Colts Notebook: Which Dynamic Players Illuminate Week Seven?
With Matt Ryan gaining confidence in his young receiver, Alec Pierce, the sky is the limit. The Colts’ offense should build off Week Six and continue the momentum.
Week Six was a coming-out party for the uptempo offense from Colts’ Offensive Coordinator Marcus Brady. Dealing with key injuries to both running backs (Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines) the offense needed to be quick on its feet.
Alec Pierce showed up in a big moment and finally scored his first touchdown. Matt Ryan showed the most poise fans have seen this season, as he stood behind a makeshift offensive line and had 389 passing yards with three touchdowns. I predict these two players will have the biggest Week Seven.
Colts Quarterback Matt Ryan Shows Poise In The Pocket
All Matt needed was time – time in the pocket that is. Week Six showed what caliber of a signal caller the team has in Matt Ryan. With the offensive line being one, if not the biggest, problem for the Colts, Matt Ryan struggled in early season games. Issues with being sacked 21 times in five games, fumbling three times, and making incoherent passes, made the signing of Ryan seem like a mistake.
However, fans might thank Coach Frank Reich and Offensive Coordinator Marcus Brady for rearranging the front five on offense. This change made it possible to implement the uptempo passing game the Colts desperately needed. Matt Ryan got passes to his targets effectively and efficiently. Keeping defenses guessing while making sure your offensive line does not cost you the game seemed to work.
Matt Ryan was not sacked at all. (Let’s acknowledge that for a moment.) Ryan was kept clean for most of the game and killed the Jaguar’s defense, completing 72% of his passes on 58 attempts. Can Matt do this all year? My guess is “yes”, but there was no Jonathan Taylor in the backfield to do some heavy lifting.
Hopefully, a healthy Taylor will decrease the number of attempts and still allow for a completion percentage between 70%-80%. Last week showed how efficient Ryan is, and this is a building block for the rest of the season. Look for Matt to have a similar game against the Titans. Let’s keep it up: more uptempo throws, accurate reads, and most of all, no turnovers.
I've been waiting for the Colts to have adequate pass protection so we could really judge what Matt Ryan can do. They had it today. Here were his stats: 58 attempts 42 completions (Colts record) 389 yards 3 touchdowns 0 turnovers 107.6 rating Game-winning drive — Nate Atkins (@NateAtkins_) October 17, 2022
Colts Rookie Alec Pierce Continues To Improve
Alec Pierce is a special talent. He’s a fighter and ” has that dog in him”. Scrappy, relentless, and consistent are the words that come to mind when most think of Pierce. Each week, he does a little bit more than the previous week and continues to exhibit a willingness to compete. No matter the route, the position, or the call, you can count on Pierce to give it his all.
Emerging as one of the top targets for the Colts, Pierce is on pace to have over 800 receiving yards in his rookie campaign. Not bad for a team said to have “no talent at the wide receiver position”. Each game, he makes his receptions count, and last week, it sealed the deal against the Jaguars. Look for Alec to continue progressing, and as he gets more comfortable with Matt Ryan, look for his production to go up.
Pierce had 80 yards against the Titans in the Week Three matchup. I predict he will produce his first 100-yard game in Week Seven. The potential this rookie has is limitless. He has the tools around him to be great. From a stellar position coach in Reggie Wayne to learning from a former MVP in Matt Ryan, Pierce will be a force for years to come.
https://twitter.com/cozyinabag/status/1581739542150717442?s=46&t=CpBVyikVFUDNjsC7zn9gPw
The best part of seeing both of these players get things clicking is that it’s early in the season. There are still plenty of things that can be fixed and tweaked. Week by week, the problems are being solved and the Colts, as a team, can showcase their true potential. Just a simple fix on the offensive line and play calling made potential become reality. Matt Ryan has a lot to prove, and Alec Pierce is trying to make a name for himself. Let’s hope that the progression continues and leads the team to a division title and post-season action.
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