Tag: Colts

Recently-waived former 49ers 3rd-round pick claimed by Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are a popular place for former San Francisco 49ers CBs to land.

The San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday as part of a slew of roster moves waived former third-round pick Ambry Thomas.

Thomas, a cornerback from the University of Michigan, was claimed Wednesday by the Indianapolis Colts according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

San Francisco kept Thomas on their initial 53-man roster despite a rough preseason that was further derailed by an injury. Thomas was quickly placed on IR because of a broken forearm he sustained in the team’s preseason opener. He was never activated before being placed on waivers.

Thomas is due to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason after an up-and-down tenure in the Bay Area.

He stepped into a starting role as a rookie and wound up sealing a postseason berth by intercepting Matt Stafford in overtime of a Week 18 win over the Los Angeles Rams. He wound up missing out on a starting job in Year 2 and started none of the 15 games he appeared in. Last season he was in-and-out of the starting lineup as a third CB while the team struggled to find consistency in the secondary.

His training camp and preseason left him without a role heading into 2024. Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir locked down two of the starting jobs, while Isaac Yiadom and rookie Renardo Green were the clear third and fourth CBs in some order. Thomas stayed around as an internal depth piece San Francisco never needed.

Thomas played in 42 games with 11 starts for the 49ers and posted 79 tackles, 12 pass breakups, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He’ll now get a fresh start with a Colts club that also claimed former 49ers CB Samuel Womack after he was let go at final cuts.

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NFL playoff picture, Week 15: Dolphins down to long shot scenario

A Chargers loss means the door to the playoffs is still cracked for the Dolphins, but it’s certainly not looking likely.

The Miami Dolphins’ 20-12 loss to the Houston Texans likely ended the team’s playoff hopes.

The setback dropped the Dolphins to 6-8 on the year and both the Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos improved to 9-5. The only saving grace for Miami is that both the Los Angeles Chargers and Indianapolis Colts lost Sunday.

With all the AFC results from Week 15 now in the books, here are the conference standings with three weeks left in the regular season:

  1. Kansas City Chiefs: 13-1
  2. Buffalo Bills: 11-3
  3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-4
  4. Houston Texans: 9-5
  5. Baltimore Ravens: 9-5
  6. Denver Broncos: 9-5
  7. Los Angeles Chargers: 8-6
  • Indianapolis Colts: 6-8
  • Miami Dolphins: 6-8
  • Cincinnati Bengals: 6-8

For the Dolphins, it’s pretty simple now: one more loss will almost certainly eliminate them from playoff contention.

If Miami wins out by beating the 49ers, Browns, and Jets to get to 9-8, they’d own a tiebreaker against any teams other than the Texans and Colts. That means the Dolphins need Indianapolis to lose at least once in the final three weeks against the Titans, Giants, and/or Jaguars.

But the real long shot is that the Dolphins need either the Ravens or Broncos to lose out, or the Chargers to lose two of their last three. Baltimore finishes the year against the Steelers, Texans, and Browns, Denver faces the Chargers, Bengals, and Chiefs, and the Chargers end the year with the Broncos, Patriots, and Raiders.

The odds of any of that coming to fruition and the Dolphins playing in the postseason? NFL.com puts it at about a six percent chance.

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Which Week 15 results would help the Dolphins most? A rooting guide

Winning is Houston is the top priority, but there’s a few other teams in Week 15 that Dolphins fans should also be cheering on.

The Miami Dolphins can’t afford a misstep after digging themselves into a hole in the first half of the 2024 season. But after four wins in their last five games, the Dolphins could get back to .500 on Sunday if they manage to beat the Houston Texans.

That’d put the Dolphins very much in the mix for a wild card berth with three weeks left. They still need help, though.

Three 8-5 teams currently occupy the trio of AFC wild card entries into the NFL playoffs, and the 6-7 Indianapolis Colts own a tiebreaker over the 6-7 Dolphins thanks to their head-to-head victory back in Week 7.

Getting a win at NRG Stadium on Sunday is paramount for Miami. But here’s what else Dolphins fans should be rooting for in Week 15:

Giants win vs. Ravens (1 p.m. ET)

To catch the Ravens, the Dolphins would need two more wins than Baltimore in the last four weeks. Baltimore would be in serious jeopardy of not doing enough if it can’t go through the easiest opponent left on its schedule.

