Jacob Eason

Colts QB battle: Jacob Eason, Sam Ehlinger struggle in preseason Week 2

How did the QB battle for the Colts go during the preseason game against the Vikings?

The quality of play in the first half of the Colts’ second preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings was nothing short of abysmal. Between Sam Ehlinger’s two interceptions and Jacob Eason’s lack of accuracy, the two young quarterbacks did not look as good as they did a week ago.

Ehlinger started the game, which came as no surprise. Head coach Frank Reich announced Ehlinger would get the nod last week before the Carolina game. While he ended the win against the Panthers on a high note, that success did not carry into this week.

Ehlinger finished 8 for 10 with 70 yards passing and a pair of interceptions. The first interception came in the first quarter on a ball that was tipped at the line of scrimmage and tipped again by Parris Campbell and returned for a touchdown by Minnesota. The second one also came off a tipped ball in traffic on a slant to Ashton Dulin.

Ehlinger wound up playing all the way up until roughly four minutes left in the second quarter.

Eason relieved the rookie late in the second quarter but failed to find success of his own. Eason was given the ball three times before halftime and failed to find any traction offensively. His throws seemed rushed, and while it was a late-half situation, he has to be able to throw catchable balls. Many throws were low and ended up incomplete.

In the second half, Eason looked better, but not great. However, many receivers dropped passes that should have been caught. Still, it does not excuse Eason’s struggles with patience and pocket presence. He finished 16 of 27 for 132 yards.

If Eason wants a shot at being named the Week 1 starter, he has to play better than he did Saturday night. Despite this, he was clearly better than Ehlinger and deserves to be under center in the regular season if Carson Wentz can’t play.

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Colts defeat Vikings, 12-10, in preseason Week 2

Recapping the Colts’ preseason win over the Vikings.

The Indianapolis Colts remain undefeated in the preseason following a 12-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium.

It was all defense from the start for the Colts as quarterbacks Jacob Eason and Sam Ehlinger split reps once again. As the quarterback competition unfolds, we also saw some separation in the competitions at wide receiver, defensive end and left tackle.

Here’s everything we know about the Colts’ preseason win over the Vikings:

Jacob Eason feeling more confident after first preseason start

Colts QB Jacob Eason is building confidence following his debut in the preseason.

The Indianapolis Colts may have to rely on second-year quarterback Jacob Eason to begin the season so it’s a good thing he feels his confidence building as the season approaches.

Making his debut for the team that selected him in the fourth round of the 2021 draft, Eason felt a bit more confident coming out to the field after a strong start against the Carolina Panthers to open the preseason.

“I mean it was my first game in two years, getting out there, getting hit a little bit, seeing live stuff. Yeah, maybe it is a little different,” Eason told the media Wednesday. “I’m coming out here with a little bit more, ‘Hey, I can do this.’ That kind of thing, and not that I doubted that I could do I beforehand, but it’s just getting the reps in the bag and coming out. So yeah, the theme has been stacking days and keeping it small. That’s what I’ve been trying to do and just keep stacking good days.”

Eason was one of the standouts from the preseason opener on Sunday. He got the start and despite not having other starting pass-catchers or his offensive line, it was a strong showing. He was 15/21 for 183 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions and a 97.2 passer rating.

It was an impressive showing for a quarterback who hasn’t taken a snap in a game since his senior year of college in 2019.

Using that time away from actually seeing reps on the field wasn’t easy, but Eason feels it could be working out for the better.

“It was just a different year. I was here last year like I said in the last interview, but I wasn’t really getting the reps. You can see it on film and you can talk about it, but it’s different than actually being back there in the pocket with bullets flying at you,” Eason said. “It was a little bit of an acclimation period and that kind of thing, but I’m still just taking it a day at a time and try to continually improve on the day before and grow in that regard.”

While he won’t be getting the start against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday for the team’s second preseason game, Eason will get plenty of reps to continue making his case for the backup and potential spot starting role while Carson Wentz works his way back from foot surgery.

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Colts’ Jacob Eason building rapport with T.Y. Hilton

Colts QB Jacob Eason and WR T.Y. Hilton appear to be making strides with their connection.

It has been a quiet camp for Indianapolis Colts veteran wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, but that came to an end during Tuesday’s padded practice at the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield.

With quarterback Jacob Eason taking the majority of first-team reps as starter Carson Wentz heals up from foot surgery, it has taken a minute for the young passer to develop a rapport with Hilton. However, they took steps in the right direction on Tuesday.

Eason had his best day of camp on Tuesday, which just happened to follow a stellar outing in the preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers. Getting Hilton more involved appeared to be the objective as the Ghost caught five of Eason’s 12 completions during team drills.

