Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts: How Shane Steichen Can Take Offense to the Next Level

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Colts are rolling, winners at four straight, but what do they need to do to cover up their fatal flaws? 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. All right. Thanks for tuning in and making us your first listen of the day. This is your daily podcast covering your Indianapolis Colts, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And today's show is brought to you by GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account,

Starting point is 00:00:49 and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Last-minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. What's up, friends and family? This is Jake Arthur and Zach Hicks from HorseshoeHuddle.com. Coming to you after another Colts win, that's four in a row now. I don't want to say firmly in the playoff seat, but they are hanging on for dear life and they're doing what they need to to stay in there. But I think we all know this is a flawed team. They are winning games. They're finding new ways to win each week, it seems. But there are some warts.

Starting point is 00:01:23 So today we're going to identify why the Colts are having such a hard time closing out drives, you know, on third downs, you know, converting in the red zone, things like that, how they can fix it. And on the defensive side of the ball, why it's been so rough against the run without Grover Stewart and why they're going to definitely welcome him back this next week against these Bengals? And then on the back end, is the secondary good enough if they are able to punch their ticket to the postseason? So looking up first, what we're talking about when the Colts are struggling, finishing off these drives right now, they're 21st in the NFL on third down,

Starting point is 00:02:02 just 36.3%. That has led to the fourth most fourth down attempts in the NFL with 23. And then when they get into the red zone, not a lot going on there as well. They're 14th in the NFL there, 55%, just 45% in the last three games. That has led to being tied for the sixth most field goal attempts. It's, you know, Matt Gay is one of the MVPs of this team for a reason. It's because they're kind of coming up short when it comes to the red zone. So, Zach, what are you seeing when you look at this team and why is it so hard for them lately? Yeah, you know, it's really funny.

Starting point is 00:02:37 I think, you know, I really want to talk about this topic because the last two weeks we've seen the Colts offense kind of get back to where they were you know they're an operational offense again these last two weeks they've been plenty explosive these last two games they've been hitting on some big plays they've been able to move the ball their high success rate they're looking pretty good in between the 20s or getting down into the 20 the problem is they're stalling out on the other side of the field way too often and it's leading to a lot of field goal attempts And it's leading to a lot of field goal attempts. And it's leading to a lot of situations where, hey, the other team's getting a chance to tie games or to be in games that they really shouldn't be in. I mean, the last two weeks, the Colts offense has moved the ball to really, really efficient and effective pace, especially through the air.

Starting point is 00:03:16 I mean, I think they're over 80% success rate through the air the last two games. And it's not that they've been perfect throwing the ball or just perfect in general on that side of the ball, but they are moving the football. More than what we could say we were seeing against the Carolina Panthers and what we were seeing against the New England Patriots those two weeks prior to the bye. So now the whole question is, can they finish dry?

Starting point is 00:03:37 This past week, they were 20% touchdown percentage in the red zone this past game. They were one of five. One of five attempts in the red zone. They scored a touchdown. They had to turn over on another one. And then they had three field goals. That's not good enough.

Starting point is 00:03:51 You can't win games against better teams, not converting in the red zone. Now it's great to have five red zone opportunities. That's awesome. You're moving the ball. You're getting in position to get points and you're getting points at the end of the day, but you need to finish these drives. You need to score. And before the season with Anthony Richardson in line to be the starter you know I think I said on this podcast plenty of times that the Colts are going to be

Starting point is 00:04:11 like top five to top 10 in the NFL in offensive yards per game you know rushing yards passing yards they were going to get a ton of yards but they weren't going to be that high in scoring points because it's going to be a struggle in the red zone with a young quarterback finishing off drives. Ironically, what we saw with Anthony Richardson, this offense was phenomenal in the red zone. They were unstoppable in the red zone with Anthony Richardson. I think the only drive they didn't score on with him as their starting quarterback where they got into the red zone was that Jacksonville drive that he didn't finish. That whole Jacksonville drive that they scored a touchdown every other red zone drive with Anthony Richardson, highly effective, highly efficient with him in there. And with Gardner Minshew, we've seen a bit of a drop off.

