Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Crossover Special with Locked On Lions

Episode Date: October 29, 2020

On today's episode, our latest Locked On NFL Crossover Special after a refreshing bye week for the Colts. On Sunday, Indy heads up to Detroit to face off with a hot Lions squad. Who will come out on top in this important matchup?First up, Matt hits Evan with some questions on what's happening in Indy. Is 4-2 a spot where the Colts were expected to be at? Outside of their stinker in Jacksonville, it really has gone status quo. DeForest Buckner has singlehandedly changed the defense, while the run game has been surprisingly disappointing following Marlon Mack's season-ending injury.Are the Lions for real or not? Evan asks Matt all about Detroit with their improbable win last week over Atlanta as time expired. The Lions' offense is starting to find a groove, so could they give Indy's defense fits? After a win-now move trading for Everyone Griffen from Dallas, will they take advantage of a soft November schedule?All of this, plus so much more, in a jam-packed crossover special previewing Colts vs. Lions! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. All right, it's a Thursday crossover, everybody. Locked On Lions, Matt Derry, Locked on Colts, Evan Sidery. Two pretty good football teams. Lions playing better. Colts, of course, at 4-2 coming off a bye. Let's get into it, Evan, and talk a little bit about the Horseshoe and your squad.

4-2 off a bye. What's the vibe around this team right now? As, you know, they've had a little rest. They've had some good wins, the bad loss to the Browns. But where is Indy right now with four wins out of their first six? I feel like it's kind of par for the course. I mean, if you take out that just ugly week one loss against Jacksonville where they just look flat out unprepared on both sides of the football.

I know the offense did well. Of course, Phillip Rivers had those two crucial turnovers in Jacksonville. The defense got shredded by Gardner Minshew. From there, it's really been status quo. Really, the games we expect the Colts to win, they've won. And the games we expect them to have a close game or maybe losing those games, they do. Cleveland is by far the toughest competition so far.

I think Chicago, as we saw on Monday night, might be a little bit of a pretender compared to an actual contender. I think the Browns, that game wasn't so surprising to me for them losing that one because a high-powered offense and a proven defense. Phillipers, of course, had a couple of turnovers in that game wasn't so surprising to me for them losing that one because a high-powered offense and a proven defense. The Brewers, of course, had a couple of turnovers in that game as well. So I think if Brewers just keeps the ball clean, more often than not the Colts are in a good shot to win most games.

They have the formula. They have the defense. DeForest Buckner has single-handedly changed that defensive unit as well because he's been able to really help out with the front four, the pass rush, help open up tackling lanes for guys like Bobby Okereke, Darius Leonard, Anthony Walker, and the linebacking core. And Xavier Rhodes, you know Matt, a longtime Viking, played Detroit all the time there.

He's having a career year now in Indianapolis in that zone-heavy scheme, getting away from the man-heavy scheme in Minnesota with Mike Zimmer. He's really reviving his career right now in this one-year deal he's had with the Colts, and he's making himself a lot of money in the process there. So the defense really carried the offense so far, though. We saw a couple of times the offense had a couple good sparks against the Browns a little bit, also in the week one against Jacksonville and also against the Jets.

But honestly, I feel like any team against the Jets probably have a good week offensively against them. But outside of that, it's been really surprising to see kind of the overall lack of consistency with the offense so far. I know the injuries really ravaged that unit so far. We saw Michael Pittman Jr., the top rookie draft pick. He was out for the last three weeks with a leg injury.

Marlon Mack was out since week one due to his torn Achilles. As well, you've just seen a little bit of T.Y. Hilton maybe going off the cliff a little bit as far as his production goes. Having a really bad year so far. It could be the beginning of the end for him as far as his prime goes. But really, it's a tale of two halves so far for this Colts team. Who would have thought in 2020? I know obviously we're getting further and further away

from the Andrew Luck news, Matt, but this defense is actually carrying this Colts team instead of the offense. Tell me about it. You mentioned Rhodes closed, as they used to say, Xavier Rhodes. It's interesting, and I mentioned this on the show yesterday. Marvin Jones just owns him and goes back to the obviously Lions Vikings days last year in Minnesota. So now they match up again, but here you are kind of saying, hey, look, with the scheme, with how they're doing things zone-wise, and really I've got to be honest, and I've been saying this all week, Blackman is a beast as a safety. I love watching him play.

