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Colts Film Room: How the Colts are scheming their tight ends open Through five weeks of the Indianapolis Colts 2018 season White Ryan Kelly Jersey , we’re seeing some interesting trends. Offensively, the Colts have done about what we presumed they would in Frank Reich’s system: heavy usage of their tight ends and running backs in the passing game.Focusing on their tight ends, the Colts have targeted them on over 27 percent of Andrew Luck’s attempts. Through the first three games of the season that number was up to 31 percent, and lately that’s down just a bit to around 25 percent in the past two weeks. With Jack Doyle being out in these last two games, that makes sense as the Colts have had to use Mo-Allie Cox and Erik Swoope as stand-ins in attempt to replace some of that production.Today, we’re going to look at some of what the Colts have been doing to scheme their tight ends open, and creating favorable matchups without Doyle in the lineup. You’ll see clips against man coverage (predominantly from Thursday night) as well as zone looks and how these concepts have worked.Smash versus man coverageErik Ebron has had to shoulder the load without Doyle in the lineup whereas in the first few games he had been used more sparingly for the most part. Andrew Luck has racked up 121 attempts in the past two weeks and Ebron has been targeted heavily as a result. Here we see the Colts using a smash concept which is quite effective versus a man-coverage look, and especially when that matchup features a physical mismatch for receiver being targeted.For this clip, Ebron is set up split out a bit from the line, and inside the slot receiver (Chester Rogers) and the outside receiver (Ryan Grant). There are different variations of the smash, but here both of the outermost receivers are set to crash the middle of the field on short in routes. Versus man you can see how this works so effectively. With Ebron running the corner route — outside of being bumped at the line of scrimmage — this leaves the 6-foot-4, athletic tight end in a matchup against the 5-foot-10 safety Devin McCourty. Ebron should win this battle each and every time, given the pass is on target. Swoope, who is also 6-foot-4 and very athletic and could be used in this manner effectively whereas we may not see much of this from Doyle given the contrast in speed.I really like this concept for what the Colts have in terms of overall talent at the receiver position, and there are some simple alterations that can be used to open up Ryan Kelly Jersey 2019 , both, the running backs and receivers. Short crossers in conjunction with verticalsThis isn’t a concept that is as effective against a man look as it is versus some zone coverages. In this clip, though, we see a cover-2 from the Houston Texans. Most of what happens here depends on the quarterback recognizing which coverage he’s seeing, and the receiver’s ability to pick it out as the route progresses. Here, Luck is getting verticals out of his X and Z receivers, a hitch from Ryan Hewitt and a drag route from the target, Ebron. Aside from the tight end, here, everyone is used to either draw the coverage downfield to set up Ebron with a one-on-one opportunity to make a play after the catch. The alternative — against this zone look — Ebron is to be used as the eye candy for the corner and linebacker, while the field side receiver is to passed the corner and sit down underneath the safety, or break in on a shallow post route.It didn’t work out that way as Luck was more concerned with getting into a rhythm and takes the tight end as soon as he passes the opposite hash. This is still a safe option for Luck versus the zone, it’s just not the optimal one in terms of eating up yardage and beating the Houston zone. This either produces something short and simple, or potentially a big play down field if the receiver can beat the safety after the catch. Expect to see some of these combinations go for big yardage throughout the season at some point.Play action mismatchesEveryone wants to call out RPOs now with this look, but this is indeed simply just the Colts using effective play action to move one defender White T.J. Green Jersey , and send out a mismatch versus another. The Colts attempted to use this same play from the other side of the formation with Cox in Week 4 as well, but this clip shows more of what the idea behind the play is.This one is pretty straight forward as well. Luck recognizes man coverage here, and uses the play to take advantage of this simple completion with very little resistance. Nyheim Hines lines up to the right of Luck to pull his coverage with him.After the snap, you see Luck eyeballing the linebacker. If he doesn’t go with Hines, Luck will likely try to hit him out in the flat. If the linebacker does follow Hines, though, Luck easily throws behind him to Ebron and gets an easy 10-yard completion deep in Texans’ territory. Of course the latter happens, and you can see that the linebacker completely vacates the middle of the field and how much area Luck has to make this quick throw. Simple design, easy execution.Post-wheel combinationMost of the time we hear of wheel routes coming from the running backs. Ultimately this is out-and-up from the Swoope, but the concept is the same. Here the Colts find themselves going up against a man look over the top, a single-high look from the safety with some zone from the linebackers underneath. At the bottom of the screen we see Swoope lined up upright near the line and Zach Pascal out wide with the idea of stretching the coverage they’re facing. This simply titled post-wheel combination is exactly what it sounds like. Pascal takes his coverage deep and to the middle of the field to occupy the corner and the safety, while Swoope executes more of an out-and-up version of the wheel route in attempt to get his coverage watching the quarterback and beat him deep.This works out nearly to perfection throughout the process of the routes. Swoope’s coverage doesn’t bite on the out portion of the route, but Swoope is able to beat his man deep with no help over the top. This is a perfect throw from Luck to the front corner of the end zone and Swoope makes a beautiful catch and