Category: Latest Colts News

Colts final injury report vs. Steelers in Week 16

The final injury report for Week 16.

The Indianapolis Colts (10-4) released their final injury report on Friday ahead of the Week 16 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3).

The Colts got some tough news Friday as they placed right tackle Braden Smith on the reserve/COVID-19 list. It isn’t clear whether he tested positive for the virus but he won’t be able to play against the Steelers on Sunday regardless.

Here’s a look at the final injury report for the Colts in Week 16:

*DNP = Did Not Participate — LP = Limited Participant — FP = Full Participant*

Name Position Injury Wed. Thur. Fri. Status
Denico Autry DE/DT Rest DNP FP FP
DeForest Buckner DT Ankle DNP LP LP
Trey Burton TE Rest DNP FP FP
Anthony Castonzo OT Knee/Ankle DNP LP DNP Quest.
Justin Houston DE Rest DNP FP FP
Marcus Johnson WR Quad DNP DNP DNP OUT
Philip Rivers QB Toe DNP FP FP
Mo Alie-Cox TE Knee LP FP FP
Al-Quadin Muhammad DE Ankle LP DNP FP Quest.
Quenton Nelson OL Back LP FP FP
Jack Doyle TE Quad — DNP FP
Julian Blackmon S Rest — — —
T.Y. Hilton WR Rest — — —
Darius Leonard LB Rest — — —
Kenny Moore CB Rest — — —
Kemoko Turay DE Rest — — —
Braden Smith OT Not-Injury Related — — DNP OUT

Notes

  • Anthony Castonzo is questionable after not practicing Friday with a new ankle injury to go along with his knee injury.
  • DE Al-Quadin Muhammad is trending in the right direction after logging a full practice on Friday.
  • The loss of Smith will be huge. Chaz Green is likely the one to replace him.

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Colts place RT Braden Smith on COVID-19 list

Braden Smith won’t play against the Steelers.

The Indianapolis Colts offensive line took a huge blow as the team placed right tackle Braden Smith on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Friday.

Regardless of whether Smith tested positive or was just a close contact, the third-year tackle will be ineligible to play against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

Smith, who was drafted as a guard, has been a strong anchor on the right side of the offensive line. The matchup between him and T.J. Watt was going to be a one that would shift the tide if Smith could contain him but now the advantage goes to the Steelers.

Smith hasn’t allowed a sack the entire season and has been truly a force on the right side of the line. But it is likely that either Le’Raven Clark or Chaz Green will be the one to replace him.

Colts place DT Robert Windsor on practice squad COVID-19 list

Another rookie goes on the COVID-19 list.

The Indianapolis Colts placed defensive tackle Robert Windsor on the practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list, the team announced Thursday.

Windsor, a sixth-round pick from the 2020 NFL draft, is the third player to go on the practice squad COVID-19 list. He joins safety Ibraheim Campbell and center Joey Hunt on the list.

The Colts also still have rookie linebacker Jordan Glasgow on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Glasgow has missed two games since going on the list.

Windsor has spent the majority of his rookie season on the practice squad. He has been active for two games, recording two tackles and playing a total of nine snaps on defense and two snaps on special teams.

It isn’t clear whether Windsor tested positive or is a close contact to someone who did but he will remain on the reserve list until he’s cleared the league’s protocol.

Colts designate TE Noah Togiai to return from IR

Noah Togiai can return to practice this week.

The Indianapolis Colts designated tight end Noah Togiai to return from the injured reserve list, per the league’s transaction wire on Wednesday.

This is simply a formality as the 21-day window has opened for Togiai to return to the active roster. He will remain on the injured reserve list until the Colts decide to activate him. If he isn’t activated before that window closes, he will revert back to the injured reserve list for the remainder of the season.

Togiai has been on the injured reserve list since the Colts put him there with a knee injury ahead of the Week 13 matchup with the Houston Texans.

The Colts have all three of their starting tight ends relatively healthy, there isn’t a need to rush Togiai back. There’s also a chance they keep him on the injured reserve list through the majority of the 21-day window in order to hold an extra roster spot for another player if they feel inclined.

Regardless, Togiai has bee designated to return, which means he can practice in full without counting toward the active roster until activated

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Colts designate TE Noah Togiai to return from IR

Noah Togiai can return to practice this week.

The Indianapolis Colts designated tight end Noah Togiai to return from the injured reserve list, per the league’s transaction wire on Wednesday.

This is simply a formality as the 21-day window has opened for Togiai to return to the active roster. He will remain on the injured reserve list until the Colts decide to activate him. If he isn’t activated before that window closes, he will revert back to the injured reserve list for the remainder of the season.

Togiai has been on the injured reserve list since the Colts put him there with a knee injury ahead of the Week 13 matchup with the Houston Texans.

The Colts have all three of their starting tight ends relatively healthy, there isn’t a need to rush Togiai back. There’s also a chance they keep him on the injured reserve list through the majority of the 21-day window in order to hold an extra roster spot for another player if they feel inclined.

Regardless, Togiai has bee designated to return, which means he can practice in full without counting toward the active roster until activated

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Colts open as 2-point favorites vs. Steelers in Week 16

Colts open the week as favorites.

The Indianapolis Colts (10-4) are preparing for their biggest game of the season as they will be hitting the road for a Week 16 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3) on Sunday at Heinz Field.

Even though the Steelers have the better record and the higher seed in the AFC playoff race right now, the Colts have opened the week as slight two-point road favorites for this matchup, per BetMGM.

The total sits at a relatively low 44.5 points while the Colts’ MoneyLine opens at -135.

The Colts are 8-6 against the spread this season while eight of their games have seen the total go over. The Steelers are also 8-6 against the spread, but the total has gone under in seven of their games.