Starting point is 00:04:49 Now what's the reasoning for this? You know, I think you can look at a number of things past game. There were, you know, obviously the Gardner Minshew fumble. It comes down to don't fumble the ball there with Gardner Minshew. You get another one with Gardner Minshew where he misses high to Alec Pierce in the back of the end zone where it should have been an easy touchdown. I mean, I think when the All-22 is posted tomorrow, you guys will see that that should have been a very easy touchdown for the Colts that Minchu just got happy feet and missed. So you can look at

Starting point is 00:05:15 the quarterback on some of these, but also you can look at the play calling. I mean, they get very run-heavy, run-run-pass-heavy in the red zone, and maybe those are not the right calls. Maybe you're not being aggressive enough on those early heavy in the red zone. And maybe those are not the right calls. Maybe you're not being aggressive enough on those early downs in the red zone. We saw Shane Steichen basically give up on one third down with a screen pass call that just wasn't good enough. I mean, you really need to be throwing it to the end zone there. We saw him get too cute on the one yard line, try to do some, some wide play action call that got sacked and led to another field goal after the block punt. Like this is not just a one person thing. I'm not going to sit here and say it's only Gardner Minshew that they're not scoring because

Starting point is 00:05:49 Shane Steigen is overthinking things a little bit and getting too conservative, other times too aggressive. But the main thing to point out here really is, look, I'm glad the Colts are moving the ball again. The success rate is good. The offense is operational. They're moving the football the last two weeks. Now the next step is actually scoring touchdowns because when you play against better teams than the Tennessee

Starting point is 00:06:08 Titans or even the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which I know that may not happen in the regular season here, but if they end up making the playoffs, you need to convert when you get in the red zone. You just can't settle for field goal every single time because that's going to come back to haunt you in one of these games. So yeah, it's a real issue that the Colts need to look at fixing. And you know, I have a couple of ideas, but it really is something that the Colts need to focus on these next couple of weeks. Yeah. And I don't think all is lost because I mean, obviously the quarterback is not going to change. It is going to be Gardner the rest of the way, but there are still philosophy there that they can use to to convert on those and i

Starting point is 00:06:46 think a lot of it comes down to personnel as well like the the coaches will always tell you it's about the players so you know that that's what's the straw that stirs the drink and i mean just off the top of my head they still have all these massive targets but you rarely see them you know run a fade pattern you know you don't see that a lot. I don't know if, you know, maybe Gardner getting outside on those would help a little bit more often if they want to roll him out. Cause he is capable of scooting into the end zone himself. We've seen it three times.

Starting point is 00:07:17 You know, I think getting him out from the mess that is the trenches right there. Cause I feel like a lot of time, he's just a little kid in the trees when you see him in the red zone, because the field is shrunk so much in the red zone. Yep. I think getting him out in the open where he can maybe see better and there's less chaos would help.

Starting point is 00:07:35 But what do you think is, is there any, I don't want to say easy fixes because if there were, they would be better at it right now. But what, what wrinkles do you think they could maybe take advantage of to make themselves more successful? Yeah, I think the biggest thing I'm looking at is more isolation and more one to two read type plays, which I know is not something you really want to hear too much in an offense is say, oh, more one read stuff, because then what happens

Starting point is 00:07:57 when that one read is gone. But I think the Colts need to go back to, again, I don't want to call them kind of gadgety plays, but plays like the Michael Pittman Jr. game winning touchdown this past week, where it was really just one option on that pass route. It was Michael Pittman Jr. selling the pick play, peeling off into the back of the end zone and scoring that touchdown. That was their one option on that play, but they felt so good about that one call and so good about what kind of look they were going to get by the Titans that they were able to call that play with a lot of confidence that Pittman was going to get open. And it was really isolating your best player in an optimal situation, giving him the leverage to succeed and getting him into the back of the end zone

Starting point is 00:08:32 and just giving him a chance. I think they need to go back to more of that stuff. We saw it early in the season too. I mean, even I think it was in the Jacksonville Jaguars blowout loss that isolated Josh Downs on the backside, had him win over the middle, and they were able to get him on that quick pass over the middle of the field. We saw with Anthony Richardson early in the season, they had that go-to play where it was that RPO QB draw type play in the red zone.