If the two-win Giants somehow ended an eight-game losing streak by getting a home win against the Ravens, it’d leave the door pretty wide open for Miami. The Ravens would likely need to win at least two — or maybe all three — of its remaining games against the Steelers, Texans, and Browns to hold off the Dolphins.

A Giants win is a long shot, but it’d be a dream come true for Miami.

Buccaneers win vs. Chargers (4:25 p.m. ET)

The likeliest path to the playoffs for the Dolphins is to track down one of the two AFC West teams ahead of them in the standings. The Broncos and Chargers meet in Week 16, meaning that (barring a tie) Miami has an inevitable chance to make up a game on one of them.

So a Chargers loss to the Buccaneers could even mean the Dolphins climb into a wild card spot as early as next week.

Colts win vs. Broncos (4:25 p.m. ET)

The good news for the Dolphins is that (again, barring a tie) one of these teams will lose. The bad news is one will win.

While Miami probably needs Indianapolis to lose at least once down the stretch, the priority for now is catching one of the eight-win contenders.

And even if the Colts rattle off four consecutive wins to end the season — which isn’t outlandish considering they play the Titans, Giants, and Jaguars to close out the year — it might not be a nightmare scenario. That’d move Indianapolis to 10-7, which may be enough to take the AFC South title from the Texans, especially if the Dolphins hand Houston its sixth loss on Sunday.

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Win and get in: Steelers playoff scenarios for Week 15

Here’s what the Steelers need this weekend to clinch a spot in the playoffs.

You could say things are getting pretty serious. Week 15 of the NFL regular season is upon us and the Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for a huge stretch of three games in just 10 days. First up are the Philadelphia Eagles and the Steelers control their own playoff destiny.

Win and get in. If the Steelers beat the Eagles, they clinch a playoff birth with three games left to play. But what is the Steelers slip up on the road?

The Steelers can still clinch a playoff spot with a loss but they need help from the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts.

The Dolphins need to lose to or tie the Houston Texans and the Colts have to lose to or tie the Denver Broncos. These are both very possible scenarios given the Colts and Broncos are fighting for their own playoff lives. The two losses might be an easer road to clinch over a Steelers win given how good the Eagles are and the game is in Philadelphia.

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Super Bowl champion Ben Utecht talks Chiefs tight end legends Tony Gonzalez, Travis Kelce 

Super Bowl champion Ben Utecht talks #Chiefs tight end legends Tony Gonzalez and Travis Kelce w/ @EdEastonJr

This week, Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Super Bowl XLI champion Ben Utecht.

In his interview with Easton Jr., Utecht discussed his collaboration with his alma mater, the University of Minnesota, on developing the Shower Sock and his thoughts on Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce revolutionizing the tight end position. 

“I grew up in Minnesota and chose to stay home and play for the Gophers,” Utecht explained. “I had a great career there, built many relationships, and was not just in the athletic department. When I came up with this idea, my first instinct was to return to the Bakken Medical Device Center at the University of Minnesota. The University of Minnesota Medical Center is one of the top four in the country, and I knew they would be able to direct and guide me through this process. They were just absolutely amazing.”

Utecht partnered with global med-tech executives Mario Nozzarella and Heinrich Von Solms to develop the product further. They secured US and international patents and trademarks and developed the manufacturing and chemical application process for what has now become the Shower Sockᵀᴹ.

The former First-team All-Big Ten tight end has appreciated the position’s growth since retiring in 2009. He acknowledged the greatness of two Chiefs legends at the position and how it’s evolved over the years. 

“When you think about the progression over the last 15 years, when I came out, Tony Gonzalez was the pinnacle,” Utecht said. “He was, at his all-time greatest, not an overly fast tight end but an amazing position receiver, somebody who was knowledgeable about the game and could incorporate that to put himself in positions on the field where he knew the gaps in the defense.

“Then, we progressed to Jeremy Shockey, and then we progressed to Rob Gronkowski. And now you’ve got this combination of players who have speed, know how to put themselves in the right positions, and have the courage to put their bodies into the block on the line of scrimmage. I think (Travis) Kelce is an excellent example of all the above.”

Utecht also credits the coaches’ game plans, including Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, with affecting today’s tight ends. 

“Something that goes a little undervalued or doesn’t get discussed is the coaching side; You must have an offensive staff and philosophy built toward the tight end,” Utecht explained. “You have to have a scheme that allows somebody with Travis Kelce’s talent to know how to take advantage of it, and they do that very well. The 49ers did that very well, and the Patriots, with Rob Gronkowski, did that very well. The Colts, with Dallas Clark and myself, did that very well.

