Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - LOCKED ON COLTS 9/5/19: Going in-depth on Jacoby Brissett

Episode Date: September 5, 2019

On today's episode, Kevin Bowen stops by to discuss the Colts' latest transactions while looking ahead to the Chargers. First up, Jacoby Brissett and his new deal. Bowen believes this deal was a win-w...in for both sides, but cautions that the pressure is all on Brissett now to prove his worth.What is the bar Brissett has to cross in order for Indianapolis to believe he's QB1? They still have an easy out after this year if the NC State product isn't up to par.Bowen also hits on the Brian Hoyer contract, which was an easy decision when you consider the other options like Brock Osweiler, Brandon Weeden, Matt Cassell, and David Fales. Also, what's the next move for Chad Kelly? Can they carry three QBs on the 53-man roster? Bowen thinks so, but it's a tricky situation if they want him to pass through waivers first.Finally, Bowen gives his quick takes on Week 1 and his prediction. Again, another guest believes the Colts will cover the spread, so go make that money listeners! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript
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Starting point is 00:00:00 Hello, everybody. Welcome back into Locked On Colts, probably Locked On Podcast Network. And today is Osmary host Evan Satter. We're joined by a very special guest today. He's going to be coming on every two weeks on the podcast. Kevin Bowen of 1070 The Fan. Kevin, how are you doing today? Doing good, Evan. Thanks for having me on again, man. Yeah, no problem at all. And we're going to touch on a lot of stuff today before the Colts play on Sunday in L.A. We're going to hit on the game. We're going to also talk about Brian Hoyer and Jacoby Bursette. But I'd be remiss not to ask you because we haven't had the chance to talk about it yet. Yeah, I would say the craziest by far. And talking to some of my colleagues that have been in a lot longer than I have, I think
Starting point is 00:00:51 they would even agree with that. Just almost an eerie feeling is kind of how I eventually got to that conclusion of just watching this retirement happening and then seeing the shock on Colt's employees' faces and seeing people from the Bears and the press docs like, oh, my gosh, is this really happening? And the Bears people are probably like, thank the Lord this is not us. And then seeing just the amount of fans that started to find out and Andrew Luck still on the sidelines and trying to get some clarity from the Colts in that situation
Starting point is 00:01:25 and working amidst all this kind of chaotic environment, both in the press box and then eventually down on the event level outside of the Colts locker room and into the press room. It was certainly a night that I will never, never forget in my professional career. Even now, two and a half, or I guess a week and a half later, it's still shocking to me. It's still like when you see, you know, billboards around town or, you know,
Starting point is 00:01:52 media guides or just, you know, other paraphernalia that the Colts had and either Andrew Luck's face has to be taken off that stuff or just different marketing elements, let alone when the Colts talk about him in the past tense or I talk about him in the past tense. It is still just a very stunning, kind of shocking feeling.
Starting point is 00:02:10 Kevin, what's the vibe around the facility? I know you've been around there the last couple of weeks. Is it still like, can you tell on players' and coaches' faces that they're still trying to get over this, or are they now really turning the page, so to say, and it's full steam ahead of the season? I think they've turned the page, and I think you have to turn the page, so to say, in its full steam ahead of the season? Oh, I think they've turned the page, and I think you have to turn the page. You know, as much as fans, you know, might want to still, you know,
Starting point is 00:02:32 have a little bit of emotional ties to the Andrew Luck era, the 53 guys in that locker room, Chris Bauer and Frank Reich, they have to move on. Like, that's just the reality of this business. And they said, you know, bye to 37 guys over the weekend, 36 guys over the weekend. And Andrew Luck said bye to them a week prior. And it's time to move on. That's the harsh reality of things.
