Hits And Misses: Alec Pierce Home Run Hitter
Source: Mike Carlson / Getty
1. Hits: Alec Pierce
Alec Pierce: What a special, special trait Alec Pierce brings to the wide receiver position. Elite speed, coupled with impressive deep ball recognition and catching allows for Pierce to be so lethal down the field. Pierce almost single handedly brought the Colts back in Sunday’s 4th quarter with 3 catches for 134 yards.
2. Hits: Joe Flacco’s Start, Finish
Joe Flacco’s Start, Finish: The Colts have a luxury in their backup quarterback in creating a high enough passing game floor. You saw that Sunday with Flacco hitting on a quicker rhythm passing game to start things. Then later it was Flacco helping get the Colts back in it with those huge attempts in the direction of Pierce. It’s not perfect, but you rarely see backup QBs able to do this.
3. Misses: Will Fries’ Injury
Will Fries’ Injury: Man, what an awful scene and injury to a really quality Colts starter. Will Fries is a guy we hardly mention, but he’s turned into a very solid, and durable, right guard. Without Fries, the Colts will turn to some younger options, as undrafted free agent Dalton Tucker was the guy on Sunday. What a brutal injury to a former 7th round pick in a contract year.
4. Misses: Big Plays Allowed
Big Plays Allowed: You don’t often see a defense give up 3 separate 60-yard plus plays in a game, all to different players. Trevor Lawrence found Brian Thomas Jr. and Christian Kirk behind the Colts defense with busts by several Colts defenders. And then Tank Bigsby gashed the Colts later for a 65-yard TD run. This Colts defense prides itself on not allowing big plays. And that was nowhere to be found on Sunday.
5. Misses: No Pass Rush
No Pass Rush: For the second time in five games this season, the Colts played a game of football and didn’t record a single sack or quarterback hit. And this time it came when Trevor Lawrence had 34 pass attempts. Yes, the Colts are down some key defensive line personnel, but Gus Bradley can’t afford to allow Lawrence to sit back with such a clean jersey. The only time Lawrence was on the ground Sunday was getting up from a QB sneak.
