00:00:04
All right, let's welcome it into the Thursday night wrap up show.
00:00:09
SportsCastr News.
00:00:10
NFL Side of things.
00:00:12
It's Adam arm break here.
00:00:13
It's Laurence Owen over there, and this is a treat for Lawrence because not only is he always here on a Friday morning covering the Thursday night wrap up, but you got to cover his own team from last night.
00:00:23
How nice is it to not only be doing that on a Friday morning, but also doing it following an Indianapolis Colts victory on a crucial game, a crucial divisional game that they really came out and showed up for in prime time? Well, yeah, that's the thing right there.
00:00:36
Right prime time game for the Indianapolis cold.
00:00:39
So you don't see that hardly ever.
00:00:41
The national media and the average football fan don't get to see the Indianapolis Colts play.
00:00:46
They just look at records.
00:00:48
They hear the everyday story.
00:00:51
Oh, Rivers is is, uh, Washed and Xavier Rhodes is washed and And, yeah, the Colts having offensive line and they're defense is okay, but they're overrated.
00:01:01
So now you get to actually see the Colts straight up as they are.
00:01:05
Even though Derrick Henry played really a good game.
00:01:09
Um, it's just everything else about the Titans was completely and utterly dominated by the Colts.
00:01:14
So uh, no, it's great.
00:01:17
It's great to be able to sit here and talk about my team, especially after a win.
00:01:23
It's always much better to talk about your team after a win rather than you know, on Monday morning, I'm sitting there going.
00:01:28
How am I supposed to be all excited about doing my streams here when we should have beat the Ravens? Every offensive stats says we beat the Ravens, but somehow we didn't And in this game we did the same thing.
00:01:42
Only this time we came away with a W well, and by the way, man a 34 to 17 victory for the cult, and we'll get into some of the details around it.
00:01:51
But remember opening drive? The Titans came down somewhat convincingly and put seven on the board.
00:01:55
So you're also talking about 34 to 10 relatively speaking, if you take away the opening drive and obviously you don't get to just wipe that away.
00:02:04
But it was impressive how the Colts defense was able to consistently rebound and really tweak things a little bit.
00:02:08
There were ebbs and flows where it felt like they were going to break and ultimately held up nicely.
00:02:13
We'll get into that and just kind of my perspective, having really like you say, watching them a little bit from afar and not fully digesting a full 60 minutes of football for them.
00:02:22
The big stats for me when you come out about it and you mentioned it to everyone talks about Philip Rivers.
00:02:27
What is the state of him? Does he have? He's always had a weird throwing motion.
00:02:31
So this isn't just a guy who can't quite raise his arm anymore.
00:02:34
That's the nature of his game.
00:02:36
He throws for 308 yards.
00:02:38
As we highlight here, a 76 Q b are clean.
00:02:41
No turnovers, just with one touchdown.
00:02:43
I say just and I don't mean that with any level of disrespect.
00:02:47
It was impressive what he was able to accomplish.
00:02:49
And even when you go inside those numbers a little bit, Mawr here you're talking about Philip Rivers going 29 of 39 very consistent move the ball somewhat methodically on the flip side of it to stay with the Q B s Tannehill and then again credit to the defense Onley going for 1 47.
00:03:05
A bad looking Q B r had the one touchdown, no interceptions, but the rhythm was not there.
00:03:11
We highlighted on the pre game last night.
00:03:12
A lot of weapons, especially on the outside, and the opportunities just flat out did not come for them throughout this game.
00:03:18
Oh, no, there was, uh, the thing that you if you actually watch the game closely, you'll notice there was a bunch of past defenses by the courts.
00:03:29
I mean, a bunch.
00:03:30
There were some throws that were perfect by Tannehill, but the Colts defender just ran right up, went in and smack that ball down it beautifully done by many, not just the secondary, like roads and and rock Yasin and and and T. J. Carey.
00:03:47
But you got guys linebackers out there.
00:03:50
Bobby Okereke was out there slapping balls down from Fisker, and and and and guys like that.
00:03:55
So yeah, this this secondary was doing a very, very good job, letting letting them get into the spot that they wanted to get into.
