New York Giants Week 17: First Look at Indianapolis Colts’ Offense
The New York Giants’ wish to secure a playoff berth will have to wait at least another week, courtesy of an ending that has become all too familiar for the franchise.
On a Christmas Eve showdown in the Twin Cities, the Giants rebounded from an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter behind a 27-yard touchdown run by Saquon Barkley and a two-point conversion from Daniel Bellinger to tie things up with two minutes remaining.
However, after earlier miscues cost them points, Big Blue watched Vikings’ kicker Greg Joseph nail a 61-yard boot as time expired to steal away their dreams in a 27-24 victory for Minnesota.
Playing against one of the league’s worst pass defenses, quarterback Daniel Jones gifted the Giants faithful with his second-best performance of the season. Throwing 42 passes (his second-highest total this season), he completed 30 attempts for 334 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, including an average of 8.0 yards per connection.
Beyond Jones’ contributions, the Giants’ offense also received some helpful additions from their skill player units. Running back Saquon Barkley had his second game with at least 80 yards rushing and a touchdown, while three receivers finished with at least 79 yards, including Isaiah Hodgins, who tallied a 16-yard score to his outing in the second quarter.
The defensive side even etched out four sacks, six tackles for loss, and six passes deflected to put the Vikings on their heels. In the end, two turnovers inside Minnesota territory were the difference maker between two field goals and, subsequently, the Giants notching their first playoff berth since 2016.
The holiday defeat still bore some positives for the Giants’ as their season turns to its final two games. Firstly, the team showed they could hang with the best in the league despite their massive roster ineptitudes resulting from injuries. Moreover, they’re more than alive for a playoff spot and now possess a great opportunity to clinch it against one of the NFL’s most dysfunctional opponents.
In Week 17, the Giants will return to Metlife Stadium for their final homestand of the 2022 regular season, hosting the Indianapolis Colts (4-10-1) with a trip to the postseason once again on the line. The matchup marks the 20th all-time meeting between the two franchises (including two postseason games), with the Colts holding a 12-7 advantage dating back to the 1950s when they resided in Baltimore.
Within the past 20 seasons, the Giants and Colts have crossed paths five times, and Indianapolis has had New York’s number by winning four of those contests. Their last game occurred on December 23rd, 2018, when the eventual 5-11 Giants lost a close one at Lucas Oil Stadium, 28-27. Before that, the last Giants’ victory over the AFC South team came in the 2002 season when they thrashed the Colts 44-27 on the road.
This time around, there is a stark contrast between the two sides, especially for the disheveled Colts’ organization. While New York has overachieved in their first year of a rebuild, Indianapolis’s season has spiraled out of control amid coaching turnover and a constantly fluctuating offense. The team floats near the bottom of the NFL with the worst record since 2017 and has failed to maintain a consistent offensive unit with injuries and embarrassing performances.
The quarterback position has been at the forefront of their issues, which has seen three players fill the role since September. Matt Ryan, who leads the Colts in total passing production, played the first seven games as the starter before being replaced by rookie Sam Ehlinger for the next two. The project quarterback showed he wasn’t near ready for the NFL level, forcing the Colts to go back to Ryan for four more games before switching to Nick Foles for the remainder of the year.
The inconsistency bug hasn’t stopped with whoever is taking the snaps under center, but it has also translated to the running backs department. Third-year pro Jonathan Taylor is the lead horse in the Indianapolis backfield, which would likely rank last in the league without his 192 carries for 861 yards (4.5 average) and three touchdowns. Taylor has only played in 11 games and is now on injured reserve with an ankle ailment, leaving the team with two less producing ball carriers in Deon Jackson and Zack Moss to carry the load.
Shifting out wide, the Colts are a bit more talented at the wide receiver position, bolstered by three players with at least 500 yards on their annual resume. Michael Pittman Jr., the third-year star out of USC, headlines the units with 90 receptions for 854 yards (9.5 average) and two touchdowns, followed by Alec Pierce with 536 and two scores and Parris Campbell with 529 and three scores. Yet, even their contributions have been limited by the team’s turnover woes and inability to convert drives efficiently.
Glancing at the Colts’ season-long production totals, they’ve appeared to progress downward as the weeks have rolled on. The team ranks 31st and 28th in points and yards, respectively, partially due to the league’s worst turnover ratio at 30 on the season. They also stand 30th in average yards per drive and 28th in offensive scoring percentage in the first 16 games.
