Fitkul.cz | Diskuse

Colts fans remain confident in the team despite a slow start Bill Parcells famously said Youth Matt Slauson Jersey , “You are what your record says you are.” If that maxim holds true, the Colts aren’t a very good football team. At 1-4, they are dead last in the AFC South. They are one of the youngest teams in football with an average age of 25.8--that’s with Adam Vinatieri at 46. This team has just 7 players, Vinny included, who are 30-years-old or older. In line with expectations for a young team with an all new coaching staff, this team has struggled with consistency. They’ve been unable to close out games that they should have won. They have had some coaching miscues that have cost them, which you’d expect from a staff with a first-time head coach and two first-time coordinators. At times they simply haven’t been able to make the plays needed to win. Some of that is due to inexperience, and some of it is due to the team lacking talent in several areas. All this begs the question: Why are fans still so buoyant about this Colts team? Following a harrowing loss against the Patriots in New England which saw what felt like half the team exit with injuries, fan confidence dropped by just 8% according to this week’s FanPulse survey. At 84%, it still sits well above the Titans, Jaguars, and Texans. Titans fans’ confidence saw a drop heading into their home contest against the Ravens.A loss to the Chiefs has Jaguars fans feeling nervous heading into their road game against the Cowboys.Despite a win last week and hosting the floundering Bills, Texans’ fans hopes are still pretty low.So what gives?There are a couple of possibilities. First, Colts fans have been hearing from Chris Ballard all along that this is a multi-year process. He set pretty honest expectations ahead of this season. This was a team that was to be a work in progress. The bar for success across the season at large was that the team show marked improvement in areas of deficiency. One of those areas which the Colts have struggled heavily in over much of the last decade is in creating an impactful pass rush. We have seen that change this season. The Colts are currently tied for 3rd in the NFL in sacks Matt Slauson Jersey Stitched , with 17. That is just 8 sacks shy of their season total last year. Definitely a sign of improvement. Another area of improvement has been in protecting the quarterback. Despite missing starting left tackle Anthony Castonzo and suffering a slew of other injuries on the offensive line, they’ve done that. The Colts have faced a barrage of tough defensive lines and have given up just 10 sacks, compared with 14 through 5 games last season. Some of this has been due to scheme and some has been improved depth and skill on the line, but with the impending return of Anthony Castonzo, the line play should be better still.Photo by Rob Carr/Getty ImagesThe linebacker group has been a major weakness for the team in recent years as well, and the breakout performance of rookie Darius Leonard has almost certainly had an impact on fans’ perception of the team. Leonard missed last week and still leads the NFL in tackles. His play so far has him as a front runner for Defensive Rookie of the Year, and that kind of spark on the defense has fans believing the arrow is pointing way up for that side of the ball. Another significant factor is the effectiveness of the 2018 draft class. There are already five players who have made significant contributions in terms of playing time from this draft class. Additionally, Deon Cain showed a great deal of promise before being injured, and Braden Smith has looked good when called upon as well. Tyquan Lewis hasn’t seen the field, going to injured reserve before the start of the season, and Matthew Adams and Zaire Franklin have been special teams contributors and filled in due to injuries. Getting this much contribution right away from your rookies is both a good and bad thing. It means your team isn’t that great because otherwise rookies likely aren’t able to start, but it also means you’ve got guys who are getting experience that will be invaluable down the road. I say all this to say, Colts’ fans expectations and confidence may be staying high due in large part to the fact that they have adopted a long view for the team. They may not be a great team this year, but with a good draft class and some key free agents Womens Malik Hooker Jersey , they can be next year. The other possibility is that fans have seen so much improvement despite the level of injury across the roster, that they think this team has the potential to go on a run. The Colts’ schedule softens up heading into their bye week, and after that they have all but 1 of their divisional games. While many don’t see the Colts as a team capable of putting together a great deal of success, they’ve been without a lot of key players early in the season and still hung around with some very good teams. If they are able to get healthy down the stretch, this is a team that has the capability of rattling off a lot of wins. Andrew Luck