't realize they, you know, travel together.
Speaker 1 (41:21):
I mean, look at it. I mean, these dudes can't
get enough of each other. And I'm thinking, this is
your only Friday, this is your only off night of
the whole week, and here they are together in they're
mid court. Daniel Jones shout out to Daniel Jones, bought
a fifty fifty ticket. Now if you leave the sporting
event early. Can you win the fifty to fifty ticket
or do you have to be present? You have to
be present, You got to be present, right, Yeah, I
want them to do prices right with the fifty to
(41:43):
fifty lights off Strobe light it and then whoever wins
the fifty five. Yeah, that's what I would like. But
nice for Daniel Jones, that'd be sick. You don't some
money there to the Butler ethotic department. So it's just
these two are I mean, they watched games together Saturday.
You know, Daniel is a guy that at Saturday night
(42:03):
at the team hotel, that meeting ends and he wants
the offense to stick together and look at a few
more things. I mean, your preparation is one of the
four core beliefs of psych and I remember saying this
about Gus Bradley. That's why it always confused me defensively
that they decided to play a system that didn't stress
enough preparation. Yeah, from opposing teams towards your defense. Well,
(42:24):
now again they're going to the nth degree from a
preparation standpoint. Shane shared the story in the postgame press
conference after the Arizona game of remember that tight window
ball that Jones suit a Pierce, Yes, late in the
fourth quarter there, yeah, the crosser, that was a watch
it Saturday night. If we get this look, I'm gonna
(42:44):
get that tight shot. Heres are we all ready for it?
And then boom, twenty four hours later it plays out
of that manner, Like that's the stuff.
Speaker 2 (42:53):
These two are just Flaco said the same thing, kind
so obsessive Saturday after the Cincinnati game, like him and
Zach Taylor. I mean, obviously they had to spend a
lot of time together short week, three days to prepare whatever,
and they had a feeling that Pittsburgh would try to
do the double bracket of Jamaar Chase and t Higgins.
So they call up a play where they think they're
(43:15):
gonna get the look. They get the look, and it
was just implemented the night before, and they got the
look they wanted. He had andre Yoskiebosk for first down
and to continue the Daniel Jones Shane Styching thing. I
go back to when Shane was first hired, and I
don't know who is somebody in the media. One of
those first press conferences was asking him about the quarterback position,
(43:36):
and like the number one thing that he always came
back to was just the obsession of the position and
the obsession of the sport. And you can clearly see
Daniel Jones is obsessed with football and he's obsessed with
the position.
Speaker 1 (43:52):
Yeah, and I think this market is obviously he served
him well, you know, he's going into your local places
here and you know, local high school football games, is
enjoying that and just a little bit more of a
This seems to be his speed. And he's living in
a very quiet part of Indianapolis, Like I mean, it's
not you know, he's not downtown in the hustle and
(44:12):
bustle if you even call downtown Indianapolis having a hustle
and bustle from a whatever a Friday night standpoint is
clearly his Friday nights are pretty subdued, just hanging at
the Butler game. So yeah, it just seems like a perfect,
perfect marriage. And again, I mean, I guess there's no
way to say without it coming as a shot at
Anthony Richardson, But it's like, then why draft Richardson? Right?
(44:33):
You know, because quarterbacks come in all shapes and sizes,
Rivers Herbert Hurts, I mean, they're all different. Yeah, very
different stylistically, but they had the obsessive gene playing that position.
And yet you know that was the one question. And again,
maybe you're backed in as a franchise, you know, if
we don't need to rehash to twenty twenty three draft.
I you know, that's why I've always been been a
(44:55):
believer of if you're in that position as a franchise,
you have to do everything you can to trade as
high up as possible. I want to choose. I want
the candy. I want to choose the candy bar from
the gas station. I don't want you to go in
and choose for me. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:07):
Final, It's what a question comes from, Jake, if you're
a betting man, which you are right.
Speaker 1 (45:11):
I had dapplication. Okay, not a lot, but I do dapplication.
Speaker 2 (45:14):
Do you think the Colts ting a swing at trading
for a cornerback before the deadline? This feels like a
Peyton Maning era team where it's just a race to
who gets the ball last. When the Colts play legit
teams and hope the defense doesn't break. If Chris Ballard
and Shane Steichen are in make or break years, you
(45:34):
gotta think they do whatever possible to make a serious run.
This isn't a development year anymore.
Speaker 1 (45:42):
Wait does have a little bit of that feel of
like who gets the ball last? Something along those lines.
What do you think, Eddie, where you go? Corner?
Speaker 2 (45:56):
I still find the whole Jalen Jones and Jalen Carlis
situation is very fast. You would think they'd be they
would both be back by now from their injuries. I
would probably just go, well, you're gonna get Ward back, right,
I assume yeah. I mean he's you know, out through
the bye week. Outside of that, are they getting any
(46:17):
other reinforcements in the secondary?
Speaker 1 (46:19):
Well, I mean Jalonen Jones would would probably be the
other one. But does is he gonna play right right?
You know again, I had thought maybe October.
Speaker 2 (46:27):
Or him, he'll come back at some point. But do
you need Mike Kilton with Kenny Moore back?
Speaker 1 (46:31):
Yeah? So that's you know, we're probably splitting hairs here.
But if you literally said to me which one matters more?
Would you rather have an elite pass rush or elite
cornerback elite pass, I would say the elite pass rush.
Malcolm KONE's another name, by the way. I also feel
like Eddie's just a I could somehow listen to talking
(46:51):
yourself into corner. Like if I told you right now
you had a cornerback group at the start of December.
Your cornerback group was various Ward Makai Blackman and Kennymore
the second and Jalen Jones and Jonathan Edwards were cornerbacks
four and five. I think you could get by with that, right.
(47:12):
I like that. Whereas that pass rush, I don't feel
as good about it. Yeah, I mean the Chargers, that's
something like, I mean, that was just embarrassing to watch
him even try to double team to force Buckner. Yeah,
and what happens with Buckner gets nicked up. You know,
we've had some games where Buckner has been on a
pitch count. You know those moments it's just like, oh boy,
So we'll see maybe j T tuamal allow some second
(47:33):
half you know, rookie impact. He obviously made some plays
in the playoffs last year, you know, college football wise,
of course, So all things to get to. I know,
we got a good amount of Twitter questions we couldn't
get to today. We'll get to on Wednesday's pot. I
believe the biggest, second biggest spread in the NFL this season, Uh,
Colts Titans, and I want to say, the biggest spread
for the franchise in about four years.
Speaker 2 (47:55):
Oh, what is it? What's the opening line?
