Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts: Finally Time to Bench These Two Starters?
Episode Date: October 18, 2022The Indianapolis Colts surged to victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars last Sunday. While we are all feeling good from this victory, there are still a few positional moves the team has to consider mak...ing. Offensive lineman Matt Pryor struggled at right guard after also doing so at left tackle and right tackle. Is it time for the veteran to finally see the bench? Should Isaiah Rodgers Sr. finally take over at starting outside corner over Brandon Facyson?Find and follow Locked On Colts on your favorite podcast platforms:📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLdpxJspi1hMh5HL7ExpWOQ🎧 Apple https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1151621306🎧 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6meP450baAtjX4rTENZ5ij🎧 Audacy https://www.audacy.com/podcasts/locked-on-colts-daily-podcast-on-the-indianapolis-colts-21701🎧 Google https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vUFBZODk1ODUyODkyNQ🎧 Megaphone https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/lockedoncoltsFollow Jake and Zach's written work on HorseshoeHuddle.com, and give them a follow on Twitter @JakeArthurNFL, @ZachHicks2, and @LockedOnColts!Today’s episode is presented by Birddogs. THE most comfortable shorts, pants, and sweatpants with built-in liners. Go to birddogs.com, use promo code “LOCKEDON” and boom, a free Birddogs Rope Hat with your pair of Birddogs.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFLBuilt BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds, and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!PrizePicksFirst-time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDONSimpliSafeWith Fast Protect™️ Technology, exclusively from SimpliSafe, 24/7 monitoring agents capture evidence to accurately verify a threat for faster police response. There’s No Safe Like SimpliSafe. Visit SimpliSafe.com/LockedOnNFL to learn more.BirddogsTHE most comfortable shorts, pants, and sweatpants with built-in liners. Go to birddogs.com, use promo code “LOCKEDON” and boom, a free Birddogs Rope Hat with your pair of Birddogs.NugenixNow get a complimentary bottle of Nugenix Total T when you text NFLto 231-231. Text now and get a bottle of Nugenix Thermo, their most powerful fat incinerator ever, with key ingredients to help you get back into shape fast.BlueNileMake your moment sparkle with Blue Nile. Go to BlueNile.com and use code lockedon to save fifty dollars on your purchase of five-hundred dollars or more.Athletic GreensTo make it easy, Athletic Greens is going to give you a FREE 1-year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. All you have to do is visit athleticgreens.com/NFLNETWORK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Discussion (0)
The Colts had an awesome performance on Sunday, but there are still some grueling decisions
they're going to need to make moving forward.
We'll dive into that and more on today's episode of Locked on Colts.
Let's get to it.
You are Locked on Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast, part of the Locked on Podcast
Network, your team every day.
Thank you all for tuning in and making us your number one listen of the day.
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dogs. This is Jake Arthur joined by the beaming proud papa of the Alec Pierce Hive, Zach Hicks.
You guys know the two of us from horseshoehuddle.com. Today we're going to bring you the
latest news and notes following the Colts 34-27 win over the Jags on Sunday, as well as some of
these tough choices and good problems that the Colts
have to kind of get sorted out ahead of them. First and foremost, let's do a little housekeeping.
Colts made some practice squad moves today. They signed wide receiver Vincent Smith and tight end
Jailer Weidermeyer to the practice squad, and they released tight end Nakia Griffin Stewart from the
practice squad. Now, Zach, if I remember correctly, Weidermeyer was one of, he was either one of your guys or he was a build-a-ballard, was he not?
I don't think he was a build-a-ballard because I think he was up until the combine.
Yes, he had a terrible combine. That's how I remember now.
Yeah.
So Weidermeyer was a lot of people's tight end one going into the draft.
Like, you know, all offseason or all during the season.
And then that combine happened.
He ran like a 5'10", like 40-yard dash.
Like, it was very DeBrunya Wilson-esque.
If you guys are big draft nerds like me,
if you can remember back to that day.
Just a brutal, brutal combine.
And he ended up, I think he went undrafted.
He spent some time with the Bills this offseason.
I think the Cowboys as well.
I think he spent time with the Cowboys.
But, yeah, I mean, if he could just be a blocking tight end,
that's what the Colts need desperately right now.
So I wouldn't mind seeing him up if he is ready to be a blocking tight end.
And then the other guy, Vincent Smith,
I think he's like a four or five-year vet who's been, I think,
with Houston recently.
