Colts Training Camp Journal, Day 8: Jonathan Taylor Saves Offense's Day
The Indianapolis Colts offense could use a day off to regroup, and luckily for them, they'll get it on Tuesday.
On Monday, the team was back on the field at Grand Park Sports Campus for practice No. 8 of training camp. A day after their sloppiest showing of the summer, the Colts' offense didn't look much crisper although they did get off to an explosive start in 1-on-1 drills. However, when they began practicing down near the goal line, their momentum totally changed.
Overall, there were far too many dropped passes, and at least one of the interceptions thrown during live drills appeared to be a miscommunication with the receiver.
I roamed the sidelines once again on Monday for the duration of practice and now give you the contents of my daily journal.
TEAM
— The following players missed Monday's practice: Defensive tackle Curtis Brooks, defensive tackle Byron Cowart, wide receiver DeMichael Harris, offensive lineman Dennis Kelly, running back D’Vonte Price, safety Will Redmond, linebacker Forrest Rhyne, offensive lineman Jason Spriggs, safety Armani Watts, and defensive tackle Chris Williams. Linebacker Brandon King returned after missing the last two practices.
— Wide receiver Parris Campbell was on the field for the early, positional portion of practice but was held out of team drills after feeling something in one of his hamstrings. Keke Coutee took his spot among the first-team offense.
— In drills pitting wide receivers/tight ends against cornerbacks/safeties, here were the results: Michael Pittman Jr. def. Stephon Gilmore; Nick Cross def. Drew Ogletree; Kenny Moore def. Coutee; Alec Pierce def. Brandon Facyson; Tony Brown def. Ethan Fernea; Michael Jacobson def. Trevor Denbow; Michael Young Jr. def. Alex Myres; Dezmon Patmon def. Chris Wilcox; Ashton Dulin def. Dallis Flowers; Mo Alie-Cox def. Julian Blackmon; Coutee def. Anthony Chesley; Isaiah Ford def. Marvell Tell III; Brown def. D.J. Montgomery; Nikola Kalinic def. Marcel Dabo; Isaiah Rodgers def. Young; Wilcox def. Samson Nacua; Gilmore def. Pittman; Kylen Granson def. Rodney McLeod; Moore def. Coutee; Pierce def. Facyson; Fernea def. Flowers; Jelani Woods def. Rodney Thomas II; Nyheim Hines def. Myres; Tell def. Patmon; Brown def. Dulin
— The 11-on-11 team drills focused on first and second down, low (short) red zone, and then practice ended with four and two-minute drills.
— Late in practice during the hurry-up sessions, the first-team offense went against the second-team defense, and vice versa.
OFFENSE
— Quarterback Matt Ryan was 11-of-20 passing (55.0%) on the day with 1 touchdown, his first 2 interceptions of camp during 11-on-11s, and completions to Pittman (6), Jonathan Taylor, Coutee, Hines, Dulin, and Granson. Ryan's touchdown was to Coutee at the goal line, as Ryan lofted it to the back, left corner of the end zone and Coutee made a one-handed grab as his helmet came off. He then stared down the defender, Brown, after the play. Ryan's first interception came on a downfield pass to Dulin. It appeared to be a missed route as Dulin cut in a different direction than Ryan's throw. Ryan's second pick was a downfield shot to Pittman. Whether that was another miscommunication or not, Ryan overthrew Pittman and Flowers ran under it. More on the interceptions below.
— Despite the shaky second half of practice, there were some really nice plays from Ryan and the quarterbacks in 1-on-1s. Ryan had downfield shots to Pierce, Dulin, and a deep touchdown to Hines for about 40 yards. Ryan would later find Granson in 7-on-7s for a gain of roughly 20 yards as the tight end angled toward the left side of the field. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger also had another deep score to Fernea during 1-on-1s.