Starting point is 00:08:53 Now, I'm not saying you can do that with Gardner Minshew. I'm just saying that have those type of go-to plays where even if it is a one-read type play or a two-read type play where you're isolating your best players, you've got to get some mismatches going here in the trenches to, to find success in the red zone. It can't just be inside zone, inside zone, and then drop back pass where we're going to have four reads on the play. Like that's just not going to work in that condensed area with your backup quarterback. You need to get down into, you know, again, get to your 10 yard line, get to your five yard line, whatever it is. Find your couple of plays where you're isolating your playmakers.

Starting point is 00:09:27 Isolate Michael Pittman Jr. in the slot or backside or whatever it has to be and get him the ball. Isolate Josh Downs in one on one situations. Get him the ball. Spread everybody out and run it up the middle with Zach Moss and get some positive yards. Like find ways to isolate your best players and let them go to work. You know, just get the ball out of Gardner Minshew's hands. Get them to your best players. And look, if they can't get in from there, that's fine.

Starting point is 00:09:47 But give them a chance to get in the end zone here. I think that's what the issue is here with the Colts. They're getting too cute at times. They're overthinking some things. And as a result, it's leading to either being too conservative or too aggressive and is leading to some mistakes in the red zone. But they really want to finish drives. Get the ball to your playmakers.

Starting point is 00:10:03 Do what they've been doing on third down this past game where it's like hey when in doubt go to michael pitman jr he is having a fantastic season this year he's catching everything thrown his way uh when in doubt just go to him you know it doesn't have to be anything special it can be a fade like you're saying it can be a a quick slant and just have him win over win after the catch there it can be a receiver screen to him on first or second down. Just get the ball in your playmakers hands in space and let them do their thing. I think it's a very simplistic fix there, but I think it is something that the Colts can definitely do. I agree. And I mean, there's going to be a natural regression. We've seen Anthony Richardson is apparently automatic in the red

Starting point is 00:10:39 zone. He's not there. Jonathan Taylor, you miss a lot without him in the red zone because he's always feasted with those runs inside the five, inside the ten, converting those into touchdowns or at least getting them down towards the goal line. So, I mean, there naturally will be some regression, but I agree with you. Just accentuate your best players. They have the strengths and the abilities to get in there. So it's just going to be an adjustment, but one they have to make. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:11:05 I mean, look, again, at the end of but when they have to make. Yeah. I mean, look again at the end of the day, they're moving the ball. I can only ask. I've been telling you guys for weeks, as long as they have high success rate and operational offense, I can't complain too much, but let's go that next step.

Starting point is 00:11:14 Let's convert some of these red zone opportunities. Let's convert more on third down when we get to the other side of the field and get more than three points on some of these drives. I've been coming up guys. We're going to switch gears to the defense and talk about one of the biggest moves in the whole NFL this week, Grover Stewart's triumphant return to the Indianapolis Colts. We're going to talk about that here in just a second. But first, guys, buying tickets to your favorite events shouldn't be stressful.