Speaker 1 (47:57):
I thought it was fourteen and a half. I think
Jacksonville maybe to end one of those seasons Colts won
one and lost one. I think it was twenty twenty one.
Speaker 2 (48:06):
We've had a couple of those games this year that
have been fourteen and a half.
Speaker 1 (48:10):
Yeah, I want to say Bill Saints.
Speaker 2 (48:12):
That was one, and then I believe in and a half.
Speaker 1 (48:15):
There was another one maybe Green Bay Sincy.
Speaker 2 (48:18):
Uh that was I think eleven. I thought Baltimore Cleveland
was fourteen and a half too.
Speaker 1 (48:27):
Yeah, I think got opened up big, but you know,
usually these lines tend to open up big and then
oh yeah, they get beat down a little bit here.
So again, just some uh, just some things to keep
an eye on here as we get closer to Sunday
with Colts and Titans. That is Mike McCoy the interim
coach down there, and I believe Jeffrey Simmons got hurt
on Sunday and Lujerry Sneap, so a couple of notable
(48:48):
Titans got hurt in that game. Bettie Garrison, thank you.
Glad to be back Colts Cornick, myself, Kevin Bowen and
Eddie Garrison. We are wrapping up and we'll talk to
you on Wednesday preview in Week eight of the NFL
We are back. It is another edition of Colts Corner
with myself Kevin Bowen. Eddie Garrison is back with us
as well. The Monday to Wednesday cadence continues here as
we reached the midway point of the NFL season and
the talk of the league it should be, if it's
not already the six and one Indianapolis Colts. Eddie talked
(00:21):
last week on the pod a little bit about Well,
first off, welcome back.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
It's nice to be back. I can't remember the last
time I did a Monday pod with you.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
I know it has been in a while. You've been
doing some training here a.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Week one, week two, probably after one of those wins.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Yes, yeah, gosh, it's been that long. Well, great to
have you back, and you come a great time because
the Colts are playing some excellent, excellent football. But I
said this on last week's pod, Eddie, the Colts treated
Sunday like it meant something more than just an average game.
And I'm good with that. I'm fine with NFL teams
(00:56):
embracing that moment, not afraid to ignoitree those sorts of things.
But you got to meet it, and I think too
often late in seasons the Colts haven't met the moment recently,
and I don't want to make too much out of
mid October victory, but the Colts circled it, And now
(01:16):
how do you react to that? And they reacted pretty emphatically,
certainly from the start, and you know, if you need
any sort of reaction, and I'm you know, I think
the Colts set up publicly, but certainly behind the scenes,
they circled this one. Like just watch Quentin Nelson's reaction
in the final gun yesterday. MC Quentin Nelson's bouncing around
after a fourteen point win in October, Like he's bounced
(01:37):
around like that was a you know, Michael Badsley game
winning field goal in December to you know, Clint a
division or something. And you know, meeting the moment, circling games,
making sure that you play when the environment and the
stakes are a little bit higher, those are all things
that you want to have happened for you in December
(01:58):
and January and divorce Buckner even throughout the mother the
February post game yesterday, I'm fine with that. You can
talk it and then if that leads to you know,
better play by all means, so really surgical offensively. I mean,
there's nothing that you can really say about the offense
right now. It's flawless, it's unbelievable balance. It's a slew
(02:19):
of different guys at Shane Stykeen and Daniel Jones, two
football nerds just eating it up Monday through Saturday and
then delivering on Sunday. And defensively, no timely turnovers. I mean,
they're Crossing Grover Stewart, I mean huge, huge place. Like
when they happened. In the moment, I don't know if
we understood how big they were, but then as the
(02:40):
game played out, you realized how good the Chargers can
be offensively. Yeah, it just you have questions defensively, but
those two plays from Crossing and Grover were huge. So
six and one and now a massive two touchdown plus
favorite over the Tennessee Titans. Here coming up in Week eight,
(03:01):
the rare four to twenty five Colts Titans game. It's
kind of wild to think about this, keV.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
But like when you think about all the teams in
this state that have had success in the last year,
all of them have been, you know, discounted, How all
of them have been critiqued, overlooked, not taken seriously. Like
you look at Indiana last year, they weren't taken seriously.
They make it to the College Football Playoff. You look
(03:28):
at the Indiana Pacers, they weren't taken as serious as
they should have been going into the postseason run. They
make it to the NBA Finals. That Indiana fever were
not taken seriously going into the WNBA playoffs their game
and a quarter of five minutes away from making the
WNBA Finals to the team that ends up sweeping the
Phoenix Mercury. And now you've got the Indianapolis Colts, And
(03:49):
it felt like going into that game, it was another
one of those are the Colts real?
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Like? Are we going like? Is this team real?
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Or is it just one of those teams that's taken
adage of their schedule and they're just five and one
by happenstance. They went out and they dominated it once
again their opponent. Yeah, and yesterday, you know, I get
why people would have had questions.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
I mean, okay, Geno Raiders, you know, Jacoby Cardinals, two
of the Dolphins, etcetera, etcetera, Camboard Titans, Like I understand
maybe some pause, you know, I think ridiculing the Colts
or you know, ripping them for their schedule. I think
that's unfair, to be clear, but I understand if you
were in the camp of like, Okay, the schedule is
about to toughen up, let's see what happens. And yesterday
(04:33):
they answered that, and I thought JJ Watts kind of
ending to the game was a great line there of
you know, people continue to doubt the Colts and they
continue to do this something along those lines. I'm I'm
obviously paraphrasing with what he said there, but you know,
when you think about it, this was okay, Harball Herbert
on the road ironically, back to the one venue where
(04:55):
you lost earlier this year. You know, Shane Steich in
nine years with the Chargers, there's bad blood there, but
just you know, everyone is a competitor, You're you're naturally
going to have that one circle. Then now here we
are seven weeks into the season and four of their
wins are by at least fourteen points. Yeah, that is
I was looking up last night. I think you got
(05:16):
to go back over the last three years. I think
they had just five such wins and they've got four
of them already in seven weeks. So big picture. Obviously,
it means a lot for the AFC. It's another conference win.
You're now two games above Jacksonville, you know, sneaky place
for me. I thought the Miror Abdullah kick return was
a huge player.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Without it, I did not have him as an impactful
player these last couple of weeks for the Colts.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
No, but without doing you know, you needed another kick returner. Yeah,
and so that's why he was back there with Anthony Gould.
And yeah, he's risen, you know, to kind of second
on that depth charge. I'm sure we'll get the shravarisward
at some point. But you know, when they put him
on IR. They brought up Abdullah to the fifty three
man roster after some practice squad elevations there, and you know,
kind of those fourth downs Eddie I also thought were big,
(06:02):
like the fourth and inches the replay assist. You know,
the Colts are likely not challenging that. You probably aren't
gonna win that challenge. Frankly, you're talking about the Jonathan
Taylor run right right right early in the game. Mm hmm.