00:04:04
But staying within close, keeping an eye on the quarterback, and as soon as the quarterback brought his arm up to throw the football, they would instantly close and try to knock that football down.
00:04:13
And they did a very good job doing that.
00:04:15
And let's get over into this for a little bit because I'll, you know, I'll say And I've utilized the Indianapolis Colts defense in my fantasy leagues and I see the box score and it looks like it's going well.
00:04:24
Um, but toe watch them really in totality right again.
00:04:27
Toe watch a team for 60 minutes.
00:04:29
You mentioned about about the coverage on the back end for this defense because even though Onley, I'll say only one sack but five tackles for a loss.
00:04:38
Four pass deflection, speaking to what you said is well and five Q B hits, so the pressure is in and around the quarterback consistently throughout the game.
00:04:46
And then when you have reliable coverage on the back end, what you can really kind of say here is let's get a little bit of pressure.
00:04:52
Let's make them ramp up the timing of their routes in their place and then because you trust the outside coverage, you know that even because now you're you're saving them a little bit.
00:05:01
And this isn't just about the Colts about any team taking on someone that has and a J.
00:05:04
Brown that has a Davis on the other side.
00:05:07
Well, if you give the quarterback enough time, he's going to be able to let those routes develop a little bit further.
00:05:12
Instead, you forced him to make a quick decision, and that really plays into the hands of this defense, being able to get their hand in their stay close.
00:05:20
There were penalties in this, and this is gonna be a two sides of the coin here because overall and then let's just cap off by saying 297 total yards, just 4.
00:05:29
9 per pass play.
00:05:31
They surrender the run in the run game.
00:05:32
They gave up the rush yards, By the way.
00:05:34
Most teams against Henry usually dio.
00:05:36
He finds a way to get there for you, but the big punt block, all hanging on the defensive side pump block for a touchdown as well.
00:05:42
Obviously, a special teams play, but the penalties in this one now there's a couple of them where I think you know the little ticky tack pull in the back of the jersey.
00:05:52
And until that's probably where I think you would say a little bit of a bonehead play there, what do you know? What are you doing? Make it or don't make it? But you get the hit out of bounds.
00:06:00
There on the sideline that you saw, the defender tries to let up.
00:06:02
They tag him there.
00:06:03
You get the roughing the passer hit.
00:06:05
That is kind of the confluence of just getting knocked into a defender as you're getting tackled.
00:06:11
So I know you have some issues here with the refering you can take.
00:06:15
Take the floor and express because this was a team that's relatively strong in terms of penalties overall.
00:06:20
Got hit with, I think, a seven total in this game on uncharacteristic for them.
00:06:23
Very uncharacteristic.
00:06:25
And this is something that just it's shown its face the last couple of weeks against the Ravens, where you have a nun characteristic call with that interception, right? I mean, it seems like the referees are against Indy winning games or something, because and I know like I can't be true.
00:06:46
But at the same time, no one in their right mind looks at that interception last week against the Ravens and say, That was a pick. No.
00:06:55
One, except maybe a Ravens fan.
00:06:57
I mean, he he had the ball.
00:06:59
He bobbled it the whole way that it fell out of his hand.
00:07:02
And it wasn't even a full two.
00:07:04
Not even a full second half or he was bobbling.
00:07:06
It got knocked out of his hand.
00:07:08
I don't see how that's an interception, the the personal foul on various Leonard where you know now it looks like at full speed.
00:07:17
As you were saying beforehand, Would you watch that full speed? It looks like it, but that was an incredible just not consistent enough as a team playing complementary football, playing off of each other.
00:07:27
He goes on to give some mother example in that, But you know, that's that's not the state that you wanna be in.
00:07:32
But I also think it is an apt perspectives.
00:07:35
I have of like, hey, big mistakes over here, inconsistent play on both sides of the ball.
00:07:39
That's how you end up losing a game, 34 17.
00:07:41
But on Philip Rivers side of it.
00:07:43
There were a couple of plays here that I did notice that I'm just curious if if it's concerning to you or what your thought processes.