nearly gets credit for the touchdown. In closing, we see that Reich is trying to use the position to create mismatches and different advantages in all areas of the field. The Colts’ once strength at the tight end position has diminished a bit with injuries and roster movements, but they still have a steady set of concepts that they can use to continue the success of the tight ends in general. How these concepts progress when Doyle returns to action will be equally interesting to watch T.J. Green Jersey 2019 , but you have to like what we’re seeing so far. The Colts tight ends have been on the receiving end of half of the team’s passing touchdowns (6) thus far, and they continue to be legitimate targets in all areas of the field. I’d say the position is actually producing remarkably well with all things considered. HOUSTON — Saturday’s wild-card game between the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans is a matchup that seemed improbable early this season after Houston dropped its first three games and the Colts limped to a 1-5 start.Instead of letting their tough starts lead to disappointing seasons, these teams — which both finished 4-12 last year — turned things around to lead the AFC South and charge into the postseason.Houston’s rebound began at the expense of the Colts (10-6), and it was thanks in part to a controversial call by Indianapolis coach Frank Reich in overtime. The game was tied 34-34 when, instead of punting on fourth-and-4 from his 43-yard line and likely settling for a tie, Reich called for a short pass from Andrew Luck to Chester Rogers. Luck’s pass fell incomplete, Houston got a 24-yard completion on the next play, and Ka’imi Fairbairn made a 37-yard field goal as time expired to give the Texans (11-5) a 37-34 victory.“We knew that to be able to come out on the winning end of that game was a big thing for us, but that’s a long time ago,” Houston coach Bill O’Brien said. “The teams have evolved over time, so it’s a new ballgame now.”The win was the first of nine straight for Houston. The Texans didn’t lose again until a visit from the Colts on Dec. 9, a 24-21 Indy victory. Houston then won two of its last three games, capped by a 20-3 victory over the Jaguars on Sunday to clinch the division — and become the sixth team since 1980 and first since 1998 to make the playoffs after a 0-3 start.The Colts’ loss to Houston in Week 4 was the second of four straight that dropped them to 1-5. Indianapolis then won its next five and nine of its last 10 to make its first playoff appearance since a 2014 AFC championship game loss at New England. Yes, the “Deflategate” game.The Colts are the third team in NFL history to reach the postseason after losing five of the first six games.These teams have more in common than their difficult starts. They’re both led by a player making a comeback after an injury.Luck returned after missing the 2017 season with a shoulder injury to throw for 4,593 yards and rank second in the NFL with 39 touchdown passes. His best games this season have come against Houston White Le'Raven Clark Jersey , piling up 863 yards passing with six touchdowns.Trying to slow him down Saturday will be Houston’s comeback star J.J. Watt, who played all 16 games after starting just eight games combined in the previous two years because of back surgeries and a broken leg. Watt led the AFC with 16 sacks, had 25 quarterback hits and 18 tackles for loss and forced a career-high seven fumbles, which tied for most in the NFL.Watt said Luck has been getting rid of the ball quicker this season, which makes his job as a pass rusher much more difficult.“You try and do different things, but at the end of the day, you try and get there, and if you can get your hands up, you get your hands up,” he said. “You just try and get there. You can’t really let it affect you, and you hope maybe he holds it for an extra second.”HILTON’S INSome of T.Y. Hilton‘s most memorable moments have come against the Texans — especially when he visits Houston.The Colts’ top receiver has caught 41 passes for 933 yards with seven TDs in seven games at NRG Stadium, and in the last two trips to Houston he has 14 receptions for 374 yards and two TDs. So even though he’s been hobbled by a bad ankle, which he initially injured at Houston on Dec. 9, Hilton insists he’ll be fine Sunday.“That’s probably why it’s starting to feel better,” Hilton joked earlier this week when asked about playing in Houston for the second time in a month.DESHAUN’S DEBUTHouston quarterback Deshaun Watson will make his playoff debut in his second year in the NFL. Don’t expect the 12th overall pick in the 2017 draft to be daunted by the challenge after he played plenty of huge games at Clemson Le'Raven Clark Jersey 2019 , highlighted by leading his team to the national title game twice. The Tigers lost to Alabama when Watson was a sophomore before he helped Clemson beat Alabama 35-31 for the 2016 national championship.“It’s just another opportunity for myself and this whole team to be able to show what we’ve got and put in the work,” Watson said. “I’ve played in a lot of big games before in college and stuff, but you can’t really pit college playoffs with the NFL. This is the hardest business, top-notch. It’s a whole new season, a whole new speed of game. So it’s going to be new for me (and) it’s going to be a lot of fun.”TURNAROUND TIMEIndy didn’t just rebound from a 1-5 start to make the playoffs. It rewrote the book.While the oft-criticized offensive line allowed a league-low 18 sacks after giving up a league-high 56 in 2017, the biggest change came on defense, where the Colts were ranked No. 11. They had the league’s leading tackler, tallied 26 takeaways, allowed only 16.4 points over the final eight games and were one of three teams that didn’t allow a 100-yard rusher all season.The Colts know it will take more of the same to advance.“The last time we did a good job, that was great for us, but this is a new challenge this week,” Reich said when asked about defending Pro Bowl receiver DeAndre Hopkins. “I’m sure they are going to try to get him going.”97<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:2018-19 NBA cheerleadersJoe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports | Joe Camporeale