You don't challenge spots like that. I thought that was
a big play there that you know, just kind of
ignited things, and you built that double digit lead, and
(06:24):
then obviously you get the Steward and you get the
cross interceptions and the rest is history. So plus you
got anything else to add, I would say, let's get
into it.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
One final thing to add keV And I know there's
a lot of conversations like, oh, who's the best team
in football? Like, because that's always you know, Monday reaction
for a bunch of you know, different markets, different teams
or whatever. The Colts may not be the most talented team,
they are very talented, but right now they're probably the
only team that's playing as well as they can in
(06:54):
terms of complimentary football, the offense picking up the defense,
the defense picking up the offense, special teams picking up everything.
Like that's the one comment that I think I'll have before.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
I'll we dive into what you do and I'll just
ti them in real quick and maybe it's more of
a Wednesday conversation, But like you know, there are rungs
of the ladder that you routinely get judged upon, certainly
in the NFL. And like I can hear, the next
rung is this, are the Colts to the best team
in the NFL? Or are they the best offense, right, which, okay,
(07:23):
I can get that. And you know, the beauty of
it is you're gonna have, you know whatever, nine more
tests in the regular season and whatever the playoffs hold,
and you get the chance to continue to answer to
those questions. Like the Indiana football analogy was a great
one last year. Ready, kurtz Ignetti's bunch dified so much,
(07:44):
and then when it got real, real tough, that's when
the ladder finally gave out on the Okay, Ohio State
is here, Notre Dame's here, and we're still here. Yeah, Okay,
So like that's the beauty of sports is you can
get to the if you are answering questions, you can
keep on having them thrown at you. And the Pacers
they answered them time and time again all the way
(08:06):
to the brink of the final game of the season.
So that's the beauty of it is. You're going to
continue to get all of this and the cult have
earned the cults have earned this opportunity and again December
January February meaningful football moments. I mean, let's be honest,
After Sunday, Eddie, you can look at all these games
the rest of the season and be like, Wow, that's
(08:28):
a pretty good team they're gonna play, or like that's
a decent team, or it's a divisional game. Yeah, I mean,
I guess Sunday Counts is divisional game. But still, I mean,
after this, you know, pretty much everybody you play, I
would guess maybe Houston's not is probably within a game
of the playoffs, if not in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Right now, let's get into what you did, like, starting
with the guy who's been making all the right decisions offensively,
Shane stike In in his approach, is the first thing
that you liked about Sunday's win, Kevin, Yeah, I.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Mean he is. The Colts offense is a wagon. It's
a wagon and stike and it's just it's beautiful what
they're doing. The offensive balance. Here's JT going, here's the checkdowns.
Here's a home run Balld to Piers. Here's Tyler Warren.
Seemingly every game wide the UNI would opened. It's amazing
at every level of the defense, Eddie, how wide ass
(09:16):
open the Colts are every level, dumps, checkdowns, bootlegs, intermediate stuff. Obviously,
the deep bald to Piers, you know, stands out and
that whole red zone stat that they had going there.
It is kind of funny there that you know, they
(09:37):
they all of a sudden, you know, run into their
own red zone halting by their own doing it. And
by that I mean that they had scored what twelve
straight red zone touchdowns and by kicking the field goal
then the first half, they unfortunately got into the red zone,
so that that stat stopped there at twelve. I think
a franchise record was fifteen, which you know, with how
(10:00):
they've gone, the easy probably would have gotten that. So
you know, I kind of forgot watching the game yesterday
that Josh Downs didn't play and yet they still score
thirty eight and if they wanted to, it could have
been forty five or maybe even fifty two. So I
think you just got to mention Stike and you know,
if you want to talk big picture again, meeting the moment,
(10:22):
I think he told his team, hey, this game is
a little bit more and not just for him, I'd
say for the twenty twenty five Colts as well. They
met that Penalties a little bit of an issue early
in the season. I haven't talked about them as much lately.
Red zone play a little bit of an issue early
in the season. Now it's been otherworldly here late. So
that's what you want to see. You want to see growth,
you want to see areas that are weaknesses show up.
(10:45):
So I just think so much of this is stikeing,
you know, offensively, I've always been very very high on him,
but some of the other stuff as a head coach,
more of that on your plate and handling that stuff.
I think that has been there as well.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
I just think the job that he did, especially early
on those fourth down plays and just knowing when to
go for it and realizing, like, these guys can't stop
us right now, and I'm just going to ride the
hot hand and I'm going to keep pounding it with
with johnthan Taylor' this offensive line and then the play
designed on the Michael Pittman junior touchdown was absolutely phenomenal well.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
And the thing too that he does such a great
job of before we transition to Daniel Jones Eddie is
he always is applying stress or pressure to the opponent,
and in little ways he did it yesterday by stealing
the time out against Harball. He never lets you rest
and like some people I've talked to you, they're like
(11:42):
they get frustrated, win Stich and sends the offense out
there and just waits till the play clock either you know,
runs out, or you know, he takes his time out
with one on the play clock or the quarter ends
or something like that, and they're just trying to sneak
it off sidees penalty at you. But that's what he's
trying to. Let's stress you to the nth degree and
(12:03):
try to make you strain, strained, strain, and maybe you'll
crack at some point. It's not as obvious later in
the game. And like, imagine if the Chargers score there
on that twenty one play drive, Imagine, imagine that would
have been a touchdown. Now all of a sudden, they
still only have two timeouts the rest of the way,
and that easily could have been a huge impactful moment
(12:24):
at some point as well. So you know, that's the
thing that he just does such such a great job.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Number two, Kevin, In terms of what you like the
offense in general, let's start with the man who has
three games this year with three touchdowns and Jonathan Taylor. Yeah,
it's just I guess.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
I probably didn't didn't do a good good enough job
there in hitting on Daniel Jones. But you know, from
an offensive standpoint, to me, the debate right now is
such a great one of who's your MVP? Is it
Daniel Jones or as a Jonathan Taylor? And you could ask
that league wide, I mean, both of them would be
(13:03):
I think you could make cases for both of them
being on an MVP case league wide, and obviously internally
you would say that as well. Let's start with Jones.
