As the Indianapolis Colts officially began the preseason Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills, it was filled with some excitement and some disappointment—as most preseason games go.
Let’s take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly from the 24-16 loss on at New Era Field:
The Good
QB Chad Kelly: The brightest to shine on Thursday, Kelly was emphatic in his return to the field since being released by the Broncos. He finished completing 13-of-19 passes for 121 yards while adding four carries for 54 yards and a rushing touchdown.
WR Daurice Fountain: Needing to make strides, Fountain paced all wide receivers with five catches on seven targets for 63 yards.
DE Carroll Phillips: With 2.0 sacks and a fumble recovery, Phillips had a strong night and should continue to compete for one of the final spots.
Linebackers: The group as a whole looked solid. E.J. Speed led the team with six tackles while flying all over the field. The unit was strong in their run fits, particularly.
DT Tyquan Lewis: The second-year defensive lineman was quick off the line Thursday night, applying pressure on several snaps.
The Bad
Third down offense: The Colts offense was dreadful until Kelly came in the game. They converted only four of 16 third-down attempts on the night.
Pass rush: There were some moments where the pass rush showed some life, but for the most part, it was tough to watch with a unit that desperately needs to see improvements.
Blown coverages: Twice a Colts defensive back blew an assignment that led for a big gain. Rookie safety Khari Willis and cornerback Nate Hairston. The latter’s resulted in a touchdown.
The Ugly
QB Phillip Walker: It wasn’t a good start to the preseason for Walker, who completed 8-of-18 passes for 85 yards and a 35.6 passer rating.
Offensive line: Whether it was the run game or in pass protection, the offensive line left a lot to be desired. This is especially true at the left tackle position.