“So when you have the suitable scheme and the right coaching strategy on top of the physical ability to do every aspect of the tight end position, which is second to the quarterback, has the greatest responsibility because you have to be in the backfield, you have to be in the slot, you have to be out wide, you’ve got to be on the line of scrimmage, you’ve got to pass protect, you’ve got to run block. So there’s nothing that the tight end doesn’t do, and so, yeah, hats off to what the Chiefs have done with his career, and he’s a great talent, and it’s no surprise that he’s going to go down in history as one of the greatest tight ends to play the game.”

For more information on the Shower Sock, log on to ShowerSock.com & follow on X, Instagram and Facebook

Super Bowl champion Ben Utecht reveals lessons learned from Tony Dungy

Super Bowl champion Ben Utecht reveals lessons learned from Tony Dungy w/ @EdEastonJr

This week, Touchdown Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Super Bowl XLI champion Ben Utecht.

In his interview with Easton Jr., Utecht discussed his work as a mentor at the University of Minnesota, his development of the Shower Sockᵀᴹ, and the lessons he learned from former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy.

“When you enter, especially now in college, with what NIL has done and how it’s changed the financial support system for college athletes, now more than ever, your business,” said Utecht. “Your body is your business. The physical wellness of your body is monumental to your sustainability as an athlete in college and a profession, and it’s our job to do whatever we can to care for those athletes and to put them in the best position to be healthy.”

In 2019, Utecht created a Shower Sock prototype alongside University of Minnesota engineering students, leading Medical School clinicians, and the Bakken Medical Device Center industry experts.

“We know, according to multiple platforms, that 20 to 25% of the world’s population at any given time is suffering from bacterial or fungal infection. The National Institute of Health says that 15% of the world’s population suffers from athletes’ foot,” Utecht explained. “The American Academy of Pediatrics says 10 to 15% of college athletes miss performance time due to bacterial or fungal infections. These infections cannot only impact performance because of pain but also can remove you from the game itself, which has a huge impact on the team, the university, or the professional sports organization you’re playing for. So the ultimate goal for sports is to do whatever we can to care for the physical wellness of our players.”

The Colts starter played under Dungy for several years, including the Super XLI season. During this time, he learned about leadership culture and continues to use the teachings in his life after football.

“Tony Dungy was the first to win a Super Bowl, built on servant leadership. He believed that if you build better men, you get better football players,” said Utecht. “The first team meeting we had, he entered the room, quoted his head coach from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and said, ‘Man, if you’re sitting in this room and your entire identity is wrapped up in a sport, you’ve completely missed the purpose of your life.’ Whoa, that’s a different way to start a team meeting in the NFL.”

The Colts finished with a 12–4 regular-season record and earned their first Super Bowl appearance since 1970. Utecht had his best season as a pro, finishing with 37 catches for 377 yards.

“Tony taught me that culture does not have to be subjective; it can be objective. It can be the strategy that guides every decision an organization makes, and it’s all built on the practice of a shared belief system that drives organizational values,” said Utecht. “Do your behaviors reflect what you value based on what you believe? That was a radical experience for me, and I decided to build a career around that. My degree was in public speaking, and the question was, what’s my story? And I said, Gosh, this is my story. I have to tell the world what I experienced on that Super Bowl championship team, so it’s been really exciting.”

For more information on the Shower Sock, log on to ShowerSock.com & follow on X, Instagram and Facebook

Retired NFL TE Ben Utecht discusses ‘Shower Sock,’ Chiefs offense under Patrick Mahomes

Retired NFL TE Ben Utecht discusses ‘Shower Sock,’ #Chiefs offense under Patrick Mahomes w/ @EdEastonJr

This week, Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to former Indianapolis Colts tight end Ben Utecht.

In his interview with Easton Jr., Utecht discussed his inspiration for developing the Shower Sockᵀᴹ after dealing with a painful condition and his thoughts on Patrick Mahomes’ unique success in the Kansas City Chiefs offense. 

“When I was playing in Cincinnati with the Bengals, I contracted a pretty severe foot fungus injury that took three to four months to diagnose and cure, and it was the first time that had ever happened to that level,” said Utecht. “I mean, an athlete’s foot is pretty rampant across the world, but I got a different type of infection, which was very painful.