He finds answers so decisively and so efficiently. Every play
has an answer. You know, you always hear that from quarterbacks,
(13:25):
but how quickly do you recognize that answer and then
do you deliver in that moment? And Jones, to me,
has found that not everything's gonna be third and seventeen
home run dallop here. Some of that might be, Hey,
third and ten in the red zone, you're gonna check
it down to Amir Abdullah. Oh wow, did that just
turn into fourth and two? Now you're going for it now,
(13:45):
Shane sikens in his bag. Now, Michael Pittman, JUNR Is
wide opening the end zone like those plays. Again, Pittman's
touchdown does not happen without Jones sitting there on third
and ten and saying instead of fourthing one, what if
I check it down? And what if we get into
fourth and now go zone? And obviously they did the decisions.
(14:05):
They never seem panic to me again, decisive. I think
he's throwing the ball on target in stride. Hell, it's
easy to catch me. He's had a clean sheet in
what five to seven games. I saw a stat where
he's already reached his career high in passer rating games
of more than one hundred in a season. He's had
(14:25):
six of them already, And that's staying away from negatives,
and that is keeping everything methodical. They just they stay
ahead of the chains, and he does such a great
job of just again finding easy answers. And some of
those answers are checkdowns. Some of it is just a
three yard ball in the air, but it leads to
(14:49):
something you know, bigger than that, or it leads to
maybe a more manageable situation to then go ahead and
go for it after that. So Jones great and then
obviously Taylor, I mean, the the the touchdowns obviously stand
out to you from a fantasy football standpoint, Andie, I
thought that was one of the best opening quarter games
(15:09):
they've had running it in a while. Oh yeah, Taylor
and and Abdullah was sprinkled in there a little bit there,
but you know, they end the game over six yards
per carry. Now, to be fair, on paper, I think
this was expected to be a huge advantage for you.
The Chargers were a really poor run defense team. But still,
just the offensive balance you have right now with these
two is eye popping. And with these two, I mean,
(15:31):
you know, Jones and then and then Taylor as well,
and and throwing the O line. You know, you have
questions about the group entering the year, you're incorporating two
new starters. Health has been on your side, but still
just a really really sound job from that unit. I
don't feel like Jones is getting hit very much at all,
and when he's getting hit, he's still hanging in there
and delivering. It's a big place for For.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
The first time in a while, Kevin, You've got the
quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts and the quarterback of the
New England Patriots doing something that the rest of the
NFL hasn't done.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
You know what that is? No, I don't know specifically.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Daniel Jones and Drake May are the only quarterbacks in
the NFL to have over two hundred passing yards in
all seven games this season.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Really wow? Oh no, I guess how with Drake May.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Yeah, both of them are currently the only quarterbacks to
do that, and Drake May has been absolutely balling for
New England as a LA, But we'll save that for
a different time. Let's move on to the defensive side
of the football, KB and what you liked The two
guys with interceptions, Big Grove, Grover Stewart and Nick Cross.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Huge plays, absolutely huge plays. And let's start with Grover.
What a awesome play, Just a man that deserved it,
Like he got his big old pall up there for
the lat too pick a few weeks ago. His play
has grown and honestly, the Colts probably don't have a
lot of great options right now, but still his play
has grown to where like, oh yeah, let's put Grover
on the field on a third down and he's out
there in a pass rush moment and I just thought
(17:02):
it was hilarious, Like literally, I thought the band was
out on the field when it all emptied out there
for him to celebrate with him, just like he deserved
that moment as well. But like if that ball is dropped,
the Cameron Dicker makes a field goal, and the Chargers
still feel like they're, you know, somewhat in the realm
of things. And then cross later, I mean to have
(17:24):
that one hand to play with Quentin Johnson. You know,
a lot of the cross plays we've seen so far
this year, Eddie, I think have been more around the
line of scrimmage, you know, even in the backfield. And
by no means it's he'd been perfect in coverage. You
obviously saw the roller coaster a little bit with him
during the game. Ronde Gatz and got a couple of
big plays, but you know, that is such a huge
interception right there. I don't know if they go for
(17:46):
the fourth down after that, but again they could kick
it with Dicker and you know, still you know, feel
like they're with an earshot of things. So those two
interceptions on the day, when you allow Justin Herbert to
throw for a career high, when the Chargers they only
punted once, right, I'm pretty sure they're only punted once
in the game, I think, so like you have to
(18:07):
find stops in other areas, and those were the stops
you weren't really holding them, you know, naturally outside of
that first drive, which the will Disleey Dropp really helped there,
but you know, naturally holding them to field goals when
they have those three straight touchdown drives and about the
second half, you're able to get stops in other ways
and those individual plays just huge and really around the
red zone that you think about some of the turnovers,
(18:29):
you know, Geno Smith's pick, and then you know after that,
you know you obviously had the Arizona game and how
that one ended with a stop on a fourth and goal.
You know, those sorts of stops in the confined, restricted
areas of the field, those matter even more to you.
So big plays, big plays by Grover, big plays by
(18:49):
Nick Cross.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Anything else to add to what you like, Kevin or
do you want to transition to what you did not like?
Speaker 1 (18:56):
I feel like we covered it all there. Yeah. Dlek
Pierce is down there somewhere. Yeah, he is. He is,
And I tweeted out late when he iced the game.
He's gonna get paid a lot of money. And I
don't know who it's gonna be by, but he's gonna
get paid a lot of money. Colts probably have to
find a way they're gonna have to lift up some cushions. Yeah,
they're gonna have to find it. Yeah, it's not gonna
be easy, you know, I think I don't. I mean,
(19:17):
you know, we saw a team all for a second
round pick for Alec Pierce back in the draft and
the Colts said no. And now look what he's done.
I mean, I would say he's taking his game to
another level here in this contract here, So that one
is gonna be that money will surprise some people, I think,
but the NFL will that believe views alk Pierce in
(19:38):
that light. But hey, welcome to paying a quarterback big money.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Right, that's absolutely right. There was one glaring thing on
what you and I probably are in agreement on what
in terms of what we did not like considering the
fact that LA lost, you know, pretty much every offensive
lineman over the course of the last three weeks or so.
Certainly during the course of the season through seven weeks,
the Colts were only able to to get home three
(20:01):
times on Justin Herbert. So the pass rush, uh, number
one of two things that you did not like from
Sunday's win.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Yeah, I was really really disappointed in And the pass
rushing is kind of finishing of those plays. And I
get that Herbert, you know, can be pretty elusive back there.
But you know, the Chargers came in the league, I believe,
I think it was bottom I think it was bottom quartile,
and sacks allowed Herbert and sacks seventeen times a six games,
(20:29):
So by no means is he like untouchable. And it
takes your well was it thirty seventh past attempt of
the game before you get him onto the ground, and
you know he's in a lot of obvious passing situations too,
And like I was adamant that this is a game
where your d line has got a feast and you
just laid out where the Chargers were at from an
offensive line standpoint. My acknowledgment of that doesn't even come
(20:55):
to how the Colts internally believed they thought they would
absolutely whip the Chargers up front, like they thought it
would just be an absolute ass kicking, and that was
not what it was in terms of finishing plays. I mean,
Herbert's I have no idea how many games justin Herbert's
playing his career, I guess I don't know, probably over
seventy eight probably, hell, probably nearly ninety games in his career.
