The Indianapolis Colts offensive line opened the season as one of the highest-ranked units in the league. After a slow start, it seems they are finding their groove.
Dealing with injuries and poor play, the Colts offensive line struggled to find consistency during the first month of the season. But in recent weeks, head coach Frank Reich believes the unit is starting to come into its own.
“I mean [Thursday] night we gave up the one sack and it was very late. – very late in the game and it was a zero-yard sack where Carson (Wentz) stepped up to run it,” The week before we threw it 51 times, gave up one sack. Then the run blocking – I really think we’re getting close to hitting on all cylinders so to speak.”
The Colts were without starting left tackle Eric Fisher for the first week of the season and even when he returned in Week 2, it took him multiple games to look comfortable playing at game speed.
Then the Colts lost right tackle Braden Smith for six weeks after he suffered a foot injury in the Week 1 opener and didn’t return until Week 8. They were also without All-Pro left guard Quenton Nelson for three weeks with a high-ankle sprain.
“It’s really a credit to the offensive line and Strauss (Chris Strausser) and Kevin Mawae and those guys because I think what it is, is we’ve really worked hard in practice,” Reich said. “That as the season goes on, we don’t want to lose the intensity of that individual period where we’re working on those combination blocks and the timing and all those things. So, they deserve a lot of credit, but I think we’re heading in the right direction.”
The offensive line will be the engine of the offense. The unit will have a direct impact on how the offense plays and with a crucial part of the schedule coming up, they will have to continue improving.
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