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Starting point is 00:13:14 Go to Locked On Sports Today on YouTube and subscribe to the first ever National Sports 24-7 streaming channel. Jake, diving into our next topic today, we're talking about the Colts defense. We're talking about the Colts defense. We're talking about the Colts run defense. We're talking about their defensive line, getting the biggest boost that you can really hope for right now. And that is Grover Stewart returning to the team. They've been granted their one week roster exemption for Grover coming back. So he will be activated this week. Shane Steichen talked about him today and just how big of an impact it is to get him back out there. It doesn't look like there's going to be any limitations on Grover Stewart by any means. I mean, from everything I saw from Shane Steichen's press availability today, he said, like,

Starting point is 00:13:53 look, he's been staying in shape. He's a professional. We're ready to get him out there. It's going to be a big, big thing for him. Now, Steichen did say that the guys behind him have been playing well, which that's just coach speak. There's no chance he actually meant that, but getting Grover Stewart back, I think this is such a massive boost for this Colts defense. And it's something that, you know, all Colts fans

Starting point is 00:14:12 should be just so excited about. Like this run defense has been just brutal the last couple weeks. Yeah, it's been horrid. I mean, just to put some numbers on it and the six games he was suited up with the Colts, they allowed less than 100 yards in three of those games. They had two games that were not great. The Ravens and Rams both ran heavily all over them. But otherwise, things were reasonable. I think they were averaging like 114 or something yards against,

Starting point is 00:14:41 which is manageable, whatever. But ever since's they teams have ran below 150 yards and on them just twice in the games ensuing like it's been a turnstile ever since like an unreasonable amount of production from the opponents uh so it's there i mean the proof is in the pudding the numbers don't lie uh very good news that they're getting Grover Stewart back. I mean, he's going to have to get back into football shape, of course, but he's also coming off essentially a massive bye week. I mean, that guy is going to be super fresh. I'm sure he's going to be playing with a chip on his shoulder the rest of these five games. I mean, very welcome change. I don't think it's going to be you know that whatever that

Starting point is 00:15:26 infomercial is with the magic putty or anything like that just like magically fixes everything like one guy doesn't fix all this because i think the you know the linebacker play probably has to come up a little bit as well like there's been some missed tackles and things but it's going to be the best possible thing that could happen for them to fix it is happening i don't know if it's going to be the best possible thing that could happen for them to fix it is happening. I don't know if it's going to cure all, all ills or whatever the saying is, but it's the best thing that could happen for them. Look at Jake dropping a Billy Mays commercial here on the podcast, the flex tape that is Grover Stewart, Grover Stewart's new nickname is flex tape on this podcast. Obviously look, look, if he fixes this run defense, we will call him Flex Tape the rest of the season

Starting point is 00:16:07 because it will take something as great as Flex Tape in a Billy Mays commercial to fix this run defense right now. One thing I did want to pose in this segment while we're talking about Grover Stewart, while we're talking about this Indianapolis Colts defense with Grover, since Grover Stewart's been out, the Colts are Colts are four and two over that span over that, that six game span. Now they all obviously had that horrendous new Orleans saints game where no matter what the saints were doing in that game,

Starting point is 00:16:34 they were successful running the ball, passing the ball, whatever it was, it was 70 yards of play basically on that same skin, that same scheme for that saints offense. But since then the Colts have essentially conceded the run game. Like I'm not saying they're letting teams run all over them because pride comes in. You're like, you're not actually going to let teams just run all over you for the heck of it. But for the most part, they're sitting back in coverage. They're letting teams get the underneath stuff, like the run game, like the short passing game. They're coming up and making plays. And as a result,

Starting point is 00:17:01 their past defense has been fantastic. They've been one of the better defenses in football over this four game win streak. And I actually looked at this, I was looking at how important run defenses across the league. And I saw four of the top 10 overall defenses in football this year are just putrid run defenses overall. The Kansas City Chiefs have allowed 4.7 yards per carry this year. The Buffalo Bills 4.7 yards per carry this year. The Buffalo Bills, 4.7 yards per carry. The New Orleans Saints, 4.5 yards per carry against. The Cincinnati Bengals, 5.0 yards per carry against. These are top 10 scoring defenses in football that are just horrible against the run, but they lock it up in the red zone. They lock it up on third down. They get turnovers. So again, I'm not saying that

Starting point is 00:17:41 Grover Stewart coming back is not that important, but it's kind of like the Colts defense was still working despite this horrendous run defense these past couple of weeks. Now, I know it was agonizing to watch, but, you know, it was kind of working and having Grover Stewart just to bring that number back down a little bit can only help. But I did find it very interesting that it's like it's a weird correlation that the Colts run defense was getting worse and worse every single week, but their overall defense was looking better and better, if that makes sense. Yeah, that's been but don't break for you. I mean, you're bending to the run game, but they're they're not speeding a bunch of points.