(21:20):
I think it's just an absolute, you know, just just
really a poor effort in that you weren't able to
create more from that aspect of the game, especially when
you have the investments that you do right now. It
seems like it's a diforce Buckner splitting, or it's you
get absolutely nothing from that. So that's kind of how
(21:42):
I view where things are at right now. It's Buckner
or bust, really, and I haven't gone here just yet.
I've kind of debated over the last few weeks out
you have okay, do you know end the linebacker corner?
Where are you at right now in terms of trying
to upgrade? Do you do a trade, et cetera, et cetera.
I would say the edge rush is the one that
(22:03):
now I am all in on from a trade standpoint,
I think it's needed. And he also had a couple injuries.
Yesterday Sampson epcom gets a friendly fire from Buckner and
the knee Taekwon lewis at the groin. You know, where
are they going to be at here moving forward? You
know at corner you could tuck yourself into, Hey, Tavarius Ward,
you know it is back in a few weeks. You
(22:23):
hope Jalen Jones at some point, you know, I think
there was a thought that in October he could be back,
you know, at some point to see give you something.
I don't see where that is at all from a
defensive line defensive end standpoint. And I also think, you know,
you can find a situational rusher that you know it's
not too taxing on them. Hey, third down, Welcome to Indy.
You don't need to know a lot of verbis a
(22:44):
lot of language. Just beat the dude in front of you.
That's kind of how I view things. I feel like
all the pressure you create, or a lot of the
pressure that you create, is off of stunts or largely
high effort plays. It's not enough of individual guys winning
one on one. So I think that's where some of
the frustration for me lies right now with the with
the past rush.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Here's my rebuttal to you KB. Even when you go
back and you look at the lou Ayne and Ramo
days with Cincinnati, like it was just Trey Hendrickson. Outside
of that, they they didn't get a lot of pass
rush from whomever the opposite end was, whether that's Sam
Hubbard or somebody else, And I have to wonder is
this more of a scheme thing, because is it more
(23:26):
gap integrity and versus the past with Gus Bradley. I
think I can't remember who it was that said this
on It was Taekwon Lewis. We had him on Korean
Company a few like a month ago, and he said
that this defense is more gap integrity wise versus just
trying to generate pressure at the quarterback. So it makes
me wonder if it's more of the scheme than it
(23:46):
is the talent. But I also think there could be
some lack of talent there as well.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Yeah, well, I don't know if I'm seeing the gap
integrity either, because I think when Herbert wanted to run
yesterday he was able to do that as well, you know,
getting into some of those A and B gaps and
things like that. So I I don't I understand the
Hendrickson side of it, But to me still it's just
not enough. It's not enough from these individual players, whether
it was Gus Bradley or now lou Ana Roumo. You know,
(24:13):
Gus's scheme was very much of a you know, get
up field, get up field, get up field, And I
still didn't think you got the defensive play making that
was necessary there. So I think you got some definite
questions with that group in general there. And it goes
back to the Crossing Stewart Place, how pivotal those were
in you know, getting stops for you. And you know,
(24:34):
if you look at some of these quarterbacks that hell,
you know, depending on Right now, the Colts are the
one seed, but like you know, if you fell into
that wildcard weekend, you could be facing Herbert again. Yeah,
you could be facing Patrick Mahomes, you could be facing
Josh Allen. I mean right now the Patriots are when
the ac So you know those guys in your building,
you know, in a controlled climate, you know, passwords canna
(24:57):
be vital, So trying to get those guys you know,
off their games there. So it's just it kind of
gets back to the I get these are great players
that you're playing, but just because they're great, does that
mean that they should have a career high against you. No,
you know, that to me is where the expectations should
(25:19):
be met at a little bit more of a higher
standard there. So, yeah, disappointed in the in the passers
and maybe just kind of the natural ability to get
off the field a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
And then the second item kind of nitpicking here, Kevin,
when there's a lot of things that go well, the
fact that Michael Badgeley missed at Pat indoors.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Yeah, and my question becomes, this does change second? Trust him?
Like the fourth and four eddie in the second quarter
before they overruled the Anthony gold play, that was a
forty yard field goal attempt and they were going for it.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Is that because a lack of trust Michael Badgley or
is that just the utmost confidence in your offense? And
maybe knowing that hey points maybe out of premium here,
considering the nature of our secondary.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
Probably the easy answer is both. You know, again, watching
badgery kick of practice, I think I asked some questions
about his leg strength in general. Obviously the extra point
I think I was the first miss I believe since
Matt Gay in Cincinnati that rainy December game against Jake
Browning in a few years ago. It's pretty rare to
(26:31):
see an indoor missed extra point, especially for the Colts.
And my questions now are what happens in Hinesfield, what
happens in Arrowhead, what happens in Seattle? If you don't
get the one seed and you are in a playoff run.
You know a lot of the other AFC teams are
outdoor venues. Do you have a kicker that you can
trust when fourth and four is now fourth and seven?
(26:54):
Do you have a guy that you trust? Because right
now I get the sense that Shane sty can trust
Michael Bazie about as much as I trust myself to
only have one plate of food on Thanksgiving.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
Goes back to the question I can't remember if I
asked you on this pod or if I asked you
on the show, and you're on with Jake on Fridays
whenever Tyler bast or if he does, at this point
from Buffalo make a return like and they obviously you're
not keeping two kickers on the roster. Do you make
a move at Matt Prater with you know, the kicks
that he's made in his career and the way he's
kicked it for the Buffalo Bills this year.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Yeah, I definitely keep the list handy. You know they
always say you have the list in that top drawer.
I might move the disc, move move the disc, move
the list to the desk. And then when Michael Basie
walks in may move the list to the other side
of the desk underneath the legal power too. Let's get
it back. I just think, you know, in this league
(27:48):
and right now, it's so hard to even comprehend Eddie
because the Folts are beating the you know what out
of these teams. Yeah, but in this league, so much
of it can come down to what happens. I mean,
how many big kicks that Harrison Bucker make to win
an ice games? How many big kicks did the Colts
have to deal with? You know, from a vander Jack
standpoint back in the day, good and bad. You know,
(28:11):
that stuff just matters a ton. So I don't know,
just something to keep it on.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Let's get into twitter questions. We have a handful of
them to get to, starting with Wakespike to kind of
continue the conversation about the Colts pass rush. Kevin Wakespike wonders,
am I crazy for thinking that the eighth string Chargers
lineman should have been far more destroyed by the Colts
defensive ends? Chris Baller can't draft defensive ends. The Colts won,
(28:37):
but justin Herbert should have been smashed way more than
he was.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Yeah, this is kind of what I am. I'm getting
at it, and again my question now becomes this Eddie
trade candidates. Okay, let's look at teams that are thrown
the towel or are going to throw in the towl Jets, Dolphins, Titans, Saints, Raiders.
