The Indianapolis Colts dropped the preseason opener Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field.
There was plenty to watch, even in a sloppy game like that. The Colts had some players shine on both sides of the ball. They also had some players underperform to begin the preseason.
Here are some studs and duds from the preseason opener:
STUD: DT Grover Stewart
The first-team defense was on the field for the majority of the first half and while several regular starters were out, Stewart made his presence known greatly by penetrating the backfield on multiple occasions and applying pressure from the interior.
Stewart has been having a strong training camp thus far, and his explosion and strength off the line are evident. He appears to be developing nicely into a significant contributor from the one-technique.
DUD: OT Le’Raven Clark
With starting left tackle Anthony Castonzo getting the night off to begin the preseason, Clark got the call to protect Jacoby Brissett’s blindside. He didn’t fare too well in either run blocking or pass protection, but the latter is where he struggled most.
Clark struggled mightily against speed off the edge and allowed a few pressures in the quarter-and-a-half he was on the field. There is a battle brewing for the backup left tackle spot, but Clark showed there are some major question marks regarding if he can handle that role.
STUD: LB E.J. Speed
It was expected that Speed might have a good start to the preseason from what he’s shown during training camp. He showed the athleticism and tackling ability that the Colts liked so much throughout the draft process.
The sixth-round pick worked in the middle of the field for the majority of the middle quarters and led the defense with six tackles. His acceleration and aggressiveness tackling through the ball carrier showed true. It was a solid start to say the least for the Tarleton State product.
DUD: QB Phillip Walker
It wasn’t a great night for the quarterback room. Jacoby Brissett struggled to find a rhythm in limited work. But the worst performance belonged to Walker, who was wildly inaccurate for the majority of his reps under center. He had a solid throw or two mixed in, but he was mostly inaccurate.
He finished completing eight of 18 passes for 85 yards, one interception and a 35.9 passer rating.
STUD: DE Carroll Phillips
The defensive line struggled for the most part getting pressure on the Bills quarterbacks all night, but there was a bright spot in the form of Phillips, who is battling for one of the final roster spots in the front seven.
Phillips was around the ball all night. He found his way to 2.0 sacks and a fumble recovery on a high snap. With Kemoko Turay struggling for the majority of his night, it was a strong step forward for Phillips.
STUD: QB Chad Kelly
While the aforementioned Walker struggled mightily, Kelly made it clear he should be leading the competition for QB3 on the depth chart. Not only did the Ole Miss product show off some admirable arm talent, he got it done with his legs as well. That included a 33-yard touchdown run on an option to get the Colts their first touchdown of the preseason.
Kelly showed there is some serious promise in his game as a backup quarterback, and it will certainly be something to watch as the preseason rolls on.