This is a big matchup for both teams. The Steelers already clinched a playoff spot while the Colts are battling for either the top spot in the AFC South or one of the wild-card spots.

Seeing as how the Colts don’t have the tiebreaker over either the Browns or the Ravens, a win here would all but guarantee a playoff spot. Should they lose, it would complicate matters going into the final week of the season.

Regardless, this matchup should be a fun one. Even with the Steelers’ recent three-game slide, it should be a tight contest at Heinz Field and one that will have plenty of playoff implications.

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Colts sign P Austin Rehkow, TE Andrew Vollert to the practice squad

Colts make some practice squad moves.

The Indianapolis Colts signed punter Austin Rehkow and tight end Andrew Vollert to the practice squad, the team announced Wednesday.

Despite releasing veteran punter Ryan Allen from the practice squad this week, the Colts still added another punter to the roster. The return of Rigoberto Sanchez from a procedure to remove a cancerous tumor gave them their starting punter back but it seems the team still wants a bit of insurance.

Rehkow entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2017 with the Buffalo Bills. He also spent some time with the New York Giants (2018) before joining the AAF in 2019. There he spent time with the Salt Lake City Stallions before joining the XFL and the Houston Roughnecks in 2020.

Vollert has had a stint with the Colts before during the offseason and in training camp. He initially signed with the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2018.

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Colts’ DeForest Buckner named AFC Defensive Player of the Week

DeForest Buckner gets some recognition.

Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the 27-20 win over the Houston Texans.

Despite being limited to a season-low 51% of snaps, Buckner found several ways to ruin the day for the Texans. He finished with 3.0 sacks, four quarterback hits and two tackles for loss while leading the defense with five total pressures.

Buckner’s presence has been incredible this season, and he’s been the biggest reason the entire defense has taken a leap into the elite category. Despite this, he was snubbed for a Pro Bowl selection.

Bucker is currently second among all interior defenders with 7.5 sacks and 24 quarterback hits while he’s eighth in pressures.

Buckner has been enjoying a monster season, one that could consider him for an All-Pro spot at the end of the season given both his direct and indirect impact on the Colts this season.

Buckner is the fifth Colts player to earn a weekly award this season. Cornerbacks Xavier Rhodes (Week 3) and Kenny Moore (Week 14) were the Defensive Players of the Week while linebacker E.J. Speed (Week 10) and kicker Rodrigo Blankenship (Week 11) earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Buckner is finally getting some of the national recognition he deserves during this incredible season, and it’s starting in thanks to his big performance against a divisional foe in Week 15.

Colts’ DeForest Buckner among ‘most egregious Pro Bowl snubs’

DeForest Buckner’s omission gets some recognition.

There was a lot of surprise Monday night when the NFL released the 2021 Pro Bowl rosters and Indianapolis Colts defensive end DeForest Buckner was nowhere to be found on the AFC side.

Buckner, who has been an incredible force for the Colts all season long, didn’t make the cut for the Pro Bowl and Twitter had some words for the league.

While the Colts did have three players make the Pro Bowl, the omission of Buckner is truly ridiculous. So ridiculous that Buckner made Touchdown Wire’s list of the “most egregious Pro Bowl snubs” list.

Chris Jones, Cameron Heyward, and Calais Campbell? All great players, though if you want Campbell in here, maybe make him an end and take Frank Clark off the AFC list. But there is absolutely no defense for snubbing Buckner, who has been a superhero in his first season with the Colts. Only Heyward and Aaron Donald have more total pressures among interior defensive linemen than Buckner’s 47, he’s got 28 stops this season, and when you face the Colts’ defense, Buckner is the first guy you have to worry about.

Among all interior defenders, Buckner ranks second in sacks (7.5) and quarterback hits (24) while missing a game due to COVID-19. He also just recorded three sacks against the Texans while dealing with a bum ankle.

It is no surprise to Colts fans that this is an egregious snub. That’s also what happens when a 10-4 team vying for a playoff spot has only one primetime game—a game in which they dominated. But that’s an issue for another time.

Buckner’s presence on the interior has changed the Colts defense in all facets of the game. He frees up the rush lanes for other defenders. His ability to collapse the top of the pocket prevents quarterbacks from climbing when they feel edge pressure. And the overall pressure rate of the unit helps the secondary in coverage.

Every team likely has a player that they feel was slighted from the Pro Bowl. It’s natural. But leaving off one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league is just another example that the Pro Bowl is losing credibility each year.

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Colts hold steady at No. 4 in power rankings after Week 15 win

Colts hold steady at No. 4.

The Indianapolis Colts (10-4) are proving to be an elite team as the 2020 season comes to a close, and their standing in the power rankings reflects that at this time of the year.

After surging up the power rankings to No. 4 last week, the Colts held their spot there in Touchdown Wire’s power rankings following their wild 27-20 win over the Houston Texans in Week 15.

Now the Colts get to take on a team in the Pittsburgh Steelers that is facing a ton of questions before closing out the year with the Jaguars. With the Tennessee Titans facing perhaps a tougher test with the Green Bay Packers next week, the Colts could be entering Week 17 with a chance to clinch the division.

The Colts still have a chance to win the division as they are currently tied with the Titans atop the AFC South at 10-4. They have their toughest test in a while being on the road against the Steelers, who have struggled in recent weeks en route to a three-game losing streak.

Holding the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoff picture, this game could very well determine the outcome of the season for the Colts. If they win these next two games, they have nothing to worry about. But if they happen to drop this game against the Steelers, they will need some help from other teams.

Regardless, the Colts are on a three-game winning streak and have won five of their last six games, which makes these final two weeks that much more exciting.

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