Colts Training Camp Roundup: Offense Shines Against Super Bowl Defense
Today’s practice: Tuesday, Aug. 11 — Joint Practice with New England Patriots
The Indianapolis Colts finally got the opportunity they have been waiting for.
After nearly two weeks of training camp practices against themselves, the Colts traveled to New England for their first joint practice of the summer, putting their offense and defense against the New England Patriots.
This was different, faster, and more physical.
And most importantly, this was a chance to see whether everything the Colts have shown throughout training camp would translate against another NFL roster.
There were certainly some things to like.
There were also some things that Indianapolis will need to clean up.
But before the actual football began, there was some encouraging movement on the injury front.
The Injury Report Finally Moves in the Right Direction
Starting off hot with a positive updated injury report, safety/linebacker Hunter Wohler (hamstring), wide receiver Josh Downs (groin), wide receiver Laquon Treadwell (hamstring) and cornerback Justin Walley (hamstring) were back practicing today.
That is significant.
All four players had missed time recently, and getting them back on the field gives the Colts more of the depth they have been missing throughout the first portion of camp.
Unfortunately, though, cornerback Charvarius Ward did not travel with the team to New England due to some irritation relating to back pain.
As of now, there is no update on when he is expected to come back.
With Ward out, linebacker C.J. Allen (hamstring) remains on the sidelines, not practicing today.
The Colts have been cautious with injuries throughout camp, and that approach is understandable. There is no reason to risk a player in August when the goal is to have the entire roster as healthy as possible when September arrives.
Then there is Alec Pierce.
The Alec Pierce Roller Coaster Finally Gets Some Clarity
Along those lines comes wide receiver Alec Pierce, who has been given various destinations relating to when he would be expected back on the practice field.
From general manager Chris Ballard's two-to-three-week estimation at the beginning of camp to head coach Shane Steichen's open-ended uncertainty, the timeline surrounding Pierce has been one of the more confusing storylines surrounding the Colts.
It seems the clearest information we could have gotten came today when Chris Ballard spoke to the media to clear the air.
Ballard said Alec Pierce did not have a setback, did not receive a PRP injection, and that the Colts feel positive about his progress through rehab.
More importantly, Ballard said the team expects Pierce back by Week 1.
A fascinating roller coaster of information, but one that should finally be over.
Pierce was seen practicing with a trainer on the sidelines, which is normally a good sign of progress for the newly extended star receiver.
For a Colts offense that has already dealt with multiple receiver injuries, getting Pierce back could be massive.
And while there has been plenty of speculation surrounding his absence, the Colts now appear to have their answer.
Pierce is progressing.
The Colts expect him back.
Now it is simply about getting him ready.
The Most Entertaining Part Begins
Now comes the most entertaining part of the day: the first-team offense playing against arguably one of the top-five defenses last season in the New England Patriots on their home turf.
This is the type of environment where training camp performances begin to mean a little more.
There is no longer familiarity with the same teammates.
There is no longer the same defensive scheme being seen every single day.
And there is certainly no shortage of motivation when two teams are sharing a practice field.
Daniel Jones seemed to be favoring Tyler Warren early in the day.
That is a connection we know will only grow stronger through the more time they play together.
Later in the day, Jones would consistently find Warren again, with the reliability factor most definitely playing its role.
Warren has quickly become one of the most trusted targets in this Colts offense, and Jones' willingness to repeatedly look his way is becoming one of the more consistent themes of camp.
That chemistry matters.
Especially when the Colts begin facing defenses that can disguise coverage and take away first reads.
The Colts Offense Shows Up
In total, the Colts offense was operating with a high motor today, with Jones, Leonard and Richardson combining for six touchdowns.
Granted, some of the more notable Patriots defenders are out.
But still impressive to say the least.
The Patriots defense was a strong source of wins leading up to the Super Bowl months ago, and the fact that Indianapolis' quarterbacks were able to generate that much production against New England's defense is encouraging.
Jones specifically went 15-for-22 on the day.
That is another statistic the Colts would take any day.
It was not perfect.
It does not need to be.
But it was productive.
And that is exactly what Indianapolis needed to see when its offense finally faced another NFL team.
The Colts have spent the opening portion of camp showing that they can move the ball against their own defense.
Tuesday provided the first real test of whether that production could carry over.
For the most part, the answer was yes.
Then the Colts Defense Gets Its Turn
Interestingly, the Colts defense got its chance to showcase just how solid a group they are when they faced a powerful Patriots offense run by quarterback Drake Maye.
Almost immediately, newly acquired Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown made Sauce Gardner slide, as Brown beat him in coverage.
The crowd liked what they saw.