Starting point is 00:02:54 It doesn't need to sound cold towards Andrew Luck. But Kobe reset your quarterback. Brian Hoyer is your backup. And this is the 2019 Colts. That's just what you have to do. And so I don't think you can afford to have any sort of, man, I really wish he was here. You know, if Andrew was here, we'd run that play,
Starting point is 00:03:15 or he'd do this pre-snap. Like, he's not here. And the same way you had to move on from Peyton Manning, you had a little bit more of a grief time to do that from 2011 to 2012. Jacoby Brissette's your center. He's your quarterback. He's your franchise quarterback. You just paid him a significant
Starting point is 00:03:33 amount of money, and that's how you have to look going forward at this. The Andrew Luck era is over inside of that building. Sure, maybe there comes a day when you can honor him in a little bit more of a graceful way than he went out of Lubasol Stadium. But for right now in 2019, he can't be lurking. You can't be talking about him too much.
Starting point is 00:03:53 It would be kind of a disservice to Jacoby Reset if you handled things that way. Yeah, for sure. I agree with you there. And I wonder just from your point of view, I mean, this obviously is one of the more stunning news we've seen over the past few years in the NFL. But with a GM-head coach combination like Chris Ballard and Frank Reich, do you think they're in a good spot moving forward?
Starting point is 00:04:10 I know this is probably a lot different if they still had, like, let's say, Chuck McGahn and Ryan Grigson running the show if this happened. Yeah, I think from a mentality standpoint and how those two guys go about their business, I think the Colts are in great hands. Now, it is an awful situation that Andrew Luck has put the Colts in,
Starting point is 00:04:28 and the ability to recover from this and continue to be a sustained success sort of franchise, which is where you felt like you were with Andrew Luck, a quarterback coming into the 2019 season, that is a big question. But if you're talking about, about again just the mentality of those two men I think they are in a way built for this and they kind of embrace it almost in a in a bit of a sick way I guess you know Frank Reich's career has been a backup quarterback I've said it before on my podcast but I feel like Frank Reich every week he just goes to the medical team and he's like all right who's who's healthy, who's not?
Starting point is 00:05:06 Who are the 46 guys that are addressing? Just tell me that and we'll go out there and try to win a football game. Like that was his mentality as a player, and I think that's his mentality as a coach. And Chris Ballard, you know, since day one of that opening press conference he had in January 2017, he has always been very adamant that it's about more than just one guy. And yes, there will come points in this season, and it's something I'm going to post to 1075sfan.com
Starting point is 00:05:30 on Thursday. Andrew Luck shouldn't be missed. Like, let's not lose sight of that. Andrew Luck was a damn good quarterback and was a big reason why the Colts continually had at least eight win seasons with him under center, and achieved things when I think the overall team around Andrew Luck maybe wasn't as talented as some of the success that the Colts ended up having during those seasons. So he will be missed.
Starting point is 00:05:55 But I do think from a chaotic situation standpoint, Chris Foward and Frank Reich, I think, are wired in the right ways to be able to move on from this rather quickly. And the good news is you do have a good amount of resources, even with giving Jacoby Brissett the contract that you gave him. If things bottom out this season, you can go in a different direction of the quarterback position. Speaking of turning the page, I'm glad you brought up the Jacoby Brissett point.
Starting point is 00:06:23 That was our next bullet point on the list here, Kevin. What was your thoughts when you heard that? Because when I saw Brian Hoyer get his contract, it was $3 million, $12 million, $4 million annually per year. I think it was $8 million or $9 million guaranteed. I was expecting a Jacoby Brissett contract extension to eventually happen, but I didn't think it would happen that fast. What was your thoughts when you first saw that go out across your ticker? Yeah, I think we had kind of similar lines of thinking with the Brian Hoyer contract. Now, I knew, obviously, that Trophy Bursette handles his own contract and doesn't have
Starting point is 00:06:53 an agent, so I was a little bit like, does he want to deal with this right now? Do the Colts want him to deal with this right now? What is that negotiation process like? Obviously, I don't begin to be you know anywhere near as extensive as an ezekiel elliott situation but like there is some back and forth and jacobo yourself got a lot out of his mind right now i mean he talks about the emotional roller coaster he's been on the last you know 12 13 days since andrew left told him um you know what you know obviously the shocking news that everyone heard last Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Starting point is 00:07:26 But I think what you were doing with this contract situation is, from a prove-it standpoint, has Jacoby Bursette earned the type of money that the Colts are now giving him? No. I mean, he just hasn't. And so that goes against, I think, like normal contract 101, especially in terms of the NFL. But I think this is a unique case, and that's something that we need to keep in mind.