In the air, where the offense can be the most dangerous, Indianapolis ranks ninth in attempts but fails to scrap the top 20 in yards (23rd), touchdowns (25th), and average yards per completion (31st) for some of their worst totals in recent franchise history. Through the ground, they sit 21st, 25th, 29th, and 26th in the same categories.
Even with all their problems in a season going nowhere, the Giants’ remain adamant about not taking this lowly Colts’ team lightly. The team understands the playoff atmosphere that will greet them Sunday in East Rutherford, but the focus continues to be on the present and improving with every chance they get on both sides of the ball.
Where things could get interesting with the Colts is their defense, which seemingly kept the team within striking distance for much of their recent loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football. The group holds opposing offenses to the 11th-lowest yards this season and has forced their fair share of turnovers with a current total of 17. Stopping the run game can be a struggle for them, but in the pass rush, they rank top-10 in opposing attempts, yards, and touchdowns allowed.
More importantly, Indianapolis doesn’t have a chip on its shoulder regarding Sunday’s contest with New York. They have more freedom to play with reckless abandonment, which could be a factor as the Giants look to produce a perfect outing to seal their playoff hopes.
A win and the Giants are in the dance for the first time in six years. Have a shocking defeat, and it could spell trouble as the NFC picture continues to tighten at the finish line. If there’s one thing the Giants learned in recent years, it’s that the last thing you want to do is have your fate rest in the hands of another team that doesn’t share your same potential.
In the meantime, let’s take a deeper look at the critical playmakers on the Indianapolis Colts’ offense and what to watch out for on Sunday afternoon.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Nick Foles (9) stands on the field between plays Monday, Dec. 26, 2022, during a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
Quarterback
It’s safe to say the quarterback position has been an absolute disaster for the Indianapolis Colts in 2022.
The franchise kicked off its latest season with former Falcons gunslinger Matt Ryan, who arrived there after being traded from Atlanta in exchange for a third-round selection in this past April’s draft. However, the experiment with the 16-year, four-time Pro Bowl quarterback lasted 12 games with 309 completions for 3,057 yards, 14 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and a 4-8-1 record. By Week 8, the 2016 MVP was benched and replaced by rookie Sam Ehlinger to see what he could do for the offense.
Ehlinger, selected in the sixth round of the 2021 draft out of Texas, didn’t find a better fate than his mentor as the new starter. In his first two career starts, the 24-year-old could only muster up a combined 32 completions for 304 yards and one interception against quality defenses in Washington and New England. After a quick 0-2 start, he was relegated back to the film room, with Ryan returning for four more starts at the top.
The team has once again benched Ryan and proceeded to the third option on their depth chart, Nick Foles, to close out the season. A ten-year veteran and Super Bowl LII champion with Philadelphia, Foles signed with the Colts in May on a two-year contract after playing two seasons in Chicago. Before that, he spent two stints with the Eagles and one with the St. Louis Rams, Chiefs, and Jaguars, respectively.
Despite earning some meaningful starting time in his stint with the Bears, Foles did not see the field for the first 15 games with Indianapolis and was instead elected to be the team’s third-stringer in the event of any emergency or downfall. That time has come for the journeyman quarterback, who carries 1,294 completions (62.4%) for 14,146 yards, 82 touchdowns, and 46 interceptions to his name.
Foles earned his first start as a Colt last week against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football, an arena where he’s gone 1-3 as a starter at home. His latest showing was far from primetime worthy, though, posting 17 completions on 29 attempts for 143 yards (4.9 average) and three interceptions for one of the worst performances of his long career. The 58.4% completion percentage was also his lowest since the season opener in 2020.
While he isn’t an insanely athletic quarterback with dual-threat intangibles, Foles can still be a serviceable “game manager” type with his skill set that made several other teams fall in love with him coming out of Arizona. The signal-caller has the size, arm strength, and solid mechanics to fill in almost any hole in the entire league and can carry an offense with sound leadership and patience in the pocket.
Playing out of the shotgun, Foles waits for the plays to develop and remains poised in the face of early pass-rush-heavy defensive schemes. He isn’t the most athletic when moving upward or laterally from the pocket. Still, he contains good peripheral field vision that helps him stay aware of where pressure is collapsing so that he can extend the play or dump off the ball to his advantage.
Coming from a West Coast style of offense that values making quick decision throws and not forcing deep balls on a sporadic basis, Foles plays at his best when he’s pitching the pigskin to short and intermediate levels, connecting with his receivers directly or leading them into the fluid catch in stride. His accuracy and ease with moving the drive in bunches make him one of the best game-managing quarterbacks to thrive in multiple locker rooms despite the athletic hitches to his game.