00:07:50
He had no Alley cox one time that he could have hit, going to left side of the end zone and almost a very similar play.
00:07:55
I will forget which receiver it was, same kind of thing.
00:07:58
Where he did it was a double clutch.
00:08:00
He was waiting for it, waiting for it and both times the first time he got it out.
00:08:04
So I think it was.
00:08:05
Trey Burton got it out to him, but was stopped short of the goal line.
00:08:08
And then the Mohali Cox play ended up lobbing it to the back pylon as if he was anticipating a route to occur there.
00:08:14
But on both those plays, if he just goes with the read immediately, those were both chances. Tohave touchdowns.
00:08:19
Is that something that you've seen over the course of this season? Is Philip Rivers, who everyone says obviously knows at this point in his career to read defense's? But that second hesitation is that because we're seeing a little bit of rotation in the receiving corps, in the tight end position with injuries, that he has a little hesitation about trusting where those guys are going to be.
00:08:38
Or is that the nature of his game? I think this is something like he said 17 years in the NFL, or so I mean, he's seen it all.
00:08:46
And he expects certain things toe happen.
00:08:49
Like with that Mohali Cox play.
00:08:51
It is incredibly evident that he was expecting that safety to come up on Moheli, Cox and then morality to run right past him and hit him on the back side.
00:09:01
And he actually clutched it like that, like you said, expecting him, you know, to draw that safety and and then Cox move, and then he lost it.
00:09:09
But it doesn't happen, you know? So that could very well be just a thing that him and and receivers really do just need to sit down and and get a fuel for because, uh, most quarterbacks who who could do that with with their receivers, they've been around with those guys plenty.
00:09:30
You know, they could just give each other a look and no, this is what each other is going to do in this specific situation.
00:09:37
Rivers ain't been here that long.
00:09:39
You know, there wasn't even an off season for him to throw the football around with them, So yeah, I think that has a lot.
00:09:45
I think I think, honestly, this passing attack for the court Can Onley get better? Watch out for it.
00:09:52
I'm gonna tell you right now the kid, that kid is dynamic.
00:09:55
He had injuries or think early in the year if I'm not mistaken.
00:09:57
But he's a dynamic playmaker.
00:10:00
And then, by the way, it was quiet but effective.
00:10:03
Philip Rivers looked a T y Hilton a handful of times in this game for a little chunk plays to move the needle and you talk about anticipation.
00:10:10
I think the difference between even if you don't have rep familiarity with the player t y Hilton has NFL reps.
00:10:15
He has familiarity with defense is with how how you're supposed to run around.
00:10:20
So to your point around the goal line there, where you go, that's a pre snap read right? If you're if you're morally cox, what you're supposed to say there is on the snap of this ball.
00:10:27
I'm going to see where the safety is and if he started to edge.
00:10:31
I need to bring that thing up around and put myself on the back end where it's gonna be a safe play.
00:10:35
Low risk, high reward for Philip Rivers to be able to try to find me there.
00:10:39
And that's why I understand a younger player Guy hasn't had a lot of reps in Mohali Cox, whereas you saw that with T y Hilton look like every time that he wanted to go to him and got near the, you know, got near the sideline, it was a quick turnaround.
00:10:49
Yeah, I know it's gonna be right here.
00:10:50
I'm gonna turn my body back and then just trickle backwards at about.
00:10:53
So that's a T Y.
00:10:55
Expected the football A Rivers would throw the football before t wide even turned around.
00:11:00
Yeah, and and that's all.
00:11:01
That's all timing and anticipation and understanding.
00:11:04
Even if you don't know familiarity with specific player, this is just when you see look X, this is what you do as a receiver because you anticipate this from your quarterback.
00:11:13
So nice to touch on that.
00:11:15
That was where my mind went with it, and I think it's just good to spell that out for people sometimes because on the broadcast, when they give a nod to it off Oh, Rivers just needs to get rid of that ball sooner.
00:11:26
It's worth mentioning that that I think that feeds into older quarterbacks and what are they seeing or not seeing? Are they making the right place? This is, this just feels more like continuity and familiarity, which is something that the Colts now have another six games team due to develop and and work on as they head towards.
