Better or Worse? Colts O-Line Flips Script

When this season began, the Indianapolis Colts considered their offensive line one of the NFL’s best. It has been in pass protection, but far from it when run-blocking based on six-game numbers.

INDIANAPOLIS — Not long ago, the Indianapolis Colts embraced the “Run The Damn Ball” mantra that All-Pro left guard Quenton Nelson had printed on hats.

One year later, with the O-line returning intact, the Colts aren’t running the ball worth a damn.

OK, perhaps that’s harsh. But the rushing has been inconsistent at best and not near the level of a No. 7 ranking in 2019. The Colts (4-2) are 26th in rushing yards per game and 31st in rush yards per play as they enter a bye weekend off.

The good news is the pass protection has been arguably the best in the league with quarterback Philip Rivers taking the fewest sacks per pass attempt.

Does that make this an acceptable switch in strength? Not exactly. Head coach Frank Reich has reiterated this offensive foundation starts on the ground.

When Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly was asked about his level of frustration in the team’s rushing struggles after a Week 5 loss at Cleveland, he got defensive in reminding that the opposing players get paid, too.

True, but few get paid like Kelly, the O-line anchor who recently received a $50-million extension and is considered one of the team’s cornerstone players. The expectation for him and this O-line is high for a reason.

Offensive left tackle Anthony Castonzo, the line's elder statesman in his 10th season, offered more transparency in a Tuesday Zoom video call.

“We’re definitely not where we want to be,” he said. “We know that. It’s just a little technique thing here and there. Football comes down to such minute details. We’re going to be doing a self-scout (on Wednesday) where we really look at a lot of the stuff that we’ve been doing throughout the year and what we need to change to make that next step.

“Hopefully, this week of kind of being able to reflect and not having to worry about a game plan, but really being able to focus on the technique type things is going to make a difference for us and is going to help us out going forward.”

Offensive left guard Quenton Nelson (56) jumps into a running play involving rookie Jonathan Taylor (28) in Sunday's home win.

Colin Boyle/USA TODAY Sports

Castonzo missed the Browns game with a rib injury, which snapped the team’s NFL-best streak of 22 consecutive games without an O-line missed start, but he returned in Sunday’s 31-27 home win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

“It’s some rib cartilage stuff going on,” he said. “It actually felt pretty good on Sunday. I think I’m going to be good to go from here on out. I would say, I’ll be coming off the bye feeling 100 percent for sure.”

Rivers has taken just six sacks in as many games. The AFC South Division rival Tennessee Titans have also allowed just six sacks, but that’s in five games.

Rivers, a 38-year-old veteran in his 17th season, understands the importance of unloading the football on time and quickly. That’s part of the reason the Colts aren’t allowing as many sacks as last year — Jacoby Brissett was often indecisive, hence, the Colts allowed 32 sacks, which tied for ninth-best. That’s still respectable.

It’s worth noting that this is basically the same O-line core that in 2018 provided quarterback Andrew Luck with the best protection of his career. He was NFL Comeback Player of the Year before an unexpected retirement.

“That’s an 11-person thing,” Castonzo said of pass protection. “It’s wide receivers getting open quickly. It’s Phil getting rid of the ball quickly. Then it’s us protecting obviously.

“Like I said, we’re going to be doing a self-scout (Wednesday) and I think we’re going to see a lot of things that we need to do better to give more time and make sure that nobody is near Phil, but it’s really been the whole offense doing their jobs and when you get everybody doing their jobs, good things happen and that’s helped the protection a lot.”

As for rushing, it’s fair to consider the loss of 2019 leading rusher Marlon Mack to a season-ending Achilles tendon tear in the second quarter of the season opener. There’s something to be said for a running back and offensive line building cohesiveness.

That takes time, especially with the Colts turning to rookie running back Jonathan Taylor, who has played well while learning on the fly. Despite the unacceptable rushing rankings, Taylor’s 367 rushing yards rank 15th. An argument could be made that the rookie has been better than that, but the Colts were ahead by more than two scores in three wins and stayed conservative by running the ball into defenses stacked in the box.

“That’s always a part of it, kind of him understanding us and us understanding him,” Castonzo said. “Where does he like to cut on this play? What is he most comfortable with?

“But at the end of the day, you have to block the guys you’re assigned to block and he has to find the holes he’s assigned to find. If everybody just does their job, the running game works. We just have to make sure all 11 guys are doing their jobs and it will start to open up.”

(Phillip B. Wilson has covered the Indianapolis Colts for more than two decades and authored the 2013 book 100 Things Colts Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. He’s on Twitter @pwilson24, on Facebook at @allcoltswithphilb and @100thingscoltsfans, and his email is phillipbwilson24@yahoo.com.)