Stampede Blue
Starting wide receiver Alec Pierce missed his second game because of a concussion, and veteran Ashton Dulin took over the spot left after Adonai Mitchell’s mistakes resulted in his benching. 2 receptions for 55 yards is a statline that does not reflect the impact Dulin had on the game, and it is worth taking into account that a holding flag by Joe Bachie wiped out a kickoff return for a touchdown by Dulin. Pierce should be back this week, but Dulin has once again shown a reliability and grit that makes him the ideal #4 receiver on the team. To be honest I do not care about Mitchell’s potential, I like how hard Dulin plays.
After missing the Rams’ game because of a toe injury, right guard Matt Goncalves picked off right where he left off, posting the best game of a Colts’ offense linemen this season according to PFF.com. Goncalves was expected to be perhaps the weak link in the offensive line, but he has actually been the strongest, at least in pass-protection, and is one of the biggest reasons for Daniel Jones’ success.
Overcoming a sluggish start returning from his Achilles tear, Ebukam had his best game of the season, and is slowly getting his feet back under him. This is a welcome sight considering that Kwity Paye has failed to make explosive plays his entire career, and that rookie J.T. Tuimoloau seems to be a bit behind on the coaching staff consideration. Ebukam was really productive on his first year with the Colts before the injury, and is a free-agent after this season so he is playing for a new contract.
Xavien Howard and Mekhi Blackmon have been disappointing in place of the injured Jaylon Jones, giving the opportunity to UDFA Johnathan Edwards to earn meaningful playing time, and he did not disappoint against the Raiders. It was not as hard as having to cover Puka Nacua receiving balls from Matthew Stafford, but Edwards had a really good game against the Raiders, playing just 25% of the snaps. With Jones still out, he could be in line to play more in the upcoming weeks.
Another solid start for Indiana Jones who is quietting the doubters that thought his strong start was just a mirage (I was one of those doubters). He is exactly what the Colts needed from the quarterback position, and even more, taking excellent care of the football once again, getting key third down conversions, and even managing to extend plays with his pocket. Encapsulating him as a glorified game-manager would be a mistake, he is playing incredible football, and five games is a large enough sample size for me to say that this resurgence is for real.
This has nothing to do with him being placed on IR, but because of how bad he was against the Raiders, probably the...