— During 7s, Nick Foles went deep down the right side and found Patmon for a gain of roughly 50 yards. Patmon made a sliding catch down around the 10-yard line. The quarterbacks were aggressive to start the day. Foles also found Ogletree for a short touchdown of about five yards shortly after. Last, Foles threw a nice goal-line fade to Dulin for a score.
— Superstar running back Jonathan Taylor pulled the offense out of its funk near the end of practice with what likely would’ve been a legitimate 55-ish-yard touchdown. Right guard Danny Pinter’s pull block opened the final hole for Taylor.
— The connection between Ryan and Pittman has really began heating up over the last few practices. Pittman's six catches on Monday from Ryan is almost certainly the most that any one pass-catcher has had from a quarterback this summer. It's also evident that Ryan is going to be hitting Pittman over the middle more this year than Pittman saw last year, which should help with yards-after-catch opportunities. Buy fantasy stock in Pittman.
— Dulin has caught fire lately, and even though he had a couple of nice reps on Monday, it wasn't his best day. In 7-on-7s and 11-on-11s, he had about three drops as well as the target on Ryan's first interception.
— Granson, meanwhile, has a little momentum after stacking a couple of quality days together. His receptions are beginning to go further downfield rather than just quick out routes and such.
DEFENSE
— Facyson and Pierce had some nice reps against each other throughout the day, but Facyson broke up a sure touchdown from Pierce. Ryan put a ball up high for Pierce in the back of the end zone, and as Pierce clutched it, Facyson delivered the rookie a pop that knocked the ball out, much to the delight of linebacker Zaire Franklin.
— There were several would-be sacks on the day from a very harassing defensive line rotation. I counted Kwity Paye, Yannick Ngakoue, and Tyquan Lewis with individual sacks, and Dayo Odeyingbo and Caeveon Patton combining for another. This has become a regular thing for Paye, Ngakoue, and Odeyingbo.
— Defensive end Kameron Cline blew up a run play immediately in the backfield as he met Phillip Lindsay right after the handoff.
— Linebacker E.J. Speed and defensive tackle R.J. McIntosh came up with a pair of pass breakups; Speed's in the middle of the field against Dulin, and McIntosh at the line of scrimmage, putting his hand in Ryan's passing lane.
— Blackmon has been outstanding this summer, and Monday was one of his best days. He had Ryan's first interception, as the ball sailed downfield, Blackmon tracked it and dove under it. He also had a near pick-six toward the end of practice that he just barely dropped. The other interception, made by rookie undrafted free agent Flowers, was his first of camp and came as a member of the second-team defense going against the first-team offense.
SPECIAL TEAMS
— We saw the kickers in action on Monday for only the third time of camp. It wasn't the strongest day for incumbent starter Rodrigo Blankenship, who went 3-of-5 (60.0%) on his field goal attempts, connecting from 29, 32, and 48 yards while missing from 42 and 55 yards. Jake Verity went 4-of-4, making it from 32, 42, 45, and 48 while missing from 55.
— Monday's punt returners were Rodgers, Coutee, Ford, and Hines.
— The punt coverage team worked diligently on a drill where the ball rolled quickly toward the goal line and the gunners had to run down and keep it from getting into the end zone. Taking part in this drill were Rodgers, Patmon, Wilcox, Nacua, Flowers, Brown, Fernea, Pierce, Dulin, Campell, Facyson, Young, Myres, Ford, Tell, and Chesley.
- Colts Camp Journal, Day 1: First Look at Matt Ryan, More
- Colts Camp Journal, Day 2: Matt Ryan Pushes the Tempo
- Not in attendance for Day 3
- Colts Camp Journal, Day 4: Matt Ryan Airs it Out, Defense Wins the Finale
- Colts Camp Journal, Day 5: Michael Pittman Jr. Dominates, Ashton Dulin Wows
- Colts Camp Journal, Day 6: Drew Ogletree Emerges, Defense Locks Up
- Colts Camp Journal, Day 7: Defense Capitalizes as Offense Slogs Through Sloppiest Day
What did you think of Day 8's action? Drop your thoughts below in the comment section!
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