It sounds like he's getting a little bit more help in the schemes better, huh? No, absolutely. Yeah, definitely. It's a lot less pressure on you on the outside. As we saw in Minnesota, you're kind of left on an island in that man scheme with Mike Zimmer. He got torched consistently. I can mention Marvin Jones last year in Detroit, just an awful one for Xavier Rhodes.

And you see as well the other games throughout the year, Xavier Rhodes just burnt toast against the Saints in the playoffs as well. It's just been really consistently bad. I think it's for Rhodes throughout last year. But this zone scheme really is just prioritized on staying in your zone, staying disciplined. If you need help, you can call for it with a safety like Julian Blackman, who I absolutely am.

I'm on the Julian Blackman train like you are. He is, I think, one of the best rookie safeties in the NFL so far, very entertaining to watch. He's a true playmaker as well. He helps out Xavier Rhodes a lot if he needs to. Rakia Sin, the second-year corner out of Temple, he's been able to. Rakia Sin, they can hit the other rookie – or excuse me, the second-year corner out of Temple. He's been able to maybe trade plays to the Rhodes as well.

If they want to switch assignments, they can go opposite sides of the field. You don't have to stay on one sort of island there. So I think just the versatility of Matt Ibraflusa's scheme has really opened up things for Xavier Rhodes. A lot less thinking out there on the field, and it's a lot more moving and just doing his own job. And I think that's really slowed things down for Xavier Rhodes in a year where he's obviously 30 years old, but it seems like it's finally starting

to click back for him in reuniting with Jonathan Gannon, the former Vikings defensive backs coach who left for the Colts back three years ago when Frank Wright got hired. They're reunited again, and he's really loving this scheme. He's loving to reunite, being back with Gannon as well. I think this zone scheme just really fits his behavior roads really well. And at this point, Matt, I'd be shocked if the Colts don't try to resign next year unless he falls off that cliff again.

Evan Sidery of the boys of Lockdown Colts. Matt Derry with you, Lockdown Lions, the Thursday crossover. I'm concerned if I'm the Lions about the Colts running game. I know Marlon Mack is out for the year. Jonathan Taylor steps in, a highly touted guy, a guy we know here in Detroit, Big Ten country from Wisconsin. That offensive line, the Lions D line, and we'll talk about the Lions a little bit, Evan, has played much better, but the Colts want to pound you, man,

don't they, with the run game and then set up that play-action passing game? They definitely do, but so far this year, very surprising compared to the last couple years. This rushing attack has kind of plateaued a little bit. They've honestly regressed from where they were last year. And, of course, I think losing Marlon Mack, the chemistry, how that offensive line is huge. John Taylor, the rookie, has won 100-yard games so far, which was in his first start against Minnesota.

We had 28 carries. But I think overall, I'd be more worried if I was a Lions fan with this passing attack for this Colts team, because it feels like right now this rushing attack is still kind of starting to gel more and more. John Taylor's trying to find those holes, adjust to NFL speed. And that offensive line, too, is really coalescing together more. We saw an injury with Andy Costanzo, the left tackle.

He missed the Browns game. And really missing him was a key piece to that as well. And you have to overall just see the way that this offensive line missing him was a key piece to that as well. You have to overall just see the way that this offensive line right now. I don't know what's happening, but the offensive line just isn't clicking in the run game so far. Passing-wise, they've been excellent. They've been the last three years. They only had six sacks

for the Phillip Rivers through six games, which leads the NFL. Right now, the rushing attack, they're 31st in the NFL in yards per carry. Yards after contact, John Taylor, I think, is 28th in the NFL in that as well. So this could be a breakout game, Matt. I don't know about the Lions' defense and their rushing defense so far, but I think I'd be more worried if I was a Lion's side of this passing attack

because right now the Colts' rushing game has not shown me much of anything compared to years past. Interesting because look at that O-line. It's loaded with Chris Ballard draft picks, and it's been good. What about the tight ends? The Lions have been better lately guarding the tight end, although last week Hayden Hurst kind of hurt them a little bit down in Atlanta. You guys got three pretty good ones there with Doyle and Cox,

and obviously Trey Burton has hurt the Lions in the past too. Yeah, Molly Cox, he missed the game before the five against the Cincinnati Bengals due to an ankle injury. He did not practice again today, so it's not looking good for Molly Cox. He had a very awesome start to the year. I think he had two touchdowns in his first three games. He was a favorite target at Phillip Rivers. He had a monster game as well against the Vikings.