If Foles selects to go deep or sling the rock across his body to the other side of the field, his accuracy improves when he releases the ball off his back foot with no pressure in his face. When he remains in the pocket for a long throw, his arm strength will work in his favor to push the envelope along the sidelines or in the deep middle. Still, occasionally, he can struggle with accuracy, especially if his timing is off with the receivers.
It wasn’t a strong start to his Indianapolis tenure for Foles, but the Giants should be wary of writing him off as a sitting duck this Sunday. He has a few tricks up his sleeve that he can work to his advantage, a few of which may be reminiscent of the tools that won him a Super Bowl title.
Dec 26, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Zack Moss (21) evades tackle by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Drue Tranquill (49) during the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
Running Backs
With the ankle injury putting an end to Jonathan Taylor’s 861-yard campaign, the Indianapolis Colts will have to rely on a combination of Dean Jackson and newly acquired Zack Moss to carry their backfield for the remainder of the season.
In the team’s first 11 games, Taylor was the powerhouse behind the rushing operation and was pushing an average of 4,5 yards per carry with four touchdowns. He also had five games with at least 80 yards rushing, including two contests with at least 147 total scrimmage yards. Before last week, Taylor was placed on injured reserve, leaving the Colts with Jackson and Moss to pick up the slack for the final two games.
Through 16 games, Johnson assumes the title of lead rusher between the two ball carriers. A native of Atlanta and former undrafted free agent out of Duke, Johnson is in his second season with the Colts, where he only appeared in nine games with 13 rushes for 31 yards and a touchdown in 2021. This fall, he sits at 57 attempts for 191 yards (3.4 average) and a touchdown, adding another 134 yards in the receiving game.
In his professional career thus far, Johnson has been known as the running back with great size and demeanor for the NFL level. He also hails from an athletic background and displays great upside as a zone-scheme back who is well-versed in both inside and outside zone systems.
Used heavily in outside zone looks, Johnson does a good job at making consistent reads before and after the snap to see where the defense is leaning. Once his direction of attack is chosen, the 23-year-old takes off decisively and physically through the line of scrimmage. He’s skilled at running strong through weak-arm tackles and can withstand his above-average balance against head-on collisions.
As he’s running downhill, Johnson keeps a decent tempo and makes additional reads as necessary to keep the possession flowing toward the endzone. The one weakness to his open-field game is his speed which can sometimes allow pesky defenders to come from behind and make a stop on his large runs. Johnson is prone to fumbling the football on unsuspected hits, a concern that will light up the eyes of tail-chasing Giants defenders on Sunday.
Towards the endzone, Johnson loves to get low and stay that way as he approaches the goalline, meaning the Giants can expect the Colts to show him on plays near the pylons. He can also enter the passing game via the slot or wideout spot and catch quick screen or fade passes for an easy six points.
If the Colts want to get risky, they might flash a taste of Johnson as a passer, something he has experience doing at the collegiate and professional levels. He’s not a great pass blocker on late-down plays, limiting his ability to earn extra reps with his hands.
Meanwhile, Moss is a third-year player out of Utah who came to Indianapolis mid-season via a trade with the Buffalo Bills. In exchange for former running back Nyheim Hines, the 25-year-old transferred teams with 31 games and 224 carries, 917 yards, and eight touchdowns on his resume. With the Colts, Moss has added 177 yards to his 2022 totals which are now at 43 attempts for 286 yards and an average of 4.5 yards per carry.
Within his skillset, Moss is a well-built, well-rounded rusher at 5’9”, 205 pounds, and has an excellent combination of vision, power, balance, patience, and wiggle to be a violent weapon at any level of the field. Despite concerns about the durability of his body, the former Utes ball carrier fits well into gap and inside zone-heavy systems and has starter production potential if he gets the reps.
Before the snap, Moss also possesses solid field vision to process and react to the defense’s game plan at or past the line of scrimmage. He takes off with a rare calmness as he approaches the early penetration lane and then chooses his gap with a burst that could carry contact like a cement truck. He also isn’t afraid to drop his pads, square up to defenders with open space, and can spin arm tackles to extend drives toward the goal line.
If called upon, Moss can handle third-down duties and contribute to the passing game. He only had five yards receiving this season but has 45 targets for 324 yards and two touchdowns from his time in Buffalo.