“It caused scarring in between my toes because of the skin cracking. And it was painful. I could practice and play through it, but it was definitely on my mind, which you never want as an athlete. You want to be able to focus completely on what your job is.”

After experiencing a terrible foot infection, Utecht was inspired to create the Shower Sockᵀᴹ so that others would not have to endure the same experience.

“So when I retired and entered civilian fitness life, I was at a leading national fitness brand, in their locker room, sitting in their steam room, and just couldn’t believe it,” Utecht explained. “What the floors look like. I remember sitting there thinking Man, I’ve never been a flip-flop wearer. I’ve never enjoyed wearing sandals in the shower. Because you’re just taking those sandals and throwing them back in your gym bag, and you don’t clean them. You never disinfect them.

“I thought, man, has anybody ever made a disposable antibacterial and fungal shower sock I can put on to wash my foot with preventative applications that shield me from bacteria and fungus? Then I can throw it away, and it’s highly affordable, so I can protect my foot cheaply every time I step onto a tile floor. To my surprise, it has never been created.”

Utecht has shifted his focus from football to leading the charge to save millions of athletes’ feet. He expressed his appreciation for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’s work with his feet on the field as part of his fantastic skillset. 

“You’ve got somebody like Patrick (Mahomes), who is very dangerous outside the pocket. That enhances your ability as an offense to put the defense in compromising situations, and it also changes your attitude as an offensive skill player, right?” said Utecht. “Because when you have a pocket passer, you know you’re significantly dependent upon the routes in their current physical expectation, but when you have an outside, when you have someone that can get outside and is incredibly mobile.

“Now you have to be ready on every single play to adjust that route, to adapt to his mobility, to make plays and to get open. So there’s a whole other level to the route that gets incorporated into a Patrick Mahomes offense. That’s systematized, and those receivers on the Chiefs do it very well Because of the hours upon hours of practice that make that offensive scheme perfect.”

For more information on the Shower Sock, log on to ShowerSock.com & follow on X, Instagram and Facebook

Bills’ Josh Allen says teammates ‘stepped up’ vs. Colts

Bills’ Josh Allen says teammates ‘stepped up’ vs. Colts

A win is a win.

It wasn’t pretty, but the Bills won in all three phases 30-20 on the road against the Colts in Indianapolis.

Buffalo got the job done despite turning the ball over multiple times, which left much to improve upon.

Few knew that better than quarterback Josh Allen.

“We’ve got to have a faster start. We didn’t play our best today, but we’ll take the win,” the QB said. “Four forced turnovers — we’ve got to hold onto the ball a little bit better. We’ll take them how we can get them, and we’ll turn the page tomorrow.”

Allen would go 23 of 37 for 280 yards in the air with 50 yards on the ground.

He also threw a pair of interceptions, putting him at four in the span of the last three games after a stellar start to the year in which he didn’t throw any at all in his first seven contests.

“Guys stepping up, knowing they’re knowing their job, knowing their assignment, and going out there and executing can be cleaner,” he added. “That’s that’s me. So again, just making sure we’re communicating well, and just try again, just trying to hold on to the football. And, you know, we got to play better on offense.”

Playing in front of so many Bills fans in attendance it was practically a home game in the stands, Buffalo was missing receivers Amari Cooper and Keon Coleman. Their scoring got done by way of kicker Tyler Bass’s field goals, along with rushing touchdowns by Allen and starting running back James Cook, and a pick-six interception by corner Taron Johnson.

 

“Just all hands on deck,” head coach Sean McDermott said to the press postgame. “I mean, what else can you say? I would say (offensive coordinator) Joe (Brady), the (offensive coaching) staff, they didn’t flinch. They just kept dialing it up, trying to adjust. I thought the communication at halftime was great by the entire staff.”

This ahead of one of their biggest tests of the season next Sunday, a home game hosting the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs in Orchard Park.

For four-straight games and in seven of their 10 games this season, the Bills have scored 30 points or more, which could matter next week against a Kansas City team that’s only scored that much once this season.

The win against the Colts was the Bills’ first in Indianapolis since 1998, their fifth consecutive win, and they improved to 8-2 overall, their best start since 1993.

And they might possibly have been at 9-1 if not for clock management and playcalling near the end of the club’s matchup against the Houston Texans.

Nonetheless, things remain in perspective for Allen.