has rounded into form over the last two games, despite his surrounding cast largely inhabiting the medical tent. A healthy team around him could be enough to begin a major turnaround. If the Colts are able to win out through their bye week they’ll sit at 4-4 with a favorable back half of their schedule and a chance to get healthier still. Photo by Rob Carr/Getty ImagesIf there is one thing that the Colts have learned since 2012, it is that if you’ve got Andrew Luck and you are within striking distance, you’ve got a chance. Sign up to participate in the FanPulse survey here. Carson Wentz shook off rust and defenders.Wentz threw a touchdown pass on his first drive in nine months, Wendell Smallwood ran in from the 4 for the go-ahead score and the Philadelphia Eagles held on for a 20-16 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday."It was a long time coming," Wentz said after playing his first game since he tore two ligaments in his left knee last Dec. 10. "It felt great."Adam Vinatieri tied Morten Andersen's career record of 565 field goals by connecting on all three tries, but the Colts (1-2) couldn't take advantage of two turnovers by Wentz inside the 20 in the second half."I like to step out there and kick field goals," Vinatieri said, "but it's better kicking extra points, that's for sure."The defending Super Bowl champion Eagles (2-1) needed two defensive stops against Andrew Luck in the final 90 seconds.Indy had a first down at the Eagles 11 and two cracks from the 4 Womens Peyton Manning Jersey , but Luck's pass to T.Y. Hilton sailed over his shoulder in the left corner of the end zone on third down and Derek Barnett sacked Luck on fourth down.The Colts got the ball again at their 11 with 39 seconds remaining but couldn't reach midfield. Jacoby Brissett threw a desperation pass on the final play that fell incomplete."We knew we fell short in the red zone," Luck said. "Our guys gave us a chance at the end. What else can you ask on the road against the defending Super Bowl champs."Wentz engineered the winning drive with precise passes and nifty moves. Wentz eluded a sack and threw a 10-yard pass to Nelson Agholor, who hurdled for a first down on third-and-9 to extend the drive at the Colts 26.Four plays later, Smallwood scored to make it 20-16."That was huge," Wentz said.Fans welcomed back Wentz with a standing ovation when he ran through the tunnel during introductions.On a wet, soggy field, Wentz showed no effects of the injury at the start. He misfired on his first pass, then connected over the middle to Zach Ertz and kept going. Running a no-huddle offense, Wentz drove the Eagles 79 yards in 12 plays and capped it with a 13-yard TD pass to Dallas Goedert for a 7-0 lead.Wentz was sacked five times, scrambled three times and dove for a first down on one of his runs."It felt like riding a bike, get hit and pop back up again," he said.But the offense couldn't get much going until the fourth quarter. Wentz nearly gave the Colts the game.First, he stared down Ertz and floated a pass that was picked by Anthony Walker and returned to the Eagles 16. But the Colts only managed a 31-yarder by Vinatieri that gave them a 13-10 lead.After Jake Elliott answered with a 24-yarder on the following drive, Margus Hunt knocked the ball out of Wentz's hands and recovered the fumble at the Eagles 13. Philadelphia's defense again held and Vinatieri made a 28-yard field goal to give Indianapolis a 16-13 lead."Those are things that can't happen Youth Jacoby Brissett Jersey ," Eagles coach Doug Pederson said of the turnovers. "Overall, for his first time back, not so bad."Luck threw a 5-yard TD pass to Ryan Grant to tie it 7-7 after Elliott missed a 55-yard field goal wide left.QB COMPARISONColts: Luck was 25 of 40 for 164 yards, one TDEagles: Wentz finished 25 of 37 for 255 yards, one TD and one pick.SPOILED RETURNColts coach Frank Reich was Philadelphia's offensive coordinator the previous two seasons.DECORATED BACKUPWentz's return sent Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles back to the sideline. Foles replaced Wentz in Week 14 and led the Eagles to their first NFL title since 1960.NFL DEBUTUndrafted rookie Josh Adams, the fifth-leading rusher in Notre Dame history, had 30 yards rushing on six carries for the Eagles. He was promoted from the practice squad earlier in the week.BACK SCRAMBLIN'Wentz avoided a sack, ran toward the sideline and dove out of bounds for a first down on third-and-6 on the final drive of the first half. ... Luck outran Eagles defensive lineman Chris Long for a 33-yard gain in the second quarter.INJURIESColts: RT Joe Haeg left with an ankle injury. ... LT Anthony Castonzo (hamstring) was out again and RB Marlon Mack (hamstring, foot) also sat.Eagles: S Rodney McLeod left with a right knee injury after colliding with teammate Mills in the third quarter. ... RBs Jay Ajayi (back) and Darren Sproles (hamstring) were out and WR Alshon Jeffery (shoulder) missed his third straight game.UP NEXTColts: Host the Houston Texans next Sunday.Eagles: Visit the Tennessee Titans next Sunday.