INDIANAPOLIS – Even though the Colts will play indoors or in the state of Florida their next 6 games, Frank Reich had his boys outdoors for practice on Wednesday.
Temps in the low 30s greeted the Colts (4-5) as they returned to work in preparation for a huge visit from the Titans (5-4) in Week 11.
Here is the Wednesday notebook look at the Colts:
- The Colts will use their second ‘IR to return candidate’ slot on Joe Haeg in 2018. Haeg could provide needed depth, with versatility, when he does return. The earliest Haeg is eligible to play comes in Week 13 at Jacksonville (on Dec. 2). Haeg first hurt his ankle in a Week Three loss to the Eagles. With Haeg and Tyquan Lewis now using those 2 spots, that officially ends the season for other IR guys in S-Matthias Farley, WR-Marcus Johnson, DT-Jihad Ward and OT-J’Marcus Webb.
- Listen to Frank Reich, and Sunday will be the most exotic looking challenge his offense has seen in 2018. Reich was very detailed on Wednesday in describing the Titans defense. He pointed out how the Titans are the most ‘multiple’ defensive front in the NFL, with various personnel packages and disguising things well pre-snap. Reich said the Titans have caused the worst quarterback rating in the NFL when blitzing. Andrew Luck and Ryan Kelly have been tremendous this season in identifying potential free runners pre-snap. They will have their hands full with that on Sunday, especially with the Titans 1st in the NFL in scoring defense (16.8 points per game).
- Speaking of the offensive line, Reich does not think it is by coincidence this 185 pass attempt streak of no sacks began when Anthony Castonzo made his 2018 debut in Week 6. “Anytime you have a left tackle the caliber of Anthony Castonzo, it really solidifies a lot of things,” Reich said on Wednesday. “There’s a lot of things you can do in protection when you feel like you have the left side pretty much locked down. It affords you some other luxuries.”
- Even Reich hinted at how important Sunday’s game is for the Colts in really getting the wheels turning on the team’s playoff chances. Whether you are talking the division, or the Wild Card, this meeting with the Titans (5-4) is massive for the Colts (4-5) and their postseason hopes: “We really are locking in one week at a time, digging ourselves out of this hole, one week at a time,” Reich says. “If we win this game, our eyes are out of the hole. Then we have a vision on some things. I think this is a very important week.”
- So, Andrew Luck has a perfect 9-0 career record against the Titans. That’s kind of crazy. As you would expect, Luck downplayed the mark on Wednesday. The Titans finally ended their 11-game losing streak to the Colts last season, but the Luck hurdle remains (and they know it in Nashville).
- Luck shared his thoughts Wednesday about Reggie Wayne going into the team’s Ring of Honor this weekend. “I have a lot of great Reggie Wayne memories,” Luck said of his teammate from 2012-14. “He was a great teammate. I learned a lot from him. He was a great leader. You look around (this locker room) and there’s really not that many guys that got to play with him, so I certainly consider myself very fortunate that I did. On the field, the Green Bay Packers game my rookie year. He made some unbelievable plays. I think he had over 200 yards receiving, double-digit catches, caught 1 and sort of tipped it to himself one handed. He was wearing the orange gloves in honor of Chuck (Pagano). That game certainly stands out. And some off-the-field memories, that I will keep between us, which were fun as well.”
- Eric Ebron was asked Wednesday about his small-ish snap counts, even though he’s found the end zone more than every player in the NFL, not named Antonio Brown. In the games Jack Doyle has been fully healthy for this season, Ebron has played these snaps: 37, 16, 17, 21, whereas Doyle has had these snap counts: 77, 59, 57, 48. “I’m okay with it, because I know when I’m on the field, it’s a presence.” Ebron said on Wednesday. “Whether it’s me getting the ball or not, my presence is felt.” The 10-touchdown man calls his current role ‘sneaky and crafty.’
- At Wednesday’s practice, the Colts had 3 guys back who missed the Jacksonville game: DE-Kemoko Turay (illness), OL-Denzelle Good (illness) and CB-Nate Hairston (ankle).
- Guys that were not spotted during Wednesday’s media availability included: TE-Ryan Hewitt, TE-Erik Swoope, S-Malik Hooker, S-Clayton Geathers, RB-Marlon Mack, LB-Anthony Walker.
WEDNESDAY’S INJURY REPORT
DNP: S-Clayton Geathers (knee), TE-Ryan Hewitt (ankle), S-Malik Hooker (hip), RB-Marlon Mack (non injury related), CB-Chris Milton (non injury related), S-Mike Mitchell (calf), TE-Erik Swoope (knee), LB-Anthony Walker (neck)
–Bowen’s Analysis: The Colts were down their top three safeties on Wednesday, plus second-leading tackler Anthony Walker.
LIMITED: CB-Nate Hairston (ankle)
–Bowen’s Analysis: Hairston was ruled OUT for the win over Jacksonville this past Saturday.
FULL: OL-Denzelle Good (illness), LG-Quenton Nelson (back), DE-Kemoko Turay (neck)
–Bowen’s Analysis: This is the first time Nelson has appeared on the injury report in 2018. Good and Turay both were inactive for Sunday’s win over the Jaguars.
