Instant analysis of Colts’ preseason win over Eagles
The Indianapolis Colts wrapped their preseason Thursday night with a win over the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
The team scored on five of its 10 drives, creating 393 yards of total offense, 127 yards rushing on the ground, and a 42% third-down efficiency rate.
Behind the strength of their ground game and contributions from all three quarterbacks, the Colts secured a 27-13 win behind their scoring in all four quarters.
Here’s the instant analysis from the preseason Week 3 win:
What went right
Rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson continues to impress. Reading the box score (6-of-17, 78 passing yards, and five carries for 38 rushing yards) is only half the story. The numbers are not eye-popping, but the film will show growth in real time. Richardson shows improved pocket presence, some “wow” throws, and the ability to create something out of nothing with his feet.
Running backs Deon Jackson, Evan Hull, and Kenyan Drake were productive Thursday night, a welcomed reprieve from the previous two games. All three walked away with scores. Something noteworthy: Hull averaged an excellent 4.2 yards a carry.
Despite the immense pressure from the Eagles’ defensive units, the offensive line held firm, only allowing one sack all night.
Linebacker Segun Olubi was all over the field, bringing a great deal of pop on his hits, and even had a fumble recovery with an assist from safety Henry Black.
Darrell Baker Jr. and Jaylon Jones made an excellent case to be on the roster tonight. Jones took reps as special teams gunner after a great game last week, and Baker built on his superb camp, breaking up plays at will.
What went wrong
Special teams tackling is still a problem. The Eagles scored in less than three minutes thanks to a 74-yard opening kickoff return by Devon Allen. They capped that drive with a rushing touchdown by Trey Sermon.
The team’s second unit took a significant blow with a left ankle injury to Danny Pinter. Pinter was unfortunately rolled up on, and he immediately went down. He struggled to get up, unable to put weight on his leg, and a cart was brought out for him. His status is something to watch.
Colts wide receivers are doing the offense no favors. Although there were some high or errant throws, several plays should have been made. Josh Downs missed a perfectly placed ball thrown after Richardson stepped into the pocket to evade pressure. Alec Pierce inexplicably fell on a route as well. Both receivers ended the night with no receptions.
The Colts gathered several penalties in the first half, including two on the same drive from All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson. Nelson was flagged for a false start and then an uncharacteristic hold, which negated a first-down run from Richardson.
The Bottom Line
Tonight’s game might give fans some pause because of the number of incompletions offensively by Richardson, but the goal was to add some new wrinkles in the game plan, open up the field, and see if the team could make some nice connections down the seams. Ultimately, the Colts didn’t show their hand. They kept things very simple so that they could get a feel for where they were.
Transparently, head coach Shane Steichen has to be pretty pleased with what he saw from his team tonight. They competed, and although it was not pretty, it was a step in the right direction for this young team.
The real work begins in seventeen days.