“Absolutely. It’s going to take time,” Hilton told reporters Tuesday. “But today was a good start, we’re in the right direction – just continue to build that trust with one another. I know the spots he wants me at, so just continue to build.”

Most are expecting second-year wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to take over as the leader in the room—and for good reason. Pittman Jr. has shown immense strides as the X-receiver in the formation and could be headed toward a breakout year.

But if the Colts can get Hilton playing at a consistent level as solid WR2 working from the Z-receiver position, that would provide a massive boost for Eason’s confidence when dropping back.

That confidence is something Hilton noticed a bit more during Tuesday’s practice after Eason finally got a game under his belt.

“The game he really needed, getting a game under his belt. But he’s just putting in the work, he’s putting in the film, putting in time out here on the field and it’s just showing off. He’s doing great. He’s looking good,” Hilton said of Eason. “Since he took over, just understanding the spots he needs me at. Just watching film, breaking down film – even in walk-thru we’re just talking, communicating. Even after the catches we’re just constantly communicating and that’s what you’re going to need.”

It isn’t clear yet when Wentz will return despite head coach Frank Reich feeling optimistic about his return two weeks after foot surgery.

But if Eason continues to develop confidence and a rapport with his pass-catchers, the offense just might be able to stay afloat enough to keep them in competitive games.

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Stock up, Stock down from Colts’ preseason opener

A look at whose stock rose and fell following the Colts’ first preseason game.

The Indianapolis Colts began their shortened preseason with an impressive victory at home over the Carolina Panthers.

This coming after a couple of heated joint practices that contained more than a couple of scuffles between the players of each team. With the victory, we come another week closer to the regular season, and closer still to NFL mandated roster cut deadlines.

This season’s roster cuts will be particularly difficult for the Colts, who have solid young depth throughout the roster. With those cuts looming, we’ll take a look at three players whose stock is on the rise and who may be making a strong case for a final roster spot.

Also, we will look at a couple of players whose stock seems to be on more of a downward trend and may be on the outside looking in with two preseason games to go.

Following the first preseason games, here’s a look at the stock report:

Breaking down Jacob Eason against the Carolina Panthers

Mark Schofield goes to the telestrator to break down young quarterback Jacob Eason and his performance against the Carolina Panthers.

The Indianapolis Colts got a bit of a blow to start their 2021 campaign with the dual injuries to quarterback Carson Wentz and left guard Quenton Nelson. Both players suffered the same foot injury, putting them on the shelf for the preseason, if not longer.

Colts head coach Frank Reich indicated this week that the organization feels good about how both players are recovering, and the Colts remain hopeful that they will be back for the start of the season. That might be critical for Indianapolis’ chances this year, as the organization starts with a difficult schedule as they face four playoff teams from last season, as well as the Miami Dolphins, in their first five games.

The injuries, particularly the injury to Wentz, bring to light concerns about offensive depth. Behind Wentz the Colts have a pair of young passers in Jacob Eason and Sam Ehlinger, as well as Brett Hundley who the team signed after the Wentz injury was announced. If the organization is forced to turn to Eason to start the season, then his performance against the Carolina Panthers this weekend might offer a silver lining.

Eason got the start and played the entire first half, completing 15 of 21 passes for 183 yards. He did lose a fumble on a sack, but there was a lot to like about what he showed against Carolina. In this video breakdown we’ll look at his ability to read coverage rotations, how he cam hold defenders with his eyes, his ability to throw downfield with precision, his athleticism and his ability to make anticipation throws in the middle of the field:

Obviously, the Colts and their fans are hoping that Wentz works his way back sooner rather than later. But Eason’s performance against the Panthers at least offers a glimmer of hope should the Wentz injury linger into September.

Colts’ Jacob Eason impressed in preseason debut

Colts QB Jacob Eason impressed during his first live action since 2019.

The Indianapolis Colts have question marks at the quarterback position with Carson Wentz working his way back from foot surgery, but second-year passer Jacob Eason gave an impressive showing during the team’s preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers.

Eason got the start on Sunday, making his debut in a Colts uniform and hitting the field for game action for the first time since 2019 when he was leading the Washington Huskies for his senior season.

The former fourth-round pick impressed during his debut, especially during the two-minute drive at the end of the first half to cap his day with the first team.

“Jacob (Eason), the two-minute drive was a clinic reel. He does a great job and he hit some really nice throws the whole first half,” said head coach Frank Reich on Sunday. “He had a couple of lasers and really looked good. He put the ball on the ground one time and made one or two errors, mental mistakes we’ll clean up but was proud of Jacob. I thought he went out there and showed himself well.”