Starting point is 00:07:52 This is very unforeseen circumstances that Jacoby Brissett has been thrown into, and I think what this does is it alleviates some of the stress and some of the cloudy future that would have been there had Jacoby Brissett played out this final 2019 season of his rookie contract. And I think that's a big thing. You want to try to put him into a much more favorable situation and take away any of the doubt and any of the just unknown that lies ahead for him. And while I think Jacoby Bursette has a pretty good mental makeup he's a human being he doesn't have an agent
Starting point is 00:08:27 he handles these things and I had asked him well before the news broke I guess on Labor Day Monday of him getting this new contract like he knew the reality of this final year of like okay if Andrew Luck plays the whole season the preseason for Jacoby Bursette was going
Starting point is 00:08:44 to be huge from what he put on film. He knew that that was kind of a last audition sort of for him to show the 31 other teams in the league. Now, obviously, the Colts retain his security. I don't think it's anything crazy from a cap hit standpoint in 2019 or 2020. We still have gobs of cap space to move forward with. So all things considered, I think it was a wise move by both parties. And what the Colts are saying is they still firmly believe Jacoby Brissett is their franchise
Starting point is 00:09:16 quarterback. Now, this time next year, or even probably in the 2020 summer, if you go 10-6 and Jacoby Brissett plays like a 10-6 quarterback, you will probably have to give him more of that mega kind of four- or five-year quarterback sort of franchise contract. But if you go 6-10, that leaves you some wiggle room to maybe have an opt-out sort of situation in that contract and then move forward with maybe drafting a 2020 quarterback.
Starting point is 00:09:45 The opening week of the NFL is brought to you by Mack Walden. Mack Walden is a premium men's essentials brand that believes in smart design and premium fabrics. Mack Walden is better than whatever you're wearing right now. Promo code LOCKEDON gets you 20% off at MackWalden.com. That is M-A-C-K-W-E-L-D-O-N.com. Again, that's 20% off if you use the code LOCKEDON at MackWalden.com. What are the optics from this situation, Kevin?
Starting point is 00:10:07 Because we always talk about before, like the locker room knows all, the locker room follows all. And Chris Ballard's been a guy who's looked to his word so far by extending his own players. And after this situation, Andrew Luck, going to Jacoby Bursas, their franchise quarterback, they've been talking in the media about how he is their guy moving forward. Give him that extension.
Starting point is 00:10:21 What does that say to the locker room, too? I guess, like, they're going all in on this guy, and it feels like that probably permeates throughout the locker room him that extension. What does that say to the locker room too? I guess they're going all in on this guy and it feels like that probably permeates throughout the locker room when that happens. Yeah, I think it's a really good question, Evan, and I can see it kind of twofold. Some people in that locker room, do they get a little pissed off and say, wait, Jacoby Brissett is now
Starting point is 00:10:38 making, I think his average salary is the most of any player on that team and he's been a glorified backup you know, backup, you know, throughout the vast majority of his career. So that might rub some players the wrong way. But I think, like you said it, it's like, all right, they believe in Jacoby Brissett.
Starting point is 00:10:56 They've given him monetary value that, like, moving forward, he is our guy. The words are the words. And now their actions have backed up what those words are. And I think the vast majority of that locker room sees that. And they believe in Jacoby Bursette. And they want to rally around him. And, you know, I don't think guys will come out and outright publicly say it. But I think some of them in the back of their minds,
Starting point is 00:11:20 they kind of feel like, all right, enough of the Andrew Luck talk. It's time to move on. Like, Jacoby Bursette is our QB1. I think Eric Ebron tweeted it the other day. Like, that's the guy now. And you can't be worried about Andrew Luck magically appearing inside that locker. It's not happening. So I do think players respect what the Colts did,
Starting point is 00:11:42 understand the optics of the situation, that they needed to do something for him. And I think what the Colts have done is they have reinstilled that belief from a contractual value standpoint into Jacoby Bursette. And if you ask me right now, I think Chris Dowd and Frank Reich have extreme belief that Jacoby Brissett is their franchise quarterback. But I think what they need to keep in mind is they have left themselves a little bit of an out, and they need to critically evaluate this quarterback. Because I think what happens way too many times in the NFL is you hold on and hold on and believe that your quarterback is going to do something.
