Colts' OC Marcus Brady Addresses Lack Of Explosive Plays In Week 1 Loss
The talk all offseason surrounding the new-look Indianapolis Colts' offense with quarterback Carson Wentz in the fold was about the explosive plays through the air that this offense could create.
So far, after one week against the Seattle Seahawks, questions remain about the Colts' ability to create said explosive plays as the Colts recorded just 12 plays longer than 10 yards on Sunday on the ground and through the air, with just one play going for 20 yards or longer, which happened to be a Wentz connection with wide receiver Parris Campbell off of play action on an over route.
© Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Colts offensive coordinator Marcus Brady, speaking to the media on Tuesday, addressed the lack of explosive plays from the offense in the 28-16 loss, stating that it had more to do with looks the Seahawks were giving them, rather than Wentz failing to pull the trigger downfield or the offensive line failing to give Wentz enough time in the pocket.
“No doubt. They’re in the game plan every week and we called some of those," Brady said when asked if the lack of deep balls was just a one-game issue. "We dialed them up and they gave us coverages where we had to check out of it because it wasn’t ideal for that coverage. We try to get the ball down the field and the defense played a softer style defense there on the perimeter.”
While it's understandable that the Seahawks changed some things up and went into looks that Wentz and the offense had to check out of, the lack of truly pushing the football down the field was rather concerning.
Wentz attempted just four passes 20+ yards in the air on Sunday. On the other hand, Wentz attempted 10 passes at or behind the line of scrimmage against the Seahawks. While the screen game certainly helped mitigate some of the Seahawks' pass rushers throughout the game, that cannot be the case on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.
© Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
“That was one of things we talked about after the game," Brady said. "We felt like we had some very good drives going throughout the game, but a defense like that, they’re kind of counting on you to sustain that drive and finish in the end zone. We weren’t able to do that at times. Part of it was just their defensive scheme. For us, we just have to find different ways to eventually take some shots down the field and we’re going to continue to look for those. At the same time, we’ve got to take what the defense gives us. There were some opportunities to get a little bit more explosive plays that we just need to clean up amongst the coaches and the players.”
It wasn't as if Wentz was missing guys getting open downfield or misfiring on deep shots. They simply weren't there in general due to the play calling and the offensive line's inability to hold up long enough to push the football down the field.
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With the return of left tackle Eric Fisher slated for Week 2, hopefully the Colts' offensive line can return to the level of play it's shown during the Frank Reich era. If not, it could be another long game on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Have thoughts on the Colts' lack of explosive plays Sunday against the Seahawks? Drop a line in the comments section below letting us know how you feel!
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