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback James Pierre (42) tries to bring Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) down as he scores a touchdown Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
Wide Receivers
In the Indianapolis Colts’ wide receiving corps, you will not only find the best talent available on their active roster. You will also find three players with a huge chunk of their team’s offensive production throughout the 2022 season.
Those three pass catchers—Michael Pittman Jr, Paris Campbell, and Alec Pierce. Together they account for 1,919 yards and seven of the Colts’ 14 total touchdowns through the air. Two members also rank within the top 10 for at least one of the major receiving statistics, meaning each brings something to the table.
Standing at the top of the bunch is Pittman Jr, the Colts’ 2020 second-round pick out of USC. In his three seasons with the team, he’s accumulated 218 receptions for 2,439 yards, nine touchdowns, and an 11.2-yard average. This year is his third consecutive outing with at least 40 receptions and 500 yards receiving, posting 90 and 854 in the first 16 games after a career-high 1,082 and six scores in 2021.
As the Colts WR1 in 2022, Pittman Jr. is a big, smart, reliable receiver who can be plugged in almost anywhere on the field and churn production with his top-notch ball skills. His football acumen and physical frame allow him to bully the tightest of press coverage defenders and create space at three levels for highlight to contested catches. In short, Pittman Jr. is nothing short of a “possession receiver” whose talents have grown sharply over the past few seasons with Indianapolis.
The 25-year-old struggles with gaining a quick release, especially against the best press coverage, but he uses his physicality and sharpness out of breaks to create work space underneath or across his body. Pittman Jr. possesses great comeback ability to stop on a dime and work back for back-shoulder throws away from the closest defender. He also has great poise and focus when tracking down lead balls over the middle, hawking it away from his frame to protect the conversion.
Pittman Jr. can run a full route tree and is sometimes asked to attack the deep field with his ability to snag down catches along the sideline and the third level. He doesn’t have the speed or separation quickness to torch the corner in his path but will make up for that by using his physicality to get downfield and poise to elevate and track down the deep ball. His average long ball is 28 yards this season, accomplishing that in two contests in September and November.
Following in second is Alec Pierce, the rookie receiver out of Cincinnati. He was selected in the second round last April by Indianapolis after posting 106 receptions for 1,851 yards and 13 touchdowns in college for the Bearcats. Nearing the end of his first NFL campaign, the 22-year-old has collected 35 receptions for 536 yards and two touchdowns while ranking sixth-best with a 15.3-yard average catch.
Pierce has experience being a deep-ball mismatch target at the collegiate level. However, his talents in the NFL don’t live and die by the downfield trouble he causes. He’s not an elusive route runner, but instead is another possession receiver with a physical style of play and combat catch toughness to convert against zone and press coverage down to the goal line.
More than most receivers on the team, Pierce thrives at utilizing both his physical and athletic traits to expand his route tree to all three levels of the field. Being a big wideout, he comes off the snap strong and uses his initial strength to compensate for the lack of twitch that would create space in the short range. When he doesn’t come back inside, Pierce will find voids in the zone, pushing off and then running towards the middle to settle in for the open space grab.
Whether high, low or something in between, Pierce is willing to do what’s necessary to secure the next important reception. He can work back underneath after creating separation late and elongate his body to make ground-level throws near the line to gain. If he’s being chased across the field, the former Trojan can stretch and enlarge his catch radius and use his frame as a barrier from fighting hands coming over the top.
When he gets to challenging a bigger but slower cornerback in the deep field, Pierce again unveils his late separation skills as the vertical progresses. Then, he can leap up, snare and secure the contested catch at the highest point, bringing it down with strong hands for what is often a red zone scoring target. If he’s not making the mismatch catch at the goal line, then Pierce will do what he can serve as a plus run blocker on the outside or lead blocker in screen situations.
Third among the group of receivers is Parris Campbell, the Colts’ fourth-year player out of Ohio State. The Akron, Ohio native was selected 59th overall in the 2019 draft by the team, steadily increasing his production with each season of experience. In year four, he holds 54 receptions for 529 yards (9.8 average) and three touchdowns, all career-highs, with the first and third categories ranking him in the top 50 active receivers this season.
Sharing some of the same athletic attributes as his teammates, Campbell is a big slot receiver with a package of size, speed, and fluidity that creates a coverage conundrum for opposing defenders that aren’t used to guarding versatile role players. He can perform well in vertical attacks that fit his gifted hand skills, but he can also pluck throws on almost any route and gather it into an extended run downfield. If tacklers get in his way, Campbell will use his frame to truck over their initial contact or his light feet to put a move on them and dart ahead for a high-end play.