You know, the Bradley Chubbs, the Jalen phillips Is, the
Cavon Thibodeau's, Carl Granderson, you know those. You don't have
(29:07):
your sixth rounder. Now, theoretically, at some point you'll probably
get a mid round pick back for Anthony Richardson, I
would assume, so you know, maybe that can kind of
offset some things. But a third, a fourth, and fifth,
I'm not you know, I'm not gonna talk. I'm gonna
talk realistically. I don't think Max Crosby or Miles Garrett
or any of those are realistic, particularly with your cap
situation and what Daniel Jones is gonna garner. But those
(29:29):
are the spots I would look at, and I just
view I think that past rush, like pass rush and corner,
they both matter. I think pass rush matters more. That's
how I view it. You know, to me, which one
would I rather have? Be elite? Obviously I think both,
But if I'm gonna pick one or the other, I
(29:50):
would pick your pass rush. I think it's easier to
if you can disrupt earlier in downs, I think it
can lead to more chaos than it is. Just Hey,
if you have blanket cover, it is so hard to
hold up for five, six, seven seconds period, even if
you are some elite corner. Whereas if your past rush
can accomplish it, I think it's gonna lead to a
(30:11):
more disruption.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
The follow up to this, are you looking for somebody
who's under contract for multiple years? Are you looking for
like a rental situation here?
Speaker 1 (30:20):
I'm not gonna be overly greedy.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
The only reason why I ask is we've already kind
of talked about the you know, the situation the culture
room with some players that are going to be due for
contracts Daniel Jones, Nick Cross, Alec Pierce. So the question
is like, that's something that you have to consider. I
feel like, right, yeah, and.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
I guess fitting it into down the road, I mean,
right now, Quitty pay looks like a guy you let walk,
right yeah. So I mean yeah, I mean in a
perfect world, I think anytime you do a trade, you'd
find a young guy that's able to help you for
more than that year. But I don't know, maybe financially,
maybe they are more in a you know, three month
rental sort of situation here, So it's a good question.
(31:00):
I'm not overly greedy though. To me, I just think
that DeForest Buckner is commanding so many freaking double teams. Yeah,
that they the others should be feasting in these one
on one opportunities. Have you ever seen I don't know
if I've ever seen an NFL game where I've seen
a team sub in more offensive lineman within a game,
(31:22):
Like it seemed like every time the camera's pan of
the Chargers sideline, they're subbing in a new offensive lineman. Yeah,
I'm like, what is this wide out corner wild? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (31:33):
Name that I thought of immediately, Kevin when with where
things are at with their season is Miami and Jalen
Phillips would fit the bill.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
Right, people said Phillips who have said Chubb.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
Just because Phillips is on the last year of his
rookie deal, right and he would be a free agent
after this year. So if it doesn't paint out, then
you know, you don't lose anything really, Yeah, Plus you
don't worry about the future contract at the room down
the road, Brian would like to know, was Zire Franklin's
play against Lad McConkie the play of the game, or
at least the play of the second half if Zayre
(32:03):
doesn't get back in coverage and break that pass up
at the touchdown in a one possession game. For all
the flak he's taken so far this season about his
coverage issues, he came up huge there, Brian.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
I'm glad you mentioned this. Kudos to Brian for mentioning this, Eddie.
I was kind of stunned when all of a sudden,
I was like, wait, that was forty four Yeah, that
far down the field, that close to Lad mcconkkee, and
then making the play at the moment of truth, that
was a big time yeah. I you know, where do
you rank it on the magnitude of plays in the game?
(32:36):
I mean, yeah, play the second half. I thought the
Abdullah kick return was pretty big, but I mean, what
would that have been Chargers score there with what like
probably three thirty to go? Does that sound right? I'll
go back and look, but something along those lines. I mean, yeah,
that was a big play. I you know, so they
were down to two timeouts at that point. You know,
(32:58):
the Colts probably have to get what two first down
to win the game? Yeah? Huge, It was huge, And
just credit, I mean credits.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
I I don't three forty three.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
Yeah, so yeah, right around three three thirty credit to
him because I don't think it. You know, I don't
view his season so far by any means pro Bowl
ish or but I thought that was a big time
playing coverage by a guy that's played every single snap
defensively for you there, and yeah, I think that deserves
more more mentioned. And I mean you've been on the
(33:28):
field for how many plays at that point of the drive.
Was that a twenty one play drive? Uh? Yes, you
know that's probably worth pointing out as well.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
That was play let's see here, so that was twenty
one twenty that was play. Uh, that was play twenty.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
Yeah, big time, big time.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
Josh's next, any reason why Rico Berto Sanchez is not
doing kickoffs anymore? Was Spencer Schrader doing them before he
got insured?
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Yeah? I mean I think it was a little bit
of talk if you don't want to put too much
on Rigo's leg, but hell, he's right now. So yeah,
I thought they were a little better yesterday than they
have been. But now the kickoff really matters. All these rules,
I mean, the kickoff just really matters. So yeah, I
(34:21):
thought it was a I was curious if they would
put Sanchez, you know, back there on it.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
You know what I'm waiting for to see one of
these kickers do like Johnny Hecker with when he was
with the Rams, came up with like the watermelon punt,
like you would drop the both sideways and wou.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
Yeah, it'spin over that way.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
I'm waiting for one of these kickers to put the
ball on the tee sideways and it's like a freaking
you know, slicing line drive in baseball, or like you're
kicking on one side and it's like slicing away from
the returner.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
Yeah. I think the only issue there is like would
he go out of bounds? You know? Yeah? Yeah? So yeah,
I you know how teams I think evolve with the kickoff.
