Colts Training Camp Journal, Day 9: Defensive Front Continues to Assert Dominance
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The Indianapolis Colts took the field for practice No. 9 of training camp on Wednesday.
It was another fully padded session as the team has one more practice on Thursday before their preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday afternoon.
I roamed the sidelines once again on Wednesday for the duration of practice and now give you the contents of my daily journal.
TEAM
— The following players missed Wednesday's practice: wide receiver DeMichael Harris, offensive lineman Dennis Kelly, linebacker Forrest Rhyne, and defensive tackle Chris Williams. Cornerback Dallis Flowers was looked at by trainers on the sideline late in practice, with what appeared to be a right ankle/foot issue.
— The following players returned to practice after being out/limited at least on Tuesday: defensive tackle Curtis Brooks, wide receiver Parris Campbell, defensive tackle Byron Cowart, running back D’Vonte Price, safety Will Redmond, and offensive lineman Jason Spriggs.
— In drills pitting wide receivers/tight ends against cornerbacks/safeties, here were the results: Kenny Moore II vs. Michael Pittman (pass breakup); Mo Alie-Cox def. Rodney McLeod; Keke Coutee def. Isaiah Rodgers; Stephon Gilmore def. Alec Pierce; Ethan Fernea def. Tony Brown; Michael Jacobson def. Nick Cross; Anthony Chesley def. Michael Young Jr.; Dezmon Patmon def. Marvell Tell III; Ashton Dulin def. Brandon Facyson; Rodney Thomas II def. Jelani Woods (pass breakup); Coutee def. Alex Myres; Isaiah Ford def. Chris Wilcox; D.J. Montgomery def. Dallis Flowers; Nikola Kalinic def. Marcel Dabo; Rodgers def. Young; Samson Nacua def. Tell; Moore def. Pittman; Drew Ogletree def. Trevor Denbow; Coutee def. Myres; Pierce def. Gilmore; Fernea def. Flowers; Cross def. Kylen Granson; Young def. Chesley; Patmon def. Wilcox; Dulin def. Brown
— Gilmore has routinely gotten the better of Pierce in these 1-on-1s throughout camp, but the rookie finally made an impressive catch on the veteran in the end zone, beating Gilmore with strong hands as the two players tangled at the catch point.
— In drills pitting offensive and defensive linemen against each other, here were the results: Matt Pryor def. Yannick Ngakoue, Kwity Paye def. Braden Smith; R.J. McIntosh def. Danny Pinter; Grover Stewart def. Ryan Kelly; Quenton Nelson def. DeForest Buckner; Pryor def. Ngakoue; Dayo ODeyingbo def. Jordan Murray; Tyquan Lewis def. Jason Spriggs; Eric Johnson II def. Wesley French; Byron Cowart def. Will Fries; Bernhard Raimann def. Ben Banogu; Murray def. Odeyingbo; Lewis def. Spriggs; Johnson def. French; Cowart def. Fries; Raimann def. Banogu; Kameron Cline def. Ryan Van Demark; Josh Seltzner def. McIntosh; Brandon Kemp def. Johnson; Curtis Brooks def. Fries; Ifeadi Odenigbo def. Murray; Van Demark def. Kline; Cowart def. Seltzner; Brooks def. Fries
— Much of what the 11-on-11 team drills focused on was the offense being backed up deep in their own territory as well as low red zone work near the end of practice.
— At the end of practice, the whole team ran sprints across the field for roughly five minutes. Head coach Frank Reich told reporters afterward that, since it was a shorter practice, they wanted to get in extra conditioning.
OFFENSE
— Issues with some dropped passes and not being able to get the ball into the end zone continued for the offense on Wednesday. It was another "W" for the defense while the offense searches for rhythm and consistency in the passing game.
— Quarterback Matt Ryan was 7-of-12 passing (58.3%) with 1 interception and completions to Granson (2), Alie-Cox, Campbell, Pierce, Jonathan Taylor, and Pittman.
— Quarterback Sam Ehlinger had a great play where he found receiver Isaiah Ford across the middle of the field in the front of the end zone from 30 yards out. Ford jumped up, made the catch, and landed straight on his back, maintaining possession throughout.
— It was good to see Campbell back out in a mostly full capacity after leaving Tuesday's practice early with a hamstring. One of his highlights was a gain of about 15 yards on the right sideline on a corner route from Ryan.
— Dulin also made a nice grab during 7-on-7s. Quarterback Nick Foles found Dulin cutting toward the left side of the field, but the pass was a little behind the receiver. Dulin jumped up, reached back, and caught it.
— While the offense was lined up butted against their own goal line, running back Ty'Son Williams took a handoff and gashed what appeared to be a legitimately large pickup, right up the middle.
DEFENSE
— It was another banner day for coordinator Gus Bradley's defense, particularly the front seven. The defensive line got penetration in the backfield consistently, and corner blitzes were paying off. On one play, it seemed like the whole defense mobbed Taylor on a run out of the shotgun right after he got the ball, led by Paye.
— Buckner was a menace and had three consecutive plays where he blew through the line and affected the timing of the offense.
— Add another sack to the tally for Odenigbo, who got to Foles on at least one occasion.
— On Ryan's lone interception, McIntosh got a hand up and batted the pass, which linebacker Bobby Okereke dove for and secured. Earlier in the day, Okereke also got the inside track on Granson on a short out route and made the pass breakup. Fellow linebacker E.J. Speed also came up with an interception as running back Phillip Lindsay couldn't secure a catch in the end zone and Speed scooped the ball out of the air before it hit the turf.
— Rookie linebacker Sterling Weatherford lowered a shoulder into Fernea on a short pass from quarterback Jack Coan, breaking up the play.
— Moore came on a nickel blitz toward Ryan and was able to knock the ball out of the air while in pursuit of the quarterback. On a similar play, Brown got the sack on Ehlinger.
— On one play during live drills, Foles went about 30 yards down the right side for Patmon, and while the receiver jumped up and made a good effort to try and pull the ball in, Tell was all over it and kept the pass from being completed. Simialrly, Ryan went about 40 yards down the left side to Pittman, and Cross ran with him stride for stride, breaking up the pass.
SPECIAL TEAMS
— Wednesday's punt returners were Nyheim Hines, Coutee, and Isaiah Rodgers. The kickoff returners were Coutee, Rodgers, Flowers, and Dulin.
- 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
- Colts Camp Journal, Day 8: Jonathan Taylor Saves Offense's Day
What did you think of Day 9's action? Drop your thoughts below in the comment section!
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