“It’s awesome to get eight wins through 10 games. Still got a lot of season left, so we’re not really looking at it as that. It’s just really on to the next one.”

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Bills’ Taron Johnson credits studies for pick six: ‘I’ve seen that play before’

Bills’ Taron Johnson credits studies for pick six: ‘I’ve seen that play before’

The Bills beat the Colts 30-20 on Sunday, thanks in part to an early defensive takeaway by nickel Taron Johnson.

Buffalo had a strong day on defense, and the effort was highlighted by an early pick-six by the corner.

 

Johnson helped to set the tone for the game on the defensive side of the ball with the big play, but also in his overall performance.

He had three tackles, a sack, one tackle for loss, and two pass deflections as well.

“I’m not sure what he was seeing,” Johnson said of opposing QB Joe Flacco’s read on the pick. “But I’ve seen that play before . . . against a different team, and I played it differently. I mean, we [were] in a different call too. In the game I’ve seen it, I played it differently, and I feel like they were expecting me to play it a different way. And, I took the ball. After that, I scanned the field and took it to the house.

I’ve seen that play before… I feel like they were expecting me to play it a different way and took the ball.”

They were also without receivers Keon Coleman and Amari Cooper on offense, so the defense stepped up.

“I know we’re banged up on offense, but the defense came out, and especially in that second half, made a lot of plays, and I feel like that helped us win,” Johnson added.

On the day, the Bills offense had three interceptions total, along with four sacks and two forced fumbles.

Much to the approval of head coach Sean McDermott.

“I thought that the defense and the takeaways was a big time difference in the game, and then also getting momentum back after our turnovers with some key stops and fourth down stops”, McDermott said. “We were able to make them (Colts) one-dimensional, which was important for us. It was a resilient win overall. Very resilient win.”

With Tyler Bass going a perfect six for six, special teams and defense held up their end.

“I think they’re just a very competitive group,” McDermott added. “They take a lot of pride in not letting each other down.”

Causes for concern as the Bills face the Colts in Week 10

Causes for concern as the Bills face the Colts in Week 10

The Buffalo Bills will travel to Indianapolis to take on the Colts in Week 10 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Bills (7-2) and Colts (4-5) have been trending in different directions as of late. The Bills have won four in a row while the Colts have lost their last two.

The Bills haven’t won in Indianapolis since 1999. This week, they are four-point favorites to win against a solid Colts team. Even though the Bills will be picked to win by many, there are always a few things that make winning difficult each week. The Bills will need to be wary of them.

Here are three causes for concern for the Bills in Week 10:

Joe Flacco can still sling it

USA Today Sports

In his 17th year in the NFL, Joe Flacco still has a more-than-capable throwing arm. Thrust into the starting lineup for a struggling Anthony Richardson, Flacco has the numbers to back that he is a threat through the air at 39 years old.

In four games played this year, he has posted seven touchdowns with just two interceptions and a 94.5 passer rating. In games that Richardson played this year, the Colts averaged 18.8 points per game, and with Flacco, they are averaging 23.5 ppg.

The Bills passing defense, which ranks 15th in the NFL in DVOA, will be tested in Week 10.

Jonathan Taylor on the ground

Getty Images

With running back Jonathan Taylor in the backfield, and now Flacco under center, the Colts offer a balanced attack on offense. Taylor is coming off of an unproductive Week 9 when he had 48 rushing yards and just 3.7 yards per carry against a stout Minnesota Vikings defense.

He’ll be looking to bounce back, and he has a history of gashing the Bills. In 2021, Taylor had 185 yards and five rushing touchdowns in a Colts blowout win over the Bills.

The Bills will have to gameplan to try to limit what he can do. Last week, the Bills gave up over five yards per carry to both Miami Dolphins’ running backs. While they have gotten gashed a few times on the ground this year, their run defense still ranks sixth in DVOA. Facing Taylor will be a good measuring stick to see what the Bills’ front seven can handle.

Colts keep it close

Getty Images

Every game for the Colts this year has been a one-score game. They haven’t lost by more than eight and haven’t won by more than six. They’ve been in all nine games to this point. Despite being 4-5 and making a recent quarterback switch, they’re a better team than many think. They very well could be above .500 had Flacco been the starter all year.

At home, the Colts are 3-1 this year, including a 27-24 win with Flacco under center over a good Pittsburgh Steelers team. If Bills fans have a strong showing like they did in Seattle two weeks ago, it would be a big boost for the team.