Special teams guy with Kiki Cootie going down, which we're going to talk about in a second.
You know, they kind of need another special teams guy.
With Ashton Doolin also out right now.
So, you know, just some minor moves on the practice squad.
Nothing too flashy.
But, yeah, you know, if you guys are draft nerds, Jalen Weidemeier was definitely someone that everybody loved early in the process last year. Yeah, Monday was your day, draft nerds, Jalen Weidemeier was definitely someone that everybody loved early in the
process last year.
Yeah, Monday was your day, draft nerds.
And then, so, Frank Reich gave his normal Monday afternoon presser with the media, kind
of filled us in on a lot of things, a little bit of things, always gives us injury updates
and whatnot.
You mentioned Kiki Cut qt he had that nasty
collision on the punt return yesterday he's in the concussion protocol he's probably going to
miss sunday of course that was an ugly one um that wasn't i mean as far as personnel goes that's not
like huge for the colts qt was out there because naheem hines had his own concussion and missed
the game uh we don't know what the practice report looks like yet.
They don't get started until Wednesday,
so no idea what Hines' availability is going to be like.
But was there anything else that Frank said today that stuck out to you?
Pretty much the rest of it was him digesting the game film.
Yeah, yeah, they were talking about the game film,
and I know a lot of reporters.
You know, it's funny.
I love beat reporters to death. I think they do an invaluable job and i know you're kind of like
one too jake the way that you do a lot of the report stuff tread lightly you're close you're
close there jake you're close but but um i love beat reporters because you can always tell when
they have an article coming because they'll singularly ask about like what player like i
saw a question there that was like what do you you have to say about Grover Stewart lately?
And I'm like, okay, here comes a Grover Stewart article.
I always know it because that,
that person will ask like four or five different people about that exact
topic. And you know, you know, what's coming.
But there were some really good questions I think in there.
And they're usually by Joel Erickson.
Cause I can always tell that Frank will always say, like, oh, Joel.
I know you're asking me, Joel, and stuff like that.
But one that I'm not sure who asked this question was a lot about the no-huddle game and stuff like that.
The Colts were peppering that no-huddle in the game on Sunday.
And, yeah, Frank Reich said that it was a way to kind of keep the pressure off the offensive line
and also kind of use the passing game to be the run game and I'm going to have an article here you know
you guys are listening this Tuesday morning uh so my article probably is already out but I'm going
to post an article here um in a few here on Monday night about how the Colts basically use the pass
game as the run game they pass the ball on 43 of 59 first and second down plays uh this this past game which is over 70
percent of the first down plays uh nearly six yards per per pass attempt on those plays uh for
254 yards so and if you said that was on first downs first and second down first and second down
so if you compare that yeah no well you compare that to the yeah yeah if you compare that to the
last two games the last two games uh the colts tried to run the ball a lot on first and second down you know 43
attempts on 107 uh first and second downs right and this is the broncos game and the titans game
so they were trying to run in they kept running into a brick wall they only had um 107 total
yards on those 43 carries uh which is oh no my fault my fault they had 125 yards on those 43 carries, which is, oh no, my fault, my fault.
They had 125 yards on those 43 carries for 2.9 yards per carry.
So the Colts really went into this game saying,
we need to throw the ball on first and second down, stay ahead of the sticks.
And the no huddle game was kind of what led to that.
That's why Frank Gregg was going to huddle,
why there were so many quick passes and they were getting more yards on first
and second down. And as a result, we saw uh you know the best offensive output of the year so i know
that was a lot of words out there i'm throwing out there my article make a lot more sense go to
horseshoehuddle.com and read it uh but yeah no the colts switched up they did not keep running the
running into a brick wall we didn't see those second and 10 or second and 12 just runs into
the back of offensive linemen for for a one yard gain we
saw passes for three four five six yards that led to more success on third down and why the Colts
were so good on third down so I'm glad that whoever asked that question of Frank Reich and
the presser brought that one up but the other thing I wanted to to kind of talk about a little
bit here which we're going to talk about more in one of our later segments, is they did talk about Julian Blackman in the presser and how Julian Blackman
was close to playing. But I think Frank said that his ankle wasn't responding well at the
end of the week. I think that's what he said, right, Jake? Basically, he didn't kind of take
that curve and make the progress at the end of the week, they were thinking.