Starting point is 00:18:15 You know, they're not losing. They've had their performances where they've locked down opponents overall in general. So I think you're right. I mean, just because teams aren't very good against the run that's when you got to create turnovers you got to get sacks you have to get on third down that's you have to be good in those areas if you're going to be so weak in that so the colts luckily for them they've been able to get away with that so yeah i mean looking at these next five opponents you you know, you

Starting point is 00:18:45 mentioned, you know, the Bengals are on there. That's this next one. I mean, if you guys, the game as we're talking is on right now against the Jaguars. I've already seen the Jaguars have some nice plays against the Bengals. So, you know, looking at it right away, who knows? Yeah. Yeah. One thing I do want to say though is you know with these next five games the colts are playing a lot of backup caliber quarterbacks obviously they have cj stroud in the final game of the year but before that it's all pretty much backup quarterbacks you know the rest of the way for the indianapolis colts defense and while i did say the colts have been fine with conceding in the run game a little bit over this four game win streak obviously you'd rather have

Starting point is 00:19:23 teams be in third and eight third and nine more often by stopping that run early on the early downs. And what happens when you stop the run on those first and second downs, like we saw during that, that dead period of, of Titans offense in this past game is you allow this Colts pass rush that has been on fire recently to just get after it. You know, if you're, if you're having more third and nines, third and eights with the way Samson Eboo Collins been playing Quitty Pays been playing Dio Dangbo DeForest Buckner all those guys getting after it you're only helping your defense even more so I didn't want to say that I'm not excited about Grover Stewart coming back when I mentioned that run defense thing I was like you know what I like the way the Colts countered not having Grover

Starting point is 00:20:00 Stewart but let's get our stud back in there we We need him out there. He's going to help this defense. And this is one of the biggest like late season returns I can think of for a playoff chasing team. I mean, this is a massive, massive deal for the Colts and Grover Stewart's impact cannot be understated whatsoever. Yeah, it's big. The rich are getting richer. Like you said, 21 sacks the last four games. Now they're getting their stud nose tackle back. So coming up here in a second, we're going to look at the back end of it. You know, this is a secondary that's been banged up. There's been some guys shifting in and out. Are they good enough? If the Colts, you know, do punch their ticket to the postseason, are they good enough to face with some of these quarterbacks? All right, everyone, I know we come to sports to escape from

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Starting point is 00:22:15 It's still a very young group. Right now, it's Jalen Jones and Daryl Baker Jr., two very inexperienced players coming into it. But, you know, some definite learning curves. I mean, Baker got benched at the beginning of the season and was brought back because Juju Brents got hurt. We finally got to see an extended period of Nick Cross in this one. Still, it's a young group. They all have had their low moments, but in general, I've been pleasantly surprised with the fact that you can set these guys out there and they're not getting feasted on in every matchup.