He had 65 receiving yards and 100-plus receiving yard game too as well to boot. But I think if I had the lean right now. Maggie probably is going to miss that game on Sunday in Detroit with the ankle injury, but Phillip Brewers and Frank Reich, they love Trey Burton. They really love what he brings to this offensive attack for the Colts. Right when he came back from his ankle injury, he was right away the focal point of the tight end room. He had five receptions against the bears,

five receptions against the Browns. Against the Bengals, he had a wildcat rushing touchdown, a red zone touchdown as well as a receiver. So it's very apparent the Colts have big plans for Trey Burton, almost like an Eric Ebron-esque role we saw in 2018 when Ebron sort of popped off a little bit for the Colts. He's sort of in that role now for the team in Indy with Trey Burton. I think Burton's honestly done really well for himself so far. Jack Doyle has not, he's been great. He's been the usual Jack Doyle, but athletically, he's really starting to fall off a little bit, which isn't surprising. He's

31 years old. He's gotten a little beaten up this year. He's being more so used as a run blocker. Had a great touchdown catch against the Bengals, but outside of that, it's been a rough year for Doyle so far. But I'd really, if I was the blind defense, I'd really key in on Trey Burton because Phillip Brewer's right now, I think over the last three games, Burton leads the team in targets. When we come back, it's good stuff from heaven. When we come back, we'll talk a little Lions. It's the Thursday crossover edition of Insidery Matt Derry on the Locked On Podcast Network.

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Locked on Lions, Matt Derry, locked on Colts, Evan Sider. We're going to now ask Matt some questions about the Lions so far. And I'd be remiss not to start off with this one, Matt. What was it like watching that game last Sunday? I mean, I told you off the air before we started that. What a game that was. I watched the last five minutes of that one. The Falcons are up by double digits.

I'm like, okay, I'm just trying to see what the Lions are all about before we play them again in two weeks. And Matt Stafford just all of a sudden needs to come back. Todd Gurley makes a mental mistake, scores. They go right down the field. TJ Hawkinson gets that game-winning touchdown. They're 3-3 now, Matt, and they just made a win-out trade for Everson Griffin, who went on in just a second as well.

I think that's a really interesting move they made this week near the trade deadline. What is this Lions team so far, and what do you think about that game? Do you think that win in Atlanta might galvanize the team moving forward? It's hard to say, Evan. I mean, let's be honest here. In Detroit, the expectations, I think the organization feels like it's a playoff team. I'm not sure the fans are buying in.

There's a few factions of different factions of fans here. There's the hardcore diehards that always will love their Lions and be supportive. And there's another group that says, show me, show me you can beat a good team, a really good team like the Colts, for example, this weekend. The Lions don't have a home win this year. They've only played two home games, but they haven't looked good in either home game. The Bears choked job in week one, and then the Saints came in and just ransacked them on the ground with Kamara and Latavius. It was a bad day. Now it's like there's the show me group,

and then there's a group that says, look, let's keep losing. Let's not win games. Let's lose games and get Patricia and GM Matt Quinn or Bob Quinn out of town. Get Matt Patricia, get Bob Quinn gone. So it's kind of a mixed bag around here. As far as last week, yeah, it was insanity. You know, Todd Gurley pulls the – and I know you've got some IU buddies, but he pulls what Penn State did against Indiana, allowing the Hoosiers to come down on Saturday and make that a game

and force overtime. Same thing happened this past Sunday. Gurley just, instead of sliding down at the one, maybe Raheem Morris takes three knees and then kicks a field goal. Colts, the Lions never get the football back, but Gurley scores, becomes a six-point game, gives Matt Stafford a minute of action to go 75 yards, and he does so. Like you mentioned, the throws to Galladay to set up the Hawkins and touchdown. Prater hits the extra point. Boom, they win 23-22.

It was exciting. It was definitely made it interesting. Now you're a three and three team. You're coming home to play a pretty darn good Colts team. So again, they can somehow beat Indy and get to four and three. And then you look up and you go, well, they got a one win Washington team coming up. They got a one win Minnesota team coming up. They got a Bears team that's reeling that they love to pay back. They got a two win Houston team coming up. Schedule looks favorable for to pay back. They got a two-win Houston team coming up. Schedule looks favorable for the Lions, and all of a sudden they're in the discussion for a playoff spot.