So he was in there in an emergency situation, basically.
Right, right.
And so Ronnie Thomas, the second, got just another start and another full game.
I don't think Julian Blackman even touched the field.
So I thought that was super interesting because, you know, we were kind of expecting Julian Blackman to come back at least in some degree this week.
And he just, you know, was obviously just there for emergency.
But we'll talk about it here in segment three about what do the Colts even do
at safety when he's back? Like it really could go either way, but yeah,
I know a lot of, a lot of coach speak, obviously from Frank Reich today with his,
with his presser, but again, it was a good win.
And I really liked the no huddle stuff. I love,
I love when reporters and beat guys use these pressers to really dive
into game plan stuff, because we don't really get that insight. Like, yeah, we can get a coach
saying like, ah, Rodney McLeod is awesome. Or Grover Stewart is awesome. Like, yeah, we can get
that. You know, we expect that, you know, that's their player. But when you could talk about game
plan, like why you had success, I always love that stuff. And the no huddle insight was really good from Frank.
Yeah. And he was also asked about if they plan to use that more going forward, because even going back to like Andrew Luck stuff, I feel like up-tempo was what unlocked the offense with
Luck and Reich in that one year. But he basically said it'll be a week-to-week thing. They don't
know yet. Basically, it's just what they had to do this time around.
But who knows if we'll continue to see it at a more consistent level.
Hopefully, it's not just a thing where they're trying to dig themselves out of a huge hole.
Right.
But yeah, that was kind of the theme of the day was all that.
Yeah, they talked, like you said, talked about Grover.
Shoot, yeah. And a lot of it is just kind of guys who were out and how they're going to approach, because they talked
about Paris Campbell and things like that. So yeah, again, we'll dive into more of that later.
The Colts obviously look pretty comfortable against Jacksonville. And you know, they always
say when you look good, you play good.
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All right, Jake, let's have the very
uncomfortable conversation.
You know, I think everyone wants to talk super positive about this offensive line
because four of these five starters played really well.
Okay, four out of the five guys who played a majority of the game played really well.
I guess Dennis Kelly technically did not start, but when he came in at left tackle,
it's like a burden was lifted off the Colts' shoulders.
They all of a sudden could pass the ball.
They could move the ball.
Dennis Kelly was the answer to all of our prayers apparently.
But even with this, this great, I don't want to say great,
this adequate game from the offensive line where the Colts could actually
throw the ball.
There was still one starter that was playing really poorly out there.
Pro football focus rated right guard, Matt Pryor,
I think with a 21 pass pro grade. If you guys don't know how pro football focus rated right guard matt prior i think with a 21 pass pro grade if you
guys don't know how pro football focus works uh 60 is below average i think 70 to 80 is like
average to good and anything above that's great matt prior was a 21 in pass protection so you know
and and if you look at the rest of the grades on there for the Colts offensive line, and they were all like in the 60s, 70s, 80s, like really, really good games across the board.
But again, Matt Pryor was the big struggle point in pass protection.
We even saw on the big touchdown pass to Alec Pierce.
Matt Pryor was beat like a drum and it led to Matt Ryan getting hit low.
You know, it took a really nasty hit as he delivered that big pass to Alec Pierce.
So, Jake, Jake I mean I feel
like we've talked about this a lot the last couple weeks but like it's got to be time to bench Matt
Pryor right like I know this was a successful win and it's hard to make a bench like that after
a big win but like man Matt Pryor is just killing this team in both the run and pass game the last
couple weeks yeah and that's that's really rough because he was the second option,
or really third option they've tried at right guard so far.
It's like there's only one spot so far they can't figure out.
They've got some sort of option everywhere else.
I'm not real sure what to do,
but if you stick Dennis Kelly out there at left tackle and keep him out there,
I mean, they've talked about rotation and getting guys reps, whatever. If you keep it with Dennis Kelly, you know, maybe Ryman is the next guy that
you start at right guard. But if he's your long-term guy, you want to left tackle, then,
you know, you're taking away those reps. So it's really just, it's, it's just a crappy situation
because it's one position on the line that they just can't get right.
So, I don't know.
I applaud their willingness to shuffle things up on the line, though.
But, man.
And especially quarterback as well, I'll say.
You know, Sam Ellinger in there over Nick Foles is the backup now.
It's not a thing of Ellinger beat Foles.
But it's just Ellinger can do things that Foles can't.