Starting point is 00:22:50 They have had their moments where they've stepped up. So what do you think? Is this secondary good enough once they get past this non-murderer's row of quarterbacks that they're about to face in these last five weeks or even with some of them? I mean, do you think they're good enough to kind of go up with the big boys of the league? I think as long as they are playing within structure and with the calls of the defense, they can be good enough. I think they got the length. I think they've got the technique. I think they know what they're doing back there. Jalen Jones, I think has played really well

Starting point is 00:23:23 within structure and within the calls when he has the proper read. I think Daryl Baker Jr. has really impressed the past two weeks. I think as Jalen Jones has struggled with the top matchup, the last two games, Daryl Baker Jr. on the backside has been playing some really good football. A lot of pass breakups last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had a couple of pass breakups as well, doing some really good things on that backside. Now, do I think they're good enough to compete with prolific pass offenses? Probably not, purely because, look, they're a young tandem that is going to get burned by coverage mistakes in terms of just not knowing where to be on certain coverage calls

Starting point is 00:24:00 and maybe not matching the right receiver or not matching the right route concept and stuff like that, because they're still learning the concepts that are in front of them. Heck, the Colts defense has changed drastically since early in the season. So they're still trying to learn, you know, going from a cover three defense for most of the off season to, oh, hey, we're doing a lot of quarters now. Hey, we're doing a lot of cover two now. Now we're doing a lot of match concepts from those calls instead of doing cover three match concepts. So it is a kind of a different animal with those things. And then I think there is some issues

Starting point is 00:24:29 with, you know, if you were to go against a prolific passing offense, like let's talk about the Texans in the final week of the season, CJ Stroud, Nico Collins playing some outstanding football. You know, if there were going to be some one-on-one shots where there is going to be a jump off for it, you know, Jalen Jones andryl Baker Jr. haven't had many pass breakups this season. They are playing some good football overall. I'm not saying they're playing bad football, but they're not really making too many plays on the ball. Mostly what they're doing is they're playing within structure and playing within their technique and forcing errant throws or forcing receivers to make mistakes.

Starting point is 00:24:59 They're not really making plays on the ball right now. Neither of them have interceptions this year. I think Baker Jr. has a couple pass breakups. Jalen Jones, I think, has two on the ball right now you know I don't think either of them neither of them have interceptions this year I think Baker Jr. has a couple pass breakups Jalen Jones I think has two on the season so I I think you know you can live with them I don't think they're major liabilities but also I can acknowledge that they need to you know it probably needs to be better for you to make a big playoff run I think there is real concern uh for a playoff run or even for when they play against C.D. Stroud in week 18 or even when they play next week you know i'm not saying jake browning is this fantastic quarterback but jamar chase t higgins uh tyler boyd like that's a concerning

Starting point is 00:25:33 trio of wide receivers against uh some young and experienced corners no matter who's playing quarterback so i think there's real reason to be concerned hopefully juja brentz can come back and alleviate some of those concerns going forward but I do think both these guys are playing as well as they can play right now. Like they're not playing bad football. They're playing very solid, adequate football for who they are. But is that good enough when it comes to a playoff race or in the playoffs? Probably not. But I, you know, I'm, I'm what else are you going to do? You know, what else are you going to do? These are, this is where we're at with these guys. They're playing as well as they can. I think I'm, I'm what else are you going to do? You know, what else are you going to do? These are, this is where we're at with these guys. They're playing as well as they can. I think I'm, I'm ready for them to prove me wrong, but I am a little concerned going forward,

Starting point is 00:26:11 especially after these last two weeks where the Colts have played against Mike Evans. They've played against Deandre Hopkins and Jalen Jones rightfully as a seventh round corner has struggled in those matchups. He should not be the top corner on the team. He should not be playing against those guys, but that's the situation we're in right now. I'm concerned if Jalen Jones is the top corner going into these bigger matchups against better receivers and against better quarterbacks. But as of right now, again, I think these guys have played well. I think they're doing as well as they can, but I think it is kind of concerning seeing how they've played against better wide receivers the last two weeks. Yeah, and oddly enough, let's just say postseason play.

Starting point is 00:26:52 There are some matchups where I don't think it's going to be the end of the world. Let's say they go against the Chiefs. They've had a lot of issues with their receivers. I mean, Patrick Mahomes is a wizard, but there's been a lot of issues with that receiving core. The Jaguars, I think we've seen how that goes. Probably not going to be pretty, even though they don't contain anybody. Anybody else with the Jaguars, the Colts make the playoffs. But Lord, yeah, that might be looking ahead a little too much there.