I think we'll be very interesting as well, not only
this year, but kind of in future years as well.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Two questions left Gary's is with Daniel Jones, are the
Colts better off in our quarterback situation? Or do the
Colts still need to be looking for a quarterback? Also,
how does Anthony Richardson fit into the equation? If I
could only listen to one Colts podcast, this would be
the one.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
Thanks Gary, Gary, it's a very nice of you on
that there. I edited that one in there. I just
sent it to you and just try to make it
look like the rest of you really font there.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Yeah, so anytime there's like, hey, love listening to the
podcast to you.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Right, uh huh okay, yeah, yeah, you can find that
on me. Gary, Thank you. It means a lot. I
know there are a lot of great coltspots out there, frankly,
so we appreciate you. Man.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
I'm I'm so sure none of these are your burners
that you're just making up to ask questions to make
it look like we have listeners.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Right right exactly, dms are empty. I'm just simply sending
you over to you most common American names out there
here we go, which we actually have a large international audience,
so I should also include that. Well, you know me,
I've always been team draft and developed I think an
ideal NFL world. You aren't immediately paying the quarterback thirty
(36:16):
to forty million, yeap whatever Daniel Jones is going to
command next offseason, Like that would be an idea, Like
you can build it a little bit with the five
year rookie window, and then at some point you have
to then pay that quarterback and now he covers up
the holes you support him, support him, supported in the
first five years, and then the training wheels come off. Yeah,
that's kind of my thought in general from a quarterback
(36:39):
standpoint now right now, I mean it's just, I mean,
it's incredible what Jones has done. So you know, there's
part of me that kind of thinks back to the
ballad quote of you need to find the next quarterback
when you have the quarterback, you know, kind of doing
whatever more the Green Bay method to things here. And
(37:01):
I mean, I'm trying to think, Eddie, who who are
you paying? You're paying Pierce, Braden Smith, Nick Cross, potentially
Quitty pay. I think who else in contract years?
Speaker 2 (37:13):
Uh Cross, Pierce, Quitty pay Daniel Jones.
Speaker 1 (37:18):
Right, I mean, do we get back to the Pierce
versus Pittman debate? You know, you and I had this
during the off season.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
You know, I think it's different now than it was
in the off season because I thought there was hope
for ad Mitchell turning into something, right, okay, and now
that doesn't seem like it's going to be the case.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
You're gonna give Pittman a third contract.
Speaker 2 (37:38):
Braden Smith free agent as well.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
Right now, that to me seems past the torch. I
think they're high on Jalen Travis. I know it's not
again you would love to resign all these so yeah,
I And as far as Richardson is concerned, no, I don't.
I mean, I think there was always a thought here
in the season, as long as we was healthy that
(38:02):
you know, when Jones gets hurt, Richard someonoy would would
get a chance. But now win's Richardson back? Is he
back this season?
Speaker 2 (38:10):
The well currently have just north of sixty nine million
dollars in cap space for next season, but that includes
the capitols where Braden Smith, Quitti Pay and Samson ebcom.
Speaker 1 (38:24):
You know, the more we get into this season and
the more you watch Shane Stichen and Daniel Jones, these
just mad Bill Nye, the science guy scientists go to work.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
I like the the micd Up moment was that last
week against the Arizona game. After the Arizona game. It's
like they're looking over to the play called she and
he goes, hey, what do you like here?
Speaker 1 (38:46):
You like this one? Or we can go here? Yeah,
and you know Dan's like I like this when he goes,
all right, me too, let's go Like these two are.
The more I watch it play out, the more I'm
honestly confused by the Anthony Richardson draft pick, just because
it seems like Shane is so obsessive and once needs
(39:07):
his quarterback to meet him at that level that you
know Richardson a Yeah, I mean, I guess maybe you're
back into a corner as a franchise. And I mean
Shane liked richards It's not like Shane was against the pick.
But these two are just they're two football nerd.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
There I am.
Speaker 1 (39:26):
I show this on a morning show today. There I
am Friday night. And like Friday night for those unfamiliar
with NFL life, it's the one time you get freedom. Yeah,
Like basically the NFL day on a Friday for players
ends about two o'clock. Yeah, and for the most part,
you're high tailing out of there pretty quickly after that,
and even some coaches and you get that whatever that
(39:47):
three o'clock to you know, whatever time you go to
bed Friday night window and then you're back in the
building Saturday morning. And once you're back in the building,
you're probably going straight from the buildings to the airport.
Like Saturday is a walk through and then travel day
or the ordered the team hotel. Yeah, order the team
hotel for for for home games exactly. Now, you know,
maybe a little bit of time in between to go home,
(40:07):
but you know, when you so again, Friday is pretty
much that I'm walking into the Butler basketball game Friday night,
Butler Notre Dame.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
I'm surprised you're calling it the Butler basketball game for
that mascout out.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
To the beautiful Pinkle field. That's great. A new video
boards in there. And are you familiar with the Butler
Bowl the football stadium. Uh? Yes, okay, so yeah, it's like,
I don't know Bronzish bulldog. You know, I think everybody
knows the Butler mascot. Yes, bronze bulldog. You know, great
looking uh statue, he's got his cage and everything. Max
Bones sees that and he's locked in. I mean he's
(40:42):
climbing on that bulldog getting the bulldog. He's acting like
he's getting the bulldog food. You know, it's like six forty, so,
you know, starting to get a little dark as kind
of a dreary night. I'm like, come on, Max, come on,
you know, I'm trying to get him to you know,
move along, move along. And next thing you know, you
got this like nice looking suv pulling up. I'm like, Max,
speed up a little bit here, and in a very
(41:03):
playful man of the driver of the stuv is like,
will you hurry up up there? And was it Shane
Sichon or Daniel Jones? And I'm like, what is going
on over here? Bow? And all of a sudden, I
walk over there, Shane sick and driving Daniel Jones at
the front seat.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
No way, I knew they were at the game together.
I didn't realize they, you know, travel together.
Speaker 1 (41:21):
I mean, look at it. I mean, these dudes can't
get enough of each other. And I'm thinking, this is
your only Friday, this is your only off night of
the whole week, and here they are together in they're
mid court. Daniel Jones shout out to Daniel Jones, bought
a fifty fifty ticket. Now if you leave the sporting
event early. Can you win the fifty to fifty ticket
or do you have to be present? You have to
be present, You got to be present, right, Yeah, I
want them to do prices right with the fifty to
(41:43):
fifty lights off Strobe light it and then whoever wins
the fifty five. Yeah, that's what I would like. But
nice for Daniel Jones, that'd be sick. You don't some
money there to the Butler ethotic department. So it's just
these two are I mean, they watched games together Saturday.
You know, Daniel is a guy that at Saturday night
(42:03):
at the team hotel, that meeting ends and he wants
the offense to stick together and look at a few
more things. I mean, your preparation is one of the
four core beliefs of psych and I remember saying this
about Gus Bradley. That's why it always confused me defensively
that they decided to play a system that didn't stress
enough preparation. Yeah, from opposing teams towards your defense. Well,
(42:24):
now again they're going to the nth degree from a
preparation standpoint. Shane shared the story in the postgame press
conference after the Arizona game of remember that tight window
ball that Jones suit a Pierce, Yes, late in the
fourth quarter there, yeah, the crosser, that was a watch
it Saturday night. If we get this look, I'm gonna
(42:44):
get that tight shot. Heres are we all ready for it?