The one caveat to the 25-year-old’s talents is the crispness of his route-running, which needs a little more polish if he wants to be considered a well-rounded target in the Colts’ offense beyond this season. If he can get that down, he’ll likely see his production increase and his value multiply in the years to come.
Outside of his receiving action, Campbell can get after it as a slot blocker, contribute to special teams as a kick returner, or cover talent on Indianapolis punts and kickoffs.
Dec 26, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts tight end Jelani Woods (80) runs with the ball while Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Michael Davis (43) defends in the first half at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Tight Ends
The Colts won’t bring any special playmakers at the tight end position to MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Yet, they still have a duo of serviceable men in Kyler Granson and Jelani Woods, who will each contribute something to the overall offensive production.
Currently listed as the most productive tight end on the Colts’ leaderboard, Granson is in his second season with the franchise after being taken in the fourth round of the 2021 draft out of SMU. His rookie campaign was fairly quiet, posting just 11 receptions on 15 targets for 106 yards and an average of 9.6 yards per catch, but since then, he has been tasked with stepping up as the starter in the 2022 season.
Playing in 13 games thus far, the 24-year-old from Austin, Texas, has tallied 31 receptions for 302 yards and an average of 9.7 yards per catch, the last stat ranking him inside the top 100 players this year. He has no touchdowns to his resume but does carry an affinity for the big play every now and then, as the tight end has five games with an average catch of at least 10.0 yards and three with a long ball of at least 20 yards.
Position him against the right defensive matchup, and Granson will be the Colts’ speedy and athletic tight end that can create passing windows and make noise with yards after the catch. Taking off from the line of scrimmage, he runs like a big wideout and displays easy gliding movements through the field. He unveils a good second-gear speed to create extra space and bumps it up another notch after the catch to engage the defenders in a footrace toward the endzone.
While he has good route running ability, Granson plays a little tight in his transitions to his breaks, so the Colts’ tight end will perform better on routes that keep him striding vertically or across the intermediate level of the field. If he has to run short, comeback routes, Granson sometimes alters his route speed to throw off the defender’s balance and then makes a more efficient cut for catch-to-run transition play underneath.
Granson might be a speedy threat after his catches, but he also tends to run into trouble securing the football. His hand-eye coordination has been a little shaky at the pro level, leading to some dropped passes or the inclination to lose the pigskin when punched loose by opposing defenders. Granson also lacks much strength in my hands, meaning it could be hard for him to win contested battles with a corner that matches his physical stature.
That strength also prevents the 6’2” tight end from being an efficient blocker near the line of scrimmage. He’s more than a willing blocker from the slot and uses good footwork and body control in his attack, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Granson beat in screens and other lead routes by more aggressive downfield hitters.
Woods is where the Colts’ offense will find their sufficient dual-threat tight end. The rookie third-round pick out of Virginia has seen his passing production grow in recent weeks with some injury woes to Granson, appearing in 13 games and accumulating 21 receptions for 284 yards (13.5 average) and three touchdowns.
Most of his production has come in the last four weeks, including the game against Pittsburgh, where Woods grossed a season-high eight receptions for 98 yards and a 12.3-yard average. He’s also a long ball lover, holding six games with a double-digit catch average, including two with a marking over 30 yards per reception.
Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson (56) leaves the field Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, after losing a game 20-3 against the Los Angeles Chargers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
Offensive Line
For the defensive-heavy football lovers out there, this week’s game against the Colts might be what they’ve been waiting for all season long.
Entering Sunday’s contest, Indianapolis boasts the unfortunate distinction of having one of the league’s worst offensive line groupings, spearheaded by only one player with at least a half dozen years of experience. The unit’s glaring inefficiency in protecting the backfield has been evident by their average numbers in 2022, where the team ranks dead last in pass block win rate (47%) and 23rd in run block win rate (71%).
Just this past Monday against the Los Angeles Chargers, whose defense isn’t anything to sniff at based on the same categories, the Colts’ front five were put through the wringer in attempting to keep their quarterback upward. In one of the worst performances seen by an offense all year, they allowed quarterback Nick Foles to be sacked seven times for 39 yards while the constant pressure forced him to throw three interceptions and finish 0/10 on third-down conversions.
These troubling statistics only lead to curiosity over how the Colts’ starting blockers will handle an aggressive Giants’ defense that has climbed into the top-10 in overall pass rush win rate (44%). Last Sunday, New York’s front tallied four sacks for 29 yards on a much younger Vikings’ offensive line, leading to a belief that they will look to feast on another weary unit in Indianapolis.