Let's tell them the Everson Griffin trade for a moment, Matt. A very low price for Everson Griffin, who hasn't looked great in Dallas so far this year, of course, as the Lions fans all know, a longtime rival with the Vikings for a decade, then over went to Dallas. The Lions traded 2021 sixth-round pick for him. What was your assessment of that deal where it seems like, from my perspective, I can't remember the last time the Lions made a win, not move it in the middle of the season like that, but the deadline.

I know Griffin might have a little bit of juice left to bring for the Lions off the edge there. Yeah, you know, the Lions pass rush has not been great. Eight sacks and six games is not going to cut the mustard, but last few weeks, and again, it's Jacksonville and it's Atlanta. I get it. The last few weeks, Trey Flowers has come off the edge and done a nice job, a strip sack. Romeo Okwara is a name to watch, number 95. Two sacks last week, including a strip sack. I mean, Evan, to sit here and say that for the last two weeks, the Lions have had two strip sacks is like unheard of.

Because for the three years now we've seen Matt Patricia defenses, we've seen rush three, drop eight, play conservative, keep everybody in front of you, bend and break. Now all of a sudden, what are we seeing? We're seeing some blitzes. We're seeing Jared Davis come through the A-g gap as a linebacker on a blitz. We've seen Jamie Collins blitz. That's unlike the lions, but when they were sitting at one and three, it was look,

if you lose one of these next two games, Jacksonville or Atlanta, inferior teams, you know, you can be in big trouble. So they were more aggressive defensively. Now you add Griffin. You won't play this Sunday against you guys. You won't be there until next week because he's got the COVID protocols and everything. He's got to test negative for five days. But I like the move. How can you argue against it? A six-round pick? I think it works. He'll make $3 million the rest of the year. He's still got some gas in the tank. He's motivated, and he used to kill the Lions. He played 19 games against Detroit in his 10 years in Minnesota and had 16 sacks against them. So I like the move, and I think it will help. They need more edge rushing and need to

get to rivers this weekend. Can't give him time to throw, which was what killed them in some of their losses earlier in the year. Let's hit on that Lions offense for a moment here. Very intriguing to me, just what they're building over there. You had DeAndre Swift, one of my favorite running back prospects in the draft. He's starting to really come on the last couple weeks. Of course, you have Kerryon Johnson there as well. Adrian Peterson is also in the running back room there. Of course, you have Kenny Galladay on the outside of Marvin Jones.

TJ Hawkinson, one of my favorite young tight ends in the NFL too. And Matthew Stafford's had a great year so far, Matt. 1,500-plus yards, 10 touchdowns, only four interceptions. How's his offense look to you so far through six games? I like it. I think it's been good. I would not say it's been great. Matthew Stafford has had some big-time misses in the first few weeks.

Guy's open that he's not hit. But let's be honest. This past Sunday was vintage Stafford. Over 300 yards passing. Let him down the field. Made huge throws when they needed him to. I don't think it's an issue of personnel at all, to be honest. I think the issue is, and I want you to watch for this, Evan. After the first 15 plays are scripted under offensive coordinator

Darryl Bevel, they seem to go into this conservative, not aggressive, lame offense. And it's like, you know, the first 15 plays, here's Jamal Agnew on a, on a, on a, you know, on the stretch play coming in motion. You know, here's a, you know, a screen play off a play action to the tight end, Hawkinson. You go, awesome. That's awesome. Let's see that again. You know, you get 20 yards out of it. The first 15 plays in the first quarter,

let's see it again. They never go back to it. And, you know, even, even last week, I mean, they get some turnovers in Atlanta and then it's, you know, Adrian Peterson on a dive play on third and one, Adrian Peterson on a dive play on third and one. Adrian Peterson on a dive play on fourth and one, where the whole stadium knew what was coming. There's got to be more creativity. They've got to let Stafford loose a little bit. Not saying the Stafford of old.

I know they want to establish the run. They've got three running backs, like you said, that they use. But let's see the number nine gunslinger of old. And that's what I think is holding them back. You know, Kenny Galladay is a stud. All right, he's the best receiver on the field Sunday. And I know T.Y. Hilton is a terrific player, but Galladay's the guy.