So they don't want to have three quarterbacks active on game day.
So just bringing in Ellinger for some special packages,
which we've yet to see.
But, yeah, that's a tough one.
There's some more tough choices that they're going to have on offense
moving forward.
Yeah, yeah, it's weird to me.
I think the Colts, I think they do a lot of things right, and they do play the hot hand at times, but when it comes to a guy they've signed
in free agency or like someone they're spending decent money on, they always seem kind of reluctant
to bench them. You know, we saw with Eric Fisher last year where surprisingly Matt Pryor was out
planting him down the stretch. And then it still led to Eric Fisher getting more time. Once Eric
Fisher was healthier, once, you know, their, the injuries were cleared up you know it always seems that the fault goes to the guy with
more money so Matt Pryor probably when he's deserved to get benched the last couple weeks
has just kind of been moved around all over the place and now he's sitting at right guard and
still struggling I don't know for me personally I'd probably still want to throw like Will Fries
back out there again.
I think Will Fries did not play great in his one start, but he was the only one where it's like, okay, he was going against Jeffrey Simmons.
He has an excuse for struggling in that first start.
Not even that he really struggled that much.
It's just he did allow some pressure up the middle from Jeffrey Simmons.
But I'd probably go Fries or honestly, maybe look at the trade market
or something, or free agents.
You know, Eric Flowers is out there, who was a decent guard in Washington
the last couple of years.
Maybe if you go to the trade market, you know, Chris Reed has been
a healthy scratch all year for the Vikings.
Like, Chris Reed was awesome for this team last year.
So maybe just call the Vikings and say, hey, you know,
what do you want for him?
Because the Colts could desperately use him. But right now I think their offensive line
is on the right track. It's, it's getting to a more passable level, but right guard is still
a major issue. And Matt Pryor did not solve that whatsoever. But getting to more, more positive
stuff, you know, again, we we're coming off victory guys. I don't want to just harp on the negative stuff too much.
A good problem the Colts have on offense is Deion Jackson.
Deion Jackson was a guy that we talked about a lot this offseason,
about, like, how he might not make the team.
He's fumbling a lot in practice.
He wasn't looking as good as Tyson Williams or Phillip Lindsey in practice. But the special teams kept him around,
and then he got his shot these last two weeks.
And, you know, it's looked really good good I've been really impressed by Deion Jackson
yeah for sure it's it's another one of those things where he looks really good he looks like
a legit player like he's not just doing well because they needed him to and was adequate like
I think he's good enough to like have role. And you and I have been,
they're not going to move Naheem Hines to receiver,
and I still don't think they do.
However, if they play him there more often,
it will allow them to use Deion Jackson
as that next running back role,
or at least the next early down thing.
It's kind of what they used to do with Jordan Wilkins.
Later in Wilkins' tenure with the Colts,
he had almost no offensive role unless he was needed but occasionally before that they would
they would give him some breadcrumbs here or there you know some some carries occasionally
I think that's what they could do with Jackson other than just on the wrong side of a blowout
game or otherwise but he's a great pass catcher as well i don't know
i i can't recall what he's like in in pass pro right now but i think there's a role for him
honestly yeah i think uh i think the jordan wilkins role was was really well put there because
i think what you could really do with him going forward especially with i mean jonathan taylor's
coming off an ankle injury and i i know fantasy football people are going to hate it and they're going to you know the world of fantasy football
that sucks but honestly who cares about fantasy football it's all about getting wins and if the
best case scenario going forward is maybe getting Taylor three series here and then Jackson comes in
for one series after those three series and you know just go by that three by one split there and
then Hines obviously gets the end of the halves I think that could be an effective way to kind of have a little bit of a
committee here and use these guys effectively.
Again, take some of that pressure off Jonathan Taylor.
Like we go back to that week one game against Houston where Jonathan Taylor
was super effective, had a great game, but he got so many carries in that one.
And maybe that led to him getting worn down.
I mean, even that Tennessee game where he got hurt.
I mean, he was in the 20s of carries,
and he was not very effective whatsoever.
So maybe just getting another guy like Deion Jackson out there
where, you know, Taylor is kind of a patient runner,
and then when he sees his hole and he goes,
Jackson is just a bowling ball.
He's just going to roll forward and roll through guys
like we saw in that touchdown run this past weekend.
So maybe having that little bit of thunder with JT's lightning and,
you know,
JT's lightning and thunder,
obviously,
but having just that guy who's,
who's pure thunder,
you know,
it can be a nice way to kind of spell it.
So I know everyone's scared of committee running backs,
especially in the world of fantasy football,
but for the Colts,
it might be a good way to,
you know,
maybe just get Deion Jackson made five to five,
six,
seven touches a game because he's looking like a player that you don't want to just sit on the
bench the rest of the year.
Yeah, that's exactly right. And, you know, before we wrap this up,
I just want to chat real quick about tight end because, you know,
you got, you got Kyle and Granson doing some things.
Jelani Woods is obviously coming on really well.
The missing man other than one game has been moellie cox like
can you think of anything they've done with with moellie cox other than that a couple weeks ago
with the touchdowns like it's it's interesting if that if anything develops with that like do
you start to give granson and woods more run because it seems like the only guy whose trajectory
keeps going up is Woods and his usage.
Granson just kind of, I don't want to say afterthought, but he's not always used as much
as maybe he could be. So I think that's another one that kind of bears monitoring.
Yeah, the Molly Cox thing is interesting because he would still be getting all these
snaps if he were as good a blocker this year as he was in years past. But we've seen a lot this
year where he was supposed to be the Jack Doyle type tight end for this team in 2022.
He was supposed to be the strong blocker, the underneath pass catcher,
the reliable guy.
And even though he's still kind of been the same in the pass catching
department, like he's been fine catching the ball.
It's just been the run game has been terrible for him this year.
I, you know, it kind of goes, you know,
it goes for this whole offensive line and receivers.'s been bad in run blocking this year but marley
cox was a guy that you expected to be a strong run blocker and it's just not been there so until he
starts picking up that run blocking the colts are going to still rely on the quick pass and
he's the third best of the passing game options you know when it comes to just pure ability you
know kyle and granson is a superb route runner a guy who can get open and get quick separation jelani woods is a specimen who can just
run past guys and run over guys molly cox is fine as a pass catcher but you're not going to play him
over those two in a passing game so until he starts showing his worth in the run game like
he did in the past couple years there's really no reason for him to get 70, 80, 90% snaps.
Yeah, I kind of feel an article coming from one of us on that one, because
no one's talking about that one yet, but I think we're going to need to keep an eye on it.
But before we move on to defense, we know from experience that one of the defenses playing on
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All right, Jake.
Let's get to this defense here, and let's start negative again.
You know, I'm feeling spicy.
Let's start negative.
You know what made everyone feel way too good after yesterday's victory?
Brandon Faison.
Oh, man, this hurts me.
As a Virginia Tech fan, Brandon Faison was great there.
And I actually didn't mind his film last year with the Raiders,
but we talked about this a little bit yesterday.
When you're the big physical corner and you are struggling in the run game
and you're getting physically outmatched by receivers,
what is giving you playing time over the young, athletic, small playmaker?
You know, Isaiah Rogers is looking better in the run game.
He's looking better in coverage.
He's better, you know, he's a more sure tackler.
And he's younger.
And he has more turnovers in his career.
Like, there is absolutely zero reason why Brandon face on should get more
than five snaps a game at best.
Like maybe it's just a spell.
Some guys that are tired,
but I love Gus,
what Gus Bradley's done this year,
but this love affair with,
with,
with Brandon face on is eerily similar to the Alcadon Muhammad stuff with
Matt.
Yes.
And I like,
again,
I love Brandon face on.
He's been a guy that I've liked for a long time,
but it is time to give Isaiah Rogers almost every snap on the outside.
Like, Isaiah Rogers is that guy.
Brandon Faison is not.
Totally agree.
And this was supposed to be the year that Rogers had already earned that role
and was going to step into that this year.
New defense, I get Bradley and Ron Miles wanted to bring their guy in.
It makes all the
sense in the world but it's not how the play has transpired it's isaiah rogers time absolutely
um and for all the exact reasons you just said um but everyone is taking notice of this on online
like very very smart football people i saw darius but said something. All of us in the press box seem to say something.
It's just so noticeable.
Like there are enormous plays being given up by terrible effort or just
terrible angles or like awful plays regard,
whatever it is.
The,
the attempt at making the play failed spectacularly and resulted in
something awesome for the opponent.
And that's just not really something we've seen out of Isaiah Rogers in his few years so far.