Starting point is 00:27:17 But dolphins as well. Probably not going to go. Right, right, right. Yeah, these guys aren't world beaters. I think they're good enough for what the Colts need to do this year but you know obviously you want juju brents back you probably want another playmaker on the outside you would love to have dallas flowers back as well but you know this is the state of where we are where we are with this cornerback room but while we're talking secondary i mean two guys we don't have to worry about julian blackman and

Starting point is 00:27:41 kenny more the second they have been fantastic in recent weeks I think Julian Blackman is really coming to his own as a strong safety you're not really seeing many coverage busts from him whatsoever anymore Kenny Moore's doing Kenny Moore things all season long so the only other thing we really need to talk about with the secondary when it comes to concern is what is going on at free safety you know Ronnie Thomas has not had the best season I think we've been saying this for weeks on here that you probably should get Nick Cross some looks then Nick Cross comes in for a lot of this past game like it still was I think it was a 67 to 31 percent split or something or like something around there uh 67 split to like 30 something percent split uh but

Starting point is 00:28:21 Nick Cross comes in and I think he looked really good in all of his snaps like I there wasn't a moment out there where I thought he looked out of place or a position he made almost every tackle attempt he had a chance at which is a big improvement over Rodney Thomas so you know Jake what what do we do at free safety is it time to just give it all to Nick Cross or what will the Colts actually do something like that I, I think they need to continue doing what they're doing because at this point it's an evaluation stage. And I mean, just be honest with your evaluation, go from there. If Rodney Thomas is performing better, okay, then whittle that back down a little bit, that ratio. But if Nick Cross keeps making plays, which he is, I mean, because he also plays like a

Starting point is 00:29:04 strong safety out there. I think he does very well attacking what's in front of him. We've seen him make big stops in each of the last couple of weeks. He was in the right place at the right time for that pass breakup, whether or not it should have been a penalty in the end zone is either here nor there clean, but clean pass break. But there was no,

Starting point is 00:29:22 there was no penalty called. But no, I mean, the guy, I feel like in such a short sample size this year, we've said Nick Cross's name more than we have Rodney Thomas's. And Thomas has played the vast majority of the snaps. Now, to his benefit, he does have a couple picks in this latter half of the season like he has started to turn it up a little bit i think he looks better recently than he did the first several weeks of the year but at the same time you can't really you can't really deny that he has been involved in the coverage when there has been these big busts in coverage he is often involved

Starting point is 00:30:06 in him and jones i would say they've been the most frequent flyers when it comes to whose fault was it it was over here on this side and this this receiver just made a big play in between these two guys i mean that that more often than not has been the combination yeah yeah no i i'm curious to see if this nick cross rotation in this game was Gus Bradley saying, hey, I need my better tackling safety out there because Derek Henry is running all over us. So let's get Nick Cross some more snaps. Or if it is a sign of things to come, like Nick Cross is going to get some real snaps.

Starting point is 00:30:37 I think this next game will be a huge marker for that because the Bengals typically don't run the ball super well. They're doing it right now on Monday Night Football. They're running the ball really well. But typically they don't run the ball at well they're doing it right now on monday night football they're running the ball really well but typically they don't run the ball at a very efficient pace but they do throw the ball pretty well because they have those top tier receivers uh so we'll see if nick cross still gets some snaps in there but yeah i think in like 50 something defensive snaps this year nick cross has like five or six defensive tackles like he's he's playing some

Starting point is 00:30:59 good football when he's getting snaps just get him more snaps on the field and i think this cold secondary be okay i think that's all we have for today guys if you guys don't already make sure you're following at locked on colts at jake arthur nfl and at zach kicks to all on x also subscribe to us on youtube or wherever you listen to your podcasts we'd love your guys ratings reviews and we'll see you guys back here bright and early tomorrow morning

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