And honestly, that is exactly what joint practices are supposed to produce.
Competition.
Gardner is expected to be one of the Colts' most reliable defensive weapons, but he is not going to win every single rep.
Brown got him on this one.
Gardner would get his opportunity to answer.
Gardner Responds
Seeing as it always takes a moment to settle into a different atmosphere, a grace period seemed to have been necessary for the Colts secondary.
Gardner recovered with a solid pass breakup on Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte.
That was followed by Justin Walley dropping what would have been a pick-six.
Granted, he should have caught it.
But it was still a good sign of recovery for the Colts' first joint practice of training camp.
The Colts' secondary was not perfect.
It did not need to be.
What mattered was how the group responded after getting tested early.
And there were plenty of encouraging moments.
Tuimoloau Continues to Develop
Colts defensive end JT Tuimoloau also had a notable moment, hitting a nice spin move on Patriots first-round pick Caleb Lomu.
An inspiring sign, as his development would mean everything for this Colts defense.
Indianapolis needs its young pass rushers to develop into reliable contributors, and Tuimoloau has continued to provide glimpses of why the Colts invested in him.
Against another team's offensive line, those flashes become even more important.
The Colts have spent camp evaluating how their young defenders perform against their own offensive players.
Now they are doing it against somebody else.
And Tuimoloau's ability to win a rep against a first-round talent was certainly worth noting.
Jaylon Jones Gets His Opportunity
Cornerback Jaylon Jones also got his time to shine against Kayshon Boutte during red-zone drills with the second team.
Jones came away with a nice pass breakup on Boutte, strengthening his case to remain on the roster through September for the Colts.
That is particularly important considering Jones has spent a significant portion of training camp working with the developmental and roster-bubble group.
Every opportunity matters for him.
And this was a good one.
The Colts have a deep cornerback room, but depth can change quickly when injuries strike and roster decisions approach.
A performance like this gives Jones another reason for the coaching staff to keep watching.
Maye Struggles
Later, Sauce Gardner locked down A.J. Brown in the end zone.
But Maye found wide receiver Romeo Doubs in the back of the end zone, beating Colts corner Cam Taylor-Britt for a touchdown.
The Patriots scored.
But Gardner got his revenge.
That back-and-forth is what makes joint practices so valuable.
One player wins one rep.
Another player answers.
Then the cycle starts again.
For the Colts, the important part is that the defense continued to make plays even when New England found openings.
Cam Bynum added another major moment near the end of practice, intercepting a pass from Maye.
Another great sign for the Colts defense against such an established offense.
The Depth Battle Matters
Just as notable comes the Colts' second team on offense and defense playing the Patriots with mighty amounts of depth.
This is where things become even more interesting.
We know a lot more about the Colts' roster than we did when camp began.
But now the competitions mean just that much more.
The players fighting for roster spots are no longer simply competing against their teammates.
They are competing against another NFL team.
That gives the coaching staff another layer of information to work with as September gets closer.
The second-team players and roster-bubble players are going to have to prove that they can perform outside of the controlled environment of training camp.
Tuesday gave them that opportunity.
Richardson and Leonard Finally Get Their Preseason Plans
There was also news at the end of practice regarding the quarterback situation.
Anthony Richardson will start the first half of the first preseason game, with Riley Leonard taking over in the second half.
The opposite will take place in the Colts' second preseason matchup against Atlanta, with Leonard getting the first half and Richardson getting the second.
That is an interesting approach from Indianapolis.
Rather than simply giving one quarterback the majority of the opportunities throughout the preseason, the Colts are splitting the responsibility and giving both players an opportunity to operate with the first-team environment.
That could prove extremely important in the QB2 competition.
Leonard has continued to show consistency throughout camp.
Richardson has shown flashes, but has also struggled with consistency.
Now they will have an opportunity to show what they can do when the lights come on and another team is actively trying to stop them.
The Bigger Picture
The first joint practice of training camp gave the Colts something they simply could not get from practicing against themselves.
Perspective.
The offense moved the football.
Jones continued to build his connection with Warren.
The quarterbacks combined for six touchdowns.
The defense was tested by Maye and a talented Patriots offense and responded with multiple big plays of its own.
Gardner got beaten.
Then Gardner answered.
Walley dropped an interception.
Bynum secured one.
Tuimoloau made an impressive move against a first-round pick.
Jaylon Jones strengthened his roster case.
There were positives.
There were difficulties.
And that is exactly what the Colts needed.
Training camp is no longer simply about who looks good against a teammate.
The Colts are beginning to find out who can perform when the other side is wearing a different uniform and has spent the entire week preparing to beat them.
That is the next step.
And with preseason games now approaching, the stakes are only going to get higher.
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