Eason finished the game 15/21 for 183 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions and a 97.2 passer rating. Given the uncertainty and the question marks surrounding Eason’s game, this was a very encouraging outing.

There were some issues that Eason will need to continue working on, of course. Feeling pressure from the edge and having more urgency when climbing the pocket is an aspect of his game that needs more work. Also, knowing when to differentiate between rearing back for a heater and putting a little more touch on the ball must be an area of emphasis as well.

Fortunately, those are all areas of his game that can be improved with more reps against live action.

“Well, we’re always working on having the right timing, but like you said, speeding it up and getting it to the right timing with the play is important. I think Jacob (Eason) has done well there,” said Reich. “There are times where it needs to be better, I think you’re seeing that right at times, but I think he’s making good progress, he’s very coachable and I think he’s getting better each day and each week.”

The Colts will switch for the second preseason game in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings as Sam Ehlinger will get the start, but this was an impressive outing for the former fouth-round pick.

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5 takeaways from Colts’ preseason win over Panthers

Takeaways from the Colts’ preseason win over the Panthers.

It was sloppy, there were turnovers and too many yellow flags, but it doesn’t matter because football is back.

The Indianapolis Colts kicked off the 2021 season with their only home preseason matchup against the Carolina Panthers. While a majority of the starters didn’t play, there were some familiar veterans that were able to get some snaps in and some new faces that were making their debut to Colts fans.

It is important to not overreact to the first preseason game but there are some takeaways that stood out in the first action of the season.

Colts QB battle: How Jacob Eason, Sam Ehlinger did in preseason opener

How did the QB competition for the Colts go in the preseason opener?

With Carson Wentz’s foot injury still the biggest question mark of training camp, the Indianapolis Colts gave the keys to their two young quarterbacks in the preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Second-year Jacob Eason got the start and showed that he has a lot of potential in this league. Sam Ehlinger came in for the second half, and struggled but still showed promise.

Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly from the Colts’ preseason quarterback competition from the opener on Sunday

The Good

The second-year man out of Washington had a promising start under center. Eason played the entire first half and finished 15 for 21 with 183 yards passing. His accuracy, especially down the field, was the most impressive part of his debut.

What stood out was the two-minute drill Eason led down the field for a score right before halftime. It started with a deep ball to Mike Strachan that really got things going for the final drive of the first half. His pocket presence and ability to bounce back after a sack were also bright spots during this time.

The Bad

While pocket presence was positive, Eason has to learn to be more aware and poised while dropping back. There were multiple times where he had time to throw and rushed a short pass. On the flip-side, there were many times Eason held onto the ball too long and took a sack, one of those being a fumble inside the Colts’ 20-yard line. Knowing when to get rid of the football is an important lesson for any quarterback.

The Ugly

The fumble Eason lost was largely due to his protection falling apart, but all the blame can’t go towards the offensive line. Rather than stepping up in the pocket, he sat back and waited for the defense. If he wants to have a shot at the starting job, that is something that needs to be fixed.

Sam Ehlinger

The Good

Ehlinger showed a lot of poise in the pocket and responded well when facing pressure. He has very good accuracy and completed a few well-placed crossing routes. He had a couple of completions down the field, but that was mostly due to spectacular catches by Tarik Black and Tyler Vaughns. He also showed his running ability for a handful of first downs and a two-point conversion, showing his ability to move outside the pocket as well.

The final drive that lasted just over six minutes was also impressive. Ehlinger made the right decisions and drove the team down the field to ultimately win the game off an Eddy Pineiro field goal. He turned a rocky start into a solid outing overall.

The Bad

Other than the 47-yard completion to Black, Ehlinger largely struggled to push the ball down the field. He completed 66% of his passes with one interception. He seemed skittish at times and lacked confidence against the Panthers’ third-string defenders in the third quarter. It was clear that Ehlinger still has a lot to learn to be a starting quarterback in this league, but he learned a lot in his first taste of action.

The Ugly

Ehlinger’s third-quarter pick was thrown directly into coverage, not to mention he had great protection and a lot of time to throw. Throws like that are common among rookie quarterbacks, and things like that should get ironed out in the coming weeks. It looks like Ehlinger is still a ways away from his regular-season debut.

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Colts vs. Panthers preseason Week 1 recap: Everything we know

Everything we know from the Colts’ preseason Week 1 win over the Panthers.

Kicking off the preseason, the Indianapolis Colts defeated the Carolina Panthers, 21-18, on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

This game was all about the quarterback competition between Jacob Eason and Sam Ehlinger. Both had solid days in their own rights even though neither threw a touchdown pass.

Here’s everything we know from the preseason opener between the Colts and Panthers: