Colts’ Keys to Victory Against Raiders in Week 10
The Indianapolis Colts have had a rollercoaster week, to put it lightly.
From the firing of head coach Frank Reich to the hiring of interim head coach Jeff Saturday, there has been no shortage of headlines around W 56th Street this week.
While we have talked about the coaching moves and everything surrounding this week, the Colts have a game to play on Sunday. Indy will travel out west to take on the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.
Like the Colts (3-5-1), the Raiders have not had the season they had hoped. After a flurry of moves in the offseason that included hiring a new head coach and signing a superstar wide receiver, the Raiders had playoff aspirations heading into 2022. But now, at 2-6, they are just trying to get back on the right track.
With both teams in desperate need of a win, here are the keys to victory for the Colts as they try to get Saturday his first win as a head coach.
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O-Line, O-Line, O-Line
We are now in Week 10 of the 2022 NFL season, and the offensive line has been a key to victory every game this season. The reason for this is because, as you all probably know, the offensive line has been the crux of all the offensive problems for the Colts.
The Colts gave up a whopping nine sacks to the New England Patriots in the 26-3 loss a week ago, the most sacks this team has given up in a game since 2017. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger had hardly any time to throw, and the running game did not fare well either. The result was one of the worst offensive showings by the Colts in years.
“We have to protect better,” Quenton Nelson said after the game. “We need to perform better offensively. I mean, going from week to week hearing the defensive players saying they have our backs. They’ve been holding teams to field goals and getting turnovers but we haven’t helped them. We have to figure it out offensively and it starts with the film and holding each other accountable.”
Luckily for the Colts, the front seven for the Raiders is not nearly as formidable as the front seven of the Patriots. The Raiders have the worst pass rush in the NFL, generating pressure at a very low rate and only registering nine sacks on the season. Six of those nine sacks have come from pass rusher Maxx Crosby.
But the tape is out there on the Colts, and teams have seen how they have struggled to pick up stunts and twists inside. The Colts’ offensive line will need to make sure they communicate and switch off quickly when the stunts do happen and hold their own in pass protection. This week may be their best opportunity for the rest of the season to turn things around.
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Get Ehlinger into a Rhythm
Saturday announced Monday that the Colts would continue to roll with Ehlinger as their starting quarterback. Whether that remains true after Matt Ryan returns from his shoulder injury is yet to be seen. However, Ehlinger will make his third career start against the Raiders on Sunday.
Like most young quarterbacks, Ehlinger struggled against Bill Belichick and the Patriots’ defense. The quarterback finished 15-of-29 (52%) for 103 yards and an interception. The pressure certainly did not help, but Ehlinger missed some throws and failed to take chances when they were offered to him.
“Got to pull the trigger,” Ehlinger admitted. “You know, you can't get timid. You can't start worrying about what's going to happen if you let it rip. You just got to let it rip. Especially in a game like that.
“I think I can do a lot more. And I can do a lot more to help everybody; getting the ball out on time, getting the ball out of my hands quicker. We can do a better job of – I can do a better job, I guess. I think we were in the right calls, we were ID'd well. But I can definitely do a good job – a better job of getting the ball out.”
The Colts could never get Ehlinger into a rhythm against the Patriots. Part of that was because of the lack of protection, but play-calling played a factor in that as well. With assistant quarterbacks coach Parks Frazier taking over play-calling duties, that will be one of the main focuses for Frazier on Sunday.
“I think you just try and get (Ehlinger) in rhythm early,” Frazier explained. “You want to try and get him in rhythm, get him confidence early. That way he can get into the game, get a feel for the game and as you get into that flow, now you’re in your subconscious thought. You’re not thinking about what’s going on. You’re just kind of feeling it and really executing. That’s what we want to find our identity in, is execution.”
Frazier will be Ehlinger’s third different coach in an offensive coordinator role in three starts. If the Colts are to get going on offense, making sure Ehlinger is comfortable and can execute will be a big part of that.
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Pressure Derek Carr
The Colts’ defense remembers all too well what can happen when you do not get pressure on Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr. Last season, with the Colts leading in the fourth quarter, Carr led a game-winning drive that started the collapse of the Colts’ season. Carr was hardly pressured on the drive and knifed his way through the Colts’ secondary.
Colts’ defensive coordinator Gus Bradley experienced that game first-hand as the defensive coordinator for the Raiders in 2021. Bradley also went up against Carr and the Raiders’ offense every day in practice last season. He knows exactly what can happen if Carr is given time to operate out of a clean pocket.
“Derek in practice, I mean I can remember going through and saying, ‘Does he ever throw a pick in practice?’” Bradley remarked. “You know just his game management, just how he handles everything, he loves to be in control at the line of scrimmage.”
The Colts have much of the same parts along their defensive front as they did a year ago, but we have seen guys improve in a big way. Grover Stewart is in the midst of a breakout season, continuing to clog up the middle and stuff ball carriers at the point of attack. Kwity Paye is putting things together and becoming hard to handle on the edge, finishing with eight tackles and a sack against the Patriots. DeForest Buckner has been playing at a Pro Bowl level, getting through the line of scrimmage and creating pressure.
Look for the Colts to try to get Carr off his spot early and force him into mistakes when under pressure. The Raiders have given up 19 sacks in eight games this season, just over two per game. On top of that, Carr will be without two of his top receiving threats on Sunday as tight end Darren Waller and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow – who torched the Colts last season – were placed on injured reserve this week.
If the Colts can keep the pressure up on Carr, they may be able to force him into some timely turnovers and create short fields for the offense.
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