Starting point is 00:12:24 Ryan Tannehill, Andy Dalton, I think are perfect examples in the AFC of those two franchises clinging to hope of thinking, yes, he's going to get there eventually. He's going to get there eventually. And now both of those teams have no idea where they're turning to in their quarterback situations now, six, seven, eight years into those guys and their careers. And I think that the Colts have got to make sure that they don't fall in that same trap with Jacoby Brissett.
Starting point is 00:12:55 Kevin, what do you think is the Mendoza line, so to say, or the baseline where you're looking at Brissett and then in 2020 you have this draft class featuring Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jordan Love. You may not be able to get there on your own, but maybe you could trip and get that like Houston and Kansas City did for Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. What do you think is the baseline for wins for Brissette this year? I know there's maybe too much pressure on him to say this, but I feel like if he doesn't get over 500, maybe 9-7 or 10-6 and close to the playoffs with this kind of roster, I feel like that kind of shows he's not really a top 20 quarterback. So where would you lean as far as what's the baseline and wins for what
Starting point is 00:13:26 Perseid to do for him to really have 100% confidence he has the guy moving forward? Yeah, again, it's another really good question. I feel bad in a way just saying, like, if they go 9-7, Kobe Perseid is the franchise. If they go 7-9, he's not the franchise. Like, there's more there than just your record. If we are basing it just off record for now and saying everyone's healthy and you look like a normal whatever football team based on your record,
Starting point is 00:13:58 I would be hard-pressed to see the Colts moving away from Jacob Mouverset if they went 500 or better. I would think that would indicate that he is definitely a quarterback moving forward, and honestly, it probably would indicate that you're going to give him a new contract next summer to lock him up for, you know,
Starting point is 00:14:18 whatever, four or five more years when his contract does come up after that 2020 season. If you go less than 500, and I think right around that six-win mark, I think he plays like a six-win quarterback, then that's when I think you have to critically evaluate things. Because let's say you go 6-10 or 7-9, and you're drafted in the 8-12 area. That was a sweet spot where Houston got Deshaun Watson,
Starting point is 00:14:44 and Kansas City got Patrick Mahomes. Can you find a guy there like Jordan Love? If he's not the Herbert or the Tua or the Jake Fromm or whatever, does he fall into that area? We know full well the Colts have plenty of draft capital if they are in love with one of those other quarterbacks
Starting point is 00:15:00 that they do then move up for one of them. It's a tough question to answer. I really need to see the season play out. But that's how I kind of look at it. I think if they go 8, 9, or 10 wins, to me I feel like the Colts will give them a new contract. If they go less than that, then I think it's something to where
Starting point is 00:15:22 you have to take a really, really long, hard look and evaluate quarterback like you'd evaluate any other position on your roster. Last to clear question I have for you, Kevin, before we go on to Brian Hoyer. What are your new expectations now with percent under quarterback? Because I believe we talked a couple weeks ago where if it was Andrew Luck playing the full season at 85, 80% health, it was probably a 9-7 team. Where do you land as far as a percentage center now?
Starting point is 00:15:48 Yeah, I'm probably right in the 7-8 win range with him. Like I said earlier, Andrew Luck's going to be missed. I don't know how much detail we got into it a couple weeks ago on the podcast, but just go back and watch Andrew Luck's highlights from 2018, and the plays he makes cannot be taken for granted, and the plays he makes during those, you know, oh-blank moments of third down, red zone, two minutes, fourth quarter, can Jacoby Brissett deliver in those moments because it's one thing to deliver in 2017 or maybe you know obviously he was thrown into an awful situation but the expectations are different for this 2019 football team jacoby verset is no placeholder anymore he's the franchise how does he react to all of that pressure now onto his shoulders i'm really going to be curious to see what he does pre-snap. I know it's going to be very difficult to kind of evaluate,
Starting point is 00:16:48 but the Colts and their offense, they put a lot of leeway and freedom and responsibility into their quarterback's hands of what that guy is allowed to do in terms of pass protection and giving out of bad plays and switching kind of run stuff if the numbers don't look great there as well. So, Sposier said, sounds like he's going to have the same responsibility that Andrew Luck has. And how does he handle all of that? And certainly the end rhythm kind of quicker stuff in the passing game of being able to
Starting point is 00:17:18 identify what a defense is doing, you know, take a positive continually to move forward and not feel like it's a one, two, three, and you're hitching, and then you're hitching again at five steps and things like that. I think Nick Sirianni talked yesterday about how he feels like just the knowledge base that Jacoby has in his offense allows him to be a little bit more better with his timing, which leads to a more accurate quarterback. So I think those are all things that I'll be watching for from him.
Starting point is 00:17:50 I know there's not a lot to take away from the 2017 season, but I did think something he really did a nice job of was protecting the football. I think he had the sixth best interception rate in the NFL, which I think is pretty good for a guy just thrust into duty like he was in 2017. So I think he's got to do that again this year because he's just got more talent around him. If you can take care of it, let your weapons make plays with the ball in their hands, and you're obviously going to be behind a much better offensive line,
Starting point is 00:18:21 Scobie Brissett should have a successful season. If you're a top- 20 quarterback in the NFL, with what you have around you, you should be a successful quarterback this year. Yeah, they're certainly paying him like that. I believe he's the 19th highest paid quarterback now, so there's certainly enough to the billing of top 20 quarterback, and we'll have to see if he lives up to that.
Starting point is 00:18:37 But let's move on here, Kevin, to quickly Brian Hoyer. What was your thoughts on the Hoyer signing? Three years, $12 million. I believe they have an after this year if they want to. But I feel like we talk about the options we've seen on there before, like Brock Osweiler, Brandon Whedon, David Fales, I believe, visited the facility. I think that Brian Hoyer was easily the best option out there. What was your thoughts about that signing?
Starting point is 00:18:58 Yeah, I thought it was really smart. I think a couple weeks ago I was under the impression of, all right, sign one of those kind of holding on with my dear life veterans of Osweiler, Castle, Whedon, let that guy play the first two weeks of the season, and then I would have promoted Chad Kelly to being the backup. But when Hoyer became available, I thought that, to me, was a la Matt Castle or Matt Hasselbeck in 2013, where Hasselbeck certainly has had a much better career than Brian Hoyer did.
Starting point is 00:19:34 But I think at this point in his career, when you sign Hasselbeck and when you sign Hoyer, they are at a similar stage. Hasselbeck's probably a little bit better quarterback, but Hoyer's not far behind. And I think what you're getting into, Hoyer, is clearly a veteran voice that Tom Brady and Bill Belichick really relied on. I mean, Tom Brady's praise for Brian Hoyer is extremely high. And I think the Patriots have admitted that Hoyer's knowledge of opposing NFL systems far, far impacted not just the quarterback room in New England, but other rooms, mainly on the defensive side of the ball, and him being in five or six different offenses or different teams before he returned to New England a couple years ago. So I think it's something that was a really smart move by the Colts.
Starting point is 00:20:25 We have to remember, Jacoby Reset is still pretty young. I think he's 26 years old, I believe. You have Chad Kelly currently on the suspension list. As we're taping this on Wednesday morning, the Colts just released Phillip Walker from the practice squad. So there looks to be an opening if you can get him to your practice squad, or maybe you have to put him on your 53-man roster, which I think right now you could probably get away with,
Starting point is 00:20:52 but his injuries start to pile up, maybe not. But I think having Brian Hoyer in that room for Chad Kelly, for Jacoby Bursette, it's really smart, and it was a good move for both parties because Brian Hoyer's in a situation where, I mean, he's got a little bit of leverage himself now of like, I'm the best backup on the market. Some teams are desperate right now.
Starting point is 00:21:13 If I can get a multi-year deal out of this, I can. And as you said, Evan, the Colts can opt out of it without much of a cap hit, and really the Colts have so much cap space, they probably don't care too much that they've given him that three-year, I think it's a $12 million deal. So I think it was a wise move. I don't think Brian Hoyer can save your season.
Starting point is 00:21:33 Kobe Brissett gets hurt for a long time, but I think he's a competent enough quarterback to potentially win a game or two, and I also think he really helps out just the youth inside of that quarterback room. We're going to dive into the preview in a second here, Kevin, but since you brought up Chad Kelly, I want to get your thoughts on what you think is going to happen with him next. Is he going to be on the 53-man roster, or is he going to go to the practice squad? Because I think if he does get waived,
Starting point is 00:21:56 maybe there's an injury here in the first two or three weeks of the season. Maybe a quarterback-needy team does claim him off waivers. What are your expectations for Chad Kelly? Because personally, I don't believe that he's worth having a third quarterback in a 53-man roster, but where do you land on that? Yeah, I think he's worth it if you have the room, which is a big if. And right now you have the room because you're really darn healthy right now. As we sit here, again, the Colts haven't practiced yet this week.
Starting point is 00:22:22 Javon Shearer's about the only guy I put in Sharpie Marker as a week one inactive. I think the Colts are extremely healthy beside him. There could be a couple of others. But you won't have too many injured guys on that inactive list on Sunday afternoon in L.A. So if you're there in week three, you could keep Chad Kelly on your 53 for maybe a week or two and then try to sneak him on your practice squad later on. Now, I think the more likely situation is him trying to clear waivers. And I know that there are off-the-field issues with Chad Kelly that might shy some people away from making a move on him. But we have
Starting point is 00:23:00 to remember a couple things. He plays the most important position of any on the field, and people are desperate for quarterbacks. He also was Denver's backup last year. Like, yes, his success mainly this preseason was against, you know, a lot of guys that aren't currently on NFL rosters. But he still was Denver's backup and has been a talented quarterback in this league. So I think there is intrigue from other teams around the league in what he showed in the preseason, how clearly he's behaved,
Starting point is 00:23:31 the Colts, and what he did last year in earning the backup job in Denver. So if you get teams that suffer injuries a quarterback in the first two weeks of the year, if you get teams that go 0-2 and score 17 total points in the first two weeks of the year, I think that could lend to Chad Kelly being a bit of a hot candidate to be claimed. Similar to what the Colts did late a few years ago in claiming Stephen Morris. Now, that was kind of when you were in quarterback hell at that point in the season, but that was one eye looking towards the future. Well, what about these Miami or Washington or Cincinnati or insert other teams that think they've got a good starting quarterback
Starting point is 00:24:16 but aren't 100% sure and want to kick the tires on someone else? I think Chad Kelly could definitely end up there. So right now I'd probably put a little bit less than a 50% chance that he's able to be stuck through waivers. I think if he is, you certainly throw him on your practice squad and try to keep him there as long as you can throughout this 2019 season. It's time to celebrate. Football is finally back. And DraftKings, the leader in one-day fantasy football, has huge week one contests. The first one
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Starting point is 00:26:14 I know you're going to have a full podcast on this, Kevin, I believe tomorrow on 107.5 The Fan and on wherever you find your podcasts at for Kevin's Corner. But what's your quick keys to the game here as far as for Sunday? I think for me, with Andrew Luck not being gone, it's the most intrigued I am as far as a week one goes because I'm curious to see how motivated they are, curious to see how they fare against their Chargers team who's kind of injured right now,
Starting point is 00:26:36 but they're still obviously a really talented team with a really talented quarterback. Yeah, I mean, I probably have not gone into a game more uncertain of what I'm going to see out of the Colts in quite some time. Part of that's just because we really didn't see the offense or the defense together very much, if at all, in the preseason. And when we saw the starting offense in practice, they largely struggled. So I'm very anxious to see what they look like against a banged-up Chargers team that's missing some really key pieces to their operation.