00:11:40
Hopefully, what feels like a division when and, uh, and a playoff run for these guys.
00:11:44
I know that's what Lawrence is hoping for.
00:11:46
Like he said about Michael Pittman.
00:11:48
He's showing a very good play maker.
00:11:51
Hey, missed over a month with a calf injury, had two surgeries on it and still came back, and he played a handful of snaps, um, against the Ravens? Well, no.
00:12:06
We played the majority of the game against the Ravens and had like, four catches.
00:12:10
He should have had a lot more.
00:12:11
He should have had ah, play where he could have had, like a 60 yard touchdown pass, but Rivers just missed him.
00:12:19
Like, didn't see him breaking breaking in front of him.
00:12:23
Um, he had, like, just a handful of snaps against the Lions.
00:12:28
This is the game that he came back on.
00:12:30
So that was two weeks ago when he came back after over a month hiatus.
00:12:35
He's legitimately, basically, this is his third week in the NFL.
00:12:39
So, uh, expect him just to get better as the season, as we say. Progressive.
00:12:45
So, yeah, Rivers.
00:12:47
That's one thing that he hasn't had this year is weapons, you know to throw to because t wise been hurt.
00:12:54
Michael Pittman Jr has been hurt.
00:12:56
Paris Campbell's been hurt.
00:12:57
He's been dealing with guys.
00:12:59
Toe Michael Harris, who was basically off the street.
00:13:03
Marcus Johnson, who was on the practice squad.
00:13:05
You know, guys like that, and now he's getting his actual weapons back.
00:13:10
This office will be a much more dynamic.
00:13:13
Yeah, and if if you think about it, man, if if Pittman develops and you start to go toe have within that group, if he could become a dangerous threat because he looks like that kind of home run kind of play guy, if he develops, then T y Hilton.
00:13:27
If t y Hilton gets to be, if it's one a one B, you know, and you get started to get favorable matchups on a week to week basis.
00:13:34
That's how all of a sudden you get to pick your poison kind of scenario that will be exciting to watch for the Colts.
00:13:38
Listen, everybody, you're following us live here.
00:13:42
We talk about everyone coming in on the live streams.
00:13:44
We got 44 live viewers.
00:13:46
I see mobo McGeough.
00:13:48
I like that name.
00:13:49
We also see J writes about sports as well as a J. Briggs.
00:13:54
Good to see everybody in here on the stream enjoying it if you're not in the chat there.
00:13:58
If I'm not giving a shout out, it just means make yourself a profile.
00:14:01
You can go ahead and give yourself an opportunity to reach up above Lawrence's head and think about dropping a donation if you're enjoying the content.
00:14:08
But once you make the profile, you get to be a part of the conversation.
00:14:11
If you have questions, you can fire him out to us.
00:14:14
If you have comments if you think we're off base, especially in some of the preview games.
00:14:17
That's when we really like to get into some of the debates with the fans out there.
00:14:21
Do yourself a favor. Do us a favor.
00:14:23
Go ahead, make yourself a profile.
00:14:25
Takes two seconds to do so.
00:14:27
And then you get to be in on the fun.
00:14:29
You follow us using hashtag SCN NFL.
00:14:32
You follow Laurence Owen at Colts Law and also at Laurence Owen as well.
00:14:37
He's got multiple channels doing multiple great content myself and Adam arm breaks.
00:14:41
You're gonna be back later today, breaking down this game in a much more in depth way where you dive in on some of that film, right? And really break down key plays And how the Colts were able to get to this victory.
00:14:51
Yeah, it's basically my my postgame podcast.
00:14:54
Uh, I I'll have ah couple guests with me.
00:14:59
I'm not going to spoil it for people, so just make sure that you give me a follow.
00:15:03
That way you're notified when I go live.
00:15:05
It should be around 5 p.
00:15:07
Eastern standard time.
00:15:09
Check that out from Lawrence.
00:15:11
If you're looking for giants content, it's a bad year.
00:15:12
But I'm still here for you.
00:15:13
Three days a week, covering that as well Until next time.
00:15:17
Thank you for checking in with us and we will catch up with you soon.