And then boom, twenty four hours later it plays out
of that manner, Like that's the stuff.
Speaker 2 (42:53):
These two are just Flaco said the same thing, kind
so obsessive Saturday after the Cincinnati game, like him and
Zach Taylor. I mean, obviously they had to spend a
lot of time together short week, three days to prepare whatever,
and they had a feeling that Pittsburgh would try to
do the double bracket of Jamaar Chase and t Higgins.
So they call up a play where they think they're
(43:15):
gonna get the look. They get the look, and it
was just implemented the night before, and they got the
look they wanted. He had andre Yoskiebosk for first down
and to continue the Daniel Jones Shane Styching thing. I
go back to when Shane was first hired, and I
don't know who is somebody in the media. One of
those first press conferences was asking him about the quarterback position,
(43:36):
and like the number one thing that he always came
back to was just the obsession of the position and
the obsession of the sport. And you can clearly see
Daniel Jones is obsessed with football and he's obsessed with
the position.
Speaker 1 (43:52):
Yeah, and I think this market is obviously he served
him well, you know, he's going into your local places
here and you know, local high school football games, is
enjoying that and just a little bit more of a
This seems to be his speed. And he's living in
a very quiet part of Indianapolis, Like I mean, it's
not you know, he's not downtown in the hustle and
(44:12):
bustle if you even call downtown Indianapolis having a hustle
and bustle from a whatever a Friday night standpoint is
clearly his Friday nights are pretty subdued, just hanging at
the Butler game. So yeah, it just seems like a perfect,
perfect marriage. And again, I mean, I guess there's no
way to say without it coming as a shot at
Anthony Richardson, But it's like, then why draft Richardson? Right?
(44:33):
You know, because quarterbacks come in all shapes and sizes,
Rivers Herbert Hurts, I mean, they're all different. Yeah, very
different stylistically, but they had the obsessive gene playing that position.
And yet you know that was the one question. And again,
maybe you're backed in as a franchise, you know, if
we don't need to rehash to twenty twenty three draft.
I you know, that's why I've always been been a
(44:55):
believer of if you're in that position as a franchise,
you have to do everything you can to trade as
high up as possible. I want to choose. I want
the candy. I want to choose the candy bar from
the gas station. I don't want you to go in
and choose for me. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:07):
Final, It's what a question comes from, Jake, if you're
a betting man, which you are right.
Speaker 1 (45:11):
I had dapplication. Okay, not a lot, but I do dapplication.
Speaker 2 (45:14):
Do you think the Colts ting a swing at trading
for a cornerback before the deadline? This feels like a
Peyton Maning era team where it's just a race to
who gets the ball last. When the Colts play legit
teams and hope the defense doesn't break. If Chris Ballard
and Shane Steichen are in make or break years, you
(45:34):
gotta think they do whatever possible to make a serious run.
This isn't a development year anymore.
Speaker 1 (45:42):
Wait does have a little bit of that feel of
like who gets the ball last? Something along those lines.
What do you think, Eddie, where you go? Corner?
Speaker 2 (45:56):
I still find the whole Jalen Jones and Jalen Carlis
situation is very fast. You would think they'd be they
would both be back by now from their injuries. I
would probably just go, well, you're gonna get Ward back, right,
I assume yeah. I mean he's you know, out through
the bye week. Outside of that, are they getting any
(46:17):
other reinforcements in the secondary?
Speaker 1 (46:19):
Well, I mean Jalonen Jones would would probably be the
other one. But does is he gonna play right right?
You know again, I had thought maybe October.
Speaker 2 (46:27):
Or him, he'll come back at some point. But do
you need Mike Kilton with Kenny Moore back?
Speaker 1 (46:31):
Yeah? So that's you know, we're probably splitting hairs here.
But if you literally said to me which one matters more?
Would you rather have an elite pass rush or elite
cornerback elite pass, I would say the elite pass rush.
Malcolm KONE's another name, by the way. I also feel
like Eddie's just a I could somehow listen to talking
(46:51):
yourself into corner. Like if I told you right now
you had a cornerback group at the start of December.
Your cornerback group was various Ward Makai Blackman and Kennymore
the second and Jalen Jones and Jonathan Edwards were cornerbacks
four and five. I think you could get by with that, right.
(47:12):
I like that. Whereas that pass rush, I don't feel
as good about it. Yeah, I mean the Chargers, that's
something like, I mean, that was just embarrassing to watch
him even try to double team to force Buckner. Yeah,
and what happens with Buckner gets nicked up. You know,
we've had some games where Buckner has been on a
pitch count. You know those moments it's just like, oh boy,
So we'll see maybe j T tuamal allow some second
(47:33):
half you know, rookie impact. He obviously made some plays
in the playoffs last year, you know, college football wise,
of course, So all things to get to. I know,
we got a good amount of Twitter questions we couldn't
get to today. We'll get to on Wednesday's pot. I
believe the biggest, second biggest spread in the NFL this season, Uh,
Colts Titans, and I want to say, the biggest spread
for the franchise in about four years.
Speaker 2 (47:55):
Oh, what is it? What's the opening line?
Speaker 1 (47:57):
I thought it was fourteen and a half. I think
Jacksonville maybe to end one of those seasons Colts won
one and lost one. I think it was twenty twenty one.
Speaker 2 (48:06):
We've had a couple of those games this year that
have been fourteen and a half.
Speaker 1 (48:10):
Yeah, I want to say Bill Saints.
Speaker 2 (48:12):
That was one, and then I believe in and a half.
Speaker 1 (48:15):
There was another one maybe Green Bay Sincy.
Speaker 2 (48:18):
Uh that was I think eleven. I thought Baltimore Cleveland
was fourteen and a half too.
Speaker 1 (48:27):
Yeah, I think got opened up big, but you know,
usually these lines tend to open up big and then
oh yeah, they get beat down a little bit here.
So again, just some uh, just some things to keep
an eye on here as we get closer to Sunday
with Colts and Titans. That is Mike McCoy the interim
coach down there, and I believe Jeffrey Simmons got hurt
on Sunday and Lujerry Sneap, so a couple of notable
(48:48):
Titans got hurt in that game. Bettie Garrison, thank you.
Glad to be back Colts Cornick, myself, Kevin Bowen and
Eddie Garrison. We are wrapping up and we'll talk to
you on Wednesday preview in Week eight of the NFL
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