Starting point is 00:27:11 And how does Jacoby Versette handle his first start as the guy? I mean, he is the answer and the guy now for the Indianapolis Colts. And does he get help from the skill group? Because I don't think he got help from that group very much in 2017. And I think largely the skill group hasn't, outside of T.Y. Hilton and maybe some of the tight end play. They haven't helped out the Andrew Luck-era Colts very much, or at least consistently, over the last six or seven years.
Starting point is 00:27:41 So I'm curious to see that. And then I think on the defensive side, if you look at where the Chargers have their biggest weakness, I'm talking Colts defense to Chargers offense, it's a very poor offensive line that is missing their starting left tackle. So can the Colts take advantage of that? I like the Colts D line. I like its makeup.
Starting point is 00:27:58 Can they consistently get home with a rushing four? Can Justin Houston be a guy that not only early in the season produces sacks and pressures just for the sake of disrupting opposing quarterbacks, but if he's able to do that early in the year, that then opens some things up for maybe Kamoko Turi off the other side,
Starting point is 00:28:18 or Jadika Autry in the interior, where opposing off of the coordinators think, hey, 99 in white, 99 in blue, we've got to get more hats over to him pre-snap with how you handle your pass protection stuff. So I think those are definitely areas that I will be watching. I've seen that line kind of fluctuate from three or four when the schedule first came out as a Colts being underdog,
Starting point is 00:28:41 climbed to a touchdown once the Andrew Luck news happened, now it's starting to come back down again. I probably think it's a four or five-point game where the Chargers probably end up winning this. I think they have the Hall of Fame quarterback that makes the plays in the fourth quarter and on the road. I don't know if Jacoby Brissett has that in him just yet. If he does, it'll be a great sign, and I think it might push
Starting point is 00:29:08 the Colts on the right side of the 500 bubble this season and put them in certainly talk to win the AFC South, but right now I just think it's maybe a little bit too tall of a task for the Colts to handle week one. Last question I had for you, Kevin. Appreciate the time as always.
Starting point is 00:29:24 Since sports gambling now is legal in Indiana, I'd be remiss not to ask you about the spread. I believe it's six and a half the last time I saw it. So it sounds like you think the Colts will cover that. But if you want to give us a score prediction, what do you think the score is going to be for this game? Yeah, it's another great question, Evan. I would take
Starting point is 00:29:40 those points. If I were a Colts fan, I think the Chargers and some of the injuries that they have, I'd be surprised if the Colts fan, I think the Chargers and some of the injuries that they have, I'd be surprised if the Colts defense just got totally gutted for 27, 31 points, something like that. I know that this is a big litmus test
Starting point is 00:29:56 for them as they start to play better quarterbacks, but I don't know if the Chargers will be able to score that many. I'll say something in the Chargers will be able to score that many. So, you know, I'll say something kind of like the 24-20 range, you know, 27-23 range, something like that. Obviously, it'll be a big key when, you know, both teams get scoring opportunities.
Starting point is 00:30:18 Certainly, you know, who can convert those into touchdowns versus field goals will be monumental. But, yeah, I will say I'll go with, I guess, 24-20 Chargers. Okay, yeah, that seems really reasonable. I think it's going to be a close game anyways, whatever way you want to slice it. But if you want to follow Kevin on Twitter, you can go ahead and follow him over there at kbowen1070.
Starting point is 00:30:39 Also subscribe to his podcast, Kevin's Corner, and follow his work over at 1075thefan.com. Kevin, appreciate the time. And when we talk again after week two, I think we're going to know an awful lot about how this team's going to be the rest of the year, so appreciate you coming on. Definitely. Can't wait to talk in a couple weeks.

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