And unfortunately, he had two targets in the first half last week. That's it. That's not going to get it done. Second half was an explosion for him, but he's a beast. And they got to throw him the football more. Chain stores at different price tiers for professional mechanics

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send you over there. Yeah. I love Kenny Galladay. He's a guy like Michael Pippen Jr. He's honestly the rookie, the cold tab at receivers. He'll be returning this Sunday. He's a guy I could pair him to was Galladay.

Just the guy you can just throw it up to him, go get it. Great in traffic. He's has strong hands. I love watching Kenny Galladay. It's going to be just throw it up to and go get it. Great in traffic. He has strong hands. I love watching Kenny Galladay. It's going to be a tough task for Xavier Rhodes and Rocky to sit on the outside where it matches up more with Galladay on Sunday. But last point here, Matt, on the Lions before we dive into our predictions,

look at their schedule coming here. I mean, you have the Colts course on Sunday, then you're at Minnesota, the Washington football team at home, at Carolina, Houston, at Chicago. This is a very intriguing stretch here for this Lions team, Matt. I mean, if they pull off a win on Sunday against the Colts, they could go on a stretch here where they could legitimately be – they're 17th in the playoffs here, Matt. There's a legit chance that we're in December

and the Lions are really in the thick of things. Yeah, no, you bring up a great point. The schedule does get a little bit softer for sure. Indy is certainly a formidable opponent this Sunday and two weeks to prepare and off a bye and Frank Reich's done a nice job. But then after that, you're right. Two games with a one-win Minnesota team that looks like they're selling parts. You know, Carolina is beatable. Houston on Thanksgiving, the Lions should be fired up for that. And like you mentioned, the football team, WFT, as I like to say.

So, yeah, the schedule looks favorable. But, again, year five of your general manager, year three of your coach, they should be in the playoff mix. They should never have dropped that game in the opener to the Bears. No pun intended on the Swift drop ball at the end of the game. But DeAndre Swift holds onto that football, Evan. We're talking about the Lions being four and two also. Could the Lions do the Lions-y thing this Sunday and totally wet their pants

and the Colts run for 250 yards on the ground and Quentin Nelson and those beasts up front smoke the Lions? That's possible. But I think the Lions are playing better right now. This would be a big win for them if they can get it Sunday. And they're due to win at home, like I said. They've not played well at Ford Field under Matt Patricia going back to last season. Let's get into our predictions now, Matt.

I'm looking at DraftKings right now. The Colts are three-point favorites at Detroit. The over-under is 50. I really like this game as far as entertainment value goes, Matt. I think it's going to be a very, very close game. I have the Colts 27-24. I think with Dillipers as a quarterback for the Colts, it's always going to be a close game with him. And of course, his Lions

team so far has been very entertaining on the offensive side. I think they've got to put up some points against this Colts defense. It's much improved this year. I'm going to go 27-24. The Colts barely eat this one out over Detroit. Matt, what do you think about this one on Sunday? I think your score is pretty accurate. Remember, last year Phillip Rivers came into Ford Field in week two,

I believe, with the Chargers, and it was the same situation. It always seems to be like you said, that with Phillip, no matter where he is, Chargers, Colts, it's that Phillip has the ball, end of the game type of thing. And he took the Chargers down the field last year at the end, trying to win the football game before throwing a terrible interception right into the hands of Darius Slay. It may come down to that again.

What worries me about the Lions is the pass rush and getting to Rivers. And I think he's checking down and hitting Taylor out of the backfield and hitting those tight ends, Hines, you haven't even mentioned, is another guy I like. The Lions linebackers are not great in coverage, and that is what scares me a bit is being able to make that stop on a third and five. It's something they could not do against Kamara and Murray

and that Saints group. And that was without Michael Thomas. So, you know, maybe the kicking game's a difference maker here. Prater's been money. Maybe the Lions, like you said, squeak out 21-20 Detroit by one, but this is going to be a tight game. I'm with you on that. Matt, appreciate coming on and doing this crossover. I think it's going to be a very fun game on Sunday. We might look back on this by Monday morning

and say it's one of the more entertaining games across the NFL slate here. Colts fans, if you want to go listen in on Matt, go subscribe to Locked on Colts. And for the Lions fans out there, if you're curious about the Colts as well, go subscribe to Locked on Colts here on the Locked on NFL Podcast Network. Matt, appreciate the time. Evan Sidery, Matt Derry, signing off. Evan, great talking to you.