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We are beginning a new weekly feature here at St

in General Discussion Thu Dec 06, 2018 3:39 am
by panxing18 • Farseer | 334 Posts | 3340 Points

ampede Blue Authentic Braden Smith Jersey , the purpose of which is to take a look at Frank Reich’s best and worst calls from the prior game. Some of you will undoubtedly have very strong opinions about which plays I select each week, but we will at least be able to agree that they are impactful plays that mattered in the game.Frank Reich has by and large had this Colts’ team well prepared out of the gate, which is essential because the style of defense they play works at its best with the lead. A hot start for the offense specifically means the ability to play from ahead, which best suits the defensive style.The BestReich certainly got the Colts off to a fast start against this Jaguars team, keeping the defense confused and on their toes and guiding them to a 7 play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown. The defense forced a punt on the Jaguars’ first possession of the game and the Colts punted it back to them without ever crossing midfield. Donte Moncrief’s 80-yard touchdown brought the Jaguars right back to even as the first quarter was coming to a close.The Colts took over and quickly gouged the defense, looking at you Jalen Ramsey, for a 35-yard strike to T.Y. Hilton who was wide open on the left side. Another long throw to Mo-Alie Cox put the Colts well inside the red zone and a short dump off to Marlon Mack had the Colts looking at 3rd and goal from about the 2 yard line.That’s when Frank Reich pulled his slickest move of the season. He sends the team out in 12 personnel and Marlon Mack is lined up as the lone back. It looks for all the world as though they will just try to punch it in by running right at the Jaguars.Eric Ebron goes in motion just before the snap, and the fake to Mack goes to the right side and right at Calais Campbell, who explodes through the line, wholly biting on the fake. The only guy who seems to have an inkling of where the ball is going is Myles Jack, but by the time he has completely recognized what is happening, Ebron is around the end and breaking for the end zone. Barry Church never has a chance as he tries desperately to stop Ebron from scoring.This play is great for a lot of reasons. Obviously the score is a big one. It went off without a hitch and was completely unexpected. What’s more, there are long term implications for this play. The Colts send players in motion often. Running a play like this causes doubt for defenders. Misdirection