So it's not going to hurt you to get someone who's as much of a spark plug as
him out there. It's time. And on Tuesday,
you guys are gonna be listening to this Tuesday.
I can almost guarantee Gus is going to get asked about it. I mean,
if I can be in on the thing and I don't have other stuff going on, I'll do it.
But I know someone's going to ask that.
So hopefully we have a good answer for that.
Because earlier in the year, remember, it took forever to get Rodgers on the field at all.
It took everyone begging and pleading to get him out there, and they finally did.
So, you know, holding people accountable can work apparently sometimes.
Yeah. And to Gus Bradley's credit,
I know we're going to end up talking this whole segment just about this,
but to Gus Bradley's credit,
Isaiah Rogers has out snapped Brandon Faison the last couple of weeks.
And he did this last weekend too. Like Isaiah Rogers had more snaps,
even if it didn't feel like it, because every time Brandon Faison was out there,
Travis Etienne or whatever was whatever was running for like 60 yards
of the sideline. But, you know, it has to be more. It has to be more than what it is. Again,
right now it's like a 55 to 45 split with Isaiah Rogers taking more snaps. This needs to be like
80 to 90% split for Isaiah Rogers. brandon face on should not be out there
if he is out there it's just a fill-in for a couple plays with you know guys getting gas or
something but it is time to put isaiah rogers out there he's younger he's more athletic he's a
playmaker and he's better in run defense right now i really don't see what the hesitation is there but
again let's get the more positive stuff the Colts have a really good dilemma at
safety right now Rodney McLeod can never see the bench Rodney McLeod better never come off the
field he is he is a he is a playmaker he is awesome in the run he's like he's like Julian
Blackman and Cardwell has put together you know these last couple years you know sure tackler
explosive downfield smart savvy Rodney cloud's awesome but outside
of that what do you do at safety you know ronnie thomas the seconds played really well julian
blackman's the guy that the team is super super high on and frank reich even said today that he
think he's you know an outstanding young player that they want out there and then you have third
rounder nick cross uh you know who has not really seen the field at all, even though he had a fumble recovery this past game, technically in the stats book
on that last play. But Julian Blackman and Ronnie Thomas
second, like, what do you do with that kind of rotation when Blackman
is, you know, 100% and he's finally back? Yeah, and I think
what you got to do is just find the role, whichever one either guy
performs at the
best i think for thomas you probably give him i guess looks at the at deep safety give him obvious
passing downfield passing down type of stuff blackman can be really good coming downhill
so he can be better and run support i just think that that's all they got to do they have to find
ways to get both of them involved but put them them out there situationally, because Blackman is
going to have a role. They're not going to take him out of the lineup altogether.
But Thomas has earned a permanent role. He's got to get snaps as well.
Just think of how many big plays he's saved.
You've got to have something for him out there.
I'm going to rudely interrupt like I was about to there,
but I'm going to fully rudely interrupt here.
No, but something I think is really interesting is Gus Bradley did run a
decent amount of dime last year,
a decent amount of dime last season where he would have three safeties,
you know, on the field at once.
This year, even on third and long, you know, third and 15s,
third and 16s,
and stuff like that, we've only seen nickel.
It's been Zyra Franklin and Bobby O'Kerrick both out there,
and I think both those players have been playing really well.
But I would love to see some more dying where you have situations
where you have Bobby O'Kerrick in the middle,
you have Julian Blackman and Rodney McLeod on the sides,
and then you have Rodney Thomas deep.
I think that would be the best third down package you can have.
Anything that's like third and eight plus,
I would love for that to be the package.
So we'll see if that's what happens going forward.
I don't know if I'm super optimistic about that,
but I do want to see these three safeties all getting some playing time
because Rodney Thomas II has proven that he needs playing time.
He's played really well.
Yeah, and I guess if we're finding something for Nick
Cross goal line red zone has been his specialty at least in the preseason so because I mean that
that's a guy who they think has you know star ability to him so you got to get him some
developmental snaps as well yeah he's young he's he's what 21 now like there is no rush to get him
out there there's no rush to to make him that star player right now.
And while Rodney McLeod is playing this well,
you don't need to throw Cross out there.
So I think this is the best-case scenario for Nick Cross.
Yeah, for sure.
I think that's it for us, everyone.
We'll be back with you tomorrow to start focusing on the Titans in Week 7.
It's another chance at redemption for the Colts like they just got on Sunday.
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