Beginning at left tackle, the Colts’ will play their rookie offensive linemen in Bernhard Raimann. A 2022 third-round selection out of Central Michigan, Raimann has been battle tested early and often, posting some of the more porous numbers among offensive tackles with at least 500 snaps this season.
In 579 total snaps—all but five of which have come at the left tackle spot—Raimann has blocked with a 95.5% efficiency rating but scored 77.3 and 67.2 marks in both 224 run and 355 pass block reps. Taking on some of the more talented edge rushers during the Colts’ schedule, the 25-year-old has succumbed seven sacks, four quarterback hits, 12 hurries, and 23 total pressures, the first category ranking him sixth in the NFL.
Likely to see some plays against the feisty Kayvon Thibodeaux along the left edge, Raimann will need to be careful with how he guards against one of the NFL’s most held exterior defenders. In his 16 starts this fall, Raimann has been penalized eight times for holding infractions, a number tied for 15th among active offensive tackles.
Following the left tackle, fifth-year pro Quenton Nelson will take on the left guard responsibilities for the Colts. The Notre Dame product was a first-round pick by the organization in 2018 and has also seen his fair share of struggles at protecting the immediate interior of the pocket. Through 1,018 snaps—647 pass and 371 run blocking—Nelson has earned an overall grade of 68.6 on PFF and has been a slightly better blocker during snaps in the former scheme.
In his second-most inefficient blocking campaign, Nelson has protected at a 97.5% efficiency rating and allowed four sacks, five hits, 18 hurries, and 27 overall pressures. A few of those numbers place him in the top 10 among guards, including his snaps and five penalties which stand 10th and 14th, respectively. His best year came in 2018 when he posted a 91.2 overall grade 98.2% efficiency rating and only allowed two hits and 18 hurries on the quarterback.
At center is Alabama product Ryan Kelly, the oldest member of the Colts’ offensive line. Drafted 18th overall in 2016 by the team, Kelly is in his seventh NFL season and has been a serviceable blocker throughout that span. The 2021 season was his most dismal campaign, holding his lowest blocking grades while giving up 29 pressures and his career-high in penalties, but since then, he has rebounded well to keep a cleaner interior for the quarterback.
Kelly has played 962 total snaps this season, ranked 10th among active centers, and most of those have come in pass-blocking sets (606). From there, he’s blocked with a 97.7% efficiency rating, five sacks, two hits, 22 total pressures, and three penalties. The sack stat is the highest of his career thus far, which could result from facing the best nose tackles in the league in recent weeks, with another in Dexter Lawrence to come.
Moving to the right guard spot, second-year blocker Will Fries assumes the starting role after playing just 22 snaps in 2021 as a depth player. A seventh-round selection by the Colts from Penn State, the 24-year-old has played in 512 snaps for Indianapolis and, unfortunately, been the weakest link on their starting front in that span.
Along with his team-worst grades that go as low as 45.1 in the passing game, per PFF, Fries blocked with a 96.8% efficiency rating and gave up one sack, one hit, 16 hurries, and 18 total pressures. Those numbers don’t rank him high atop his position. However, the pressures are his weakness and have led to his four penalties thus far.
If there’s one thing the Colts like about Fries, it’s his versatility to shift between the two sides of the offensive line. He has experience in college playing both left and right guard, something the Colts could play with on Sunday if he starts to struggle on the right end.
Lastly, another fifth-year player, Braden Smith, holds down the right tackle position. Taken in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft from Auburn, Smith has been a pretty good offensive tackle for the organization, but his consistency can sometimes get the best of him.
This fall, the 26-year-old has appeared in 945 blocking snaps—the second highest of his career—and taken many of those as a pass blocker. He’s posted pretty standard 70+ grades in all blocking metrics, per PFF, and a 96.9% efficiency rating. What’s made a difference in this current season is his heavier inclination to pressures, in which he’s allowed seven sacks, seven hits, 15 hurries, and been penalized eight times, the last marking being the highest of his career and on the starting line.
However, Smith certainly has a perseverance character in him, as he’s rebounded from this type of campaign in the past. In 2019, he recorded similar numbers in pressures with an efficiency rating that dropped to a career-low 95.4%. The following season, he rose to 97.6% and didn’t allow a single sack to earn his best pass-blocking grade of 74.8 and 80.1 overall.
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