Following the Indianapolis Colts’ Week 1 loss against the Houston Texans, we have snap count totals from the game. So, what stood out the most when it came to playing time?
Particularly during the early part of the season, these snap count totals can provide us with excellent insight into how certain players are being utilized within the offensive and defensive schemes.
Here are six snap count figures that caught my attention during Week 1:
Only two snaps for Trey Sermon
While much of the attention during training camp was focused on which of the Colts’ secondary backs would emerge as the backup behind Jonathan Taylor, the Week 1 snap counts at the running back position was a quick reminder that, while playing time for Sermon will fluctuate week-to-week, Taylor is going to handle the bulk of the workload.
Tight ends
Not surprisingly, Kylen Granson and Mo Alie-Cox played the most snaps among the tight ends. However, between those two and Drew Ogletree, the trio was on the field for 55 combined snaps and had no receptions on only two total targets.
Jaylon Carlies was the third linebacker
When the Colts were lined up in their base 4-3 defensive look, which occurred on 15 plays, Jaylon Carlies was the third linebacker on the field. The Colts liked what they saw from Carlies during training camp, but for a rookie who missed time due to an injury, what we didn’t know was if he would be thrown into the mix right away. Carlies was listed on the unofficial depth chart as the SAM linebacker.
Raekwon Davis
Raekwon Davis barely out-snapped Taven Bryan and Adetomiwa Adebawore. Davis finished the game with 18 snaps, Bryan with 17, and Adebawore with 15. Perhaps because of the missed time during training camp, the Colts are still ramping Davis up, but one of the reasons the Colts signed him this offseason was to bolster the run defense depth, which isn’t a strength of Bryan nor Adebawore’s.
Laiatu Latu played 31 snaps
Latu would play 31 of the 79 total defensive snaps. For some context, Kwity Paye and Tyquan Lewis led the defensive end position playing 52 snaps each. In Latu’s first regular season game, the Colts used him primarily during obvious passing situations, where he could just go get after the quarterback.
Jaylon Jones out-snapped JuJu Brents
Jones finished the game with 79 snaps and Brents 62. When the Colts go from nickel to base and have only two cornerbacks on the field, Jones stayed out there, while Brents went to the sidelines and Kenny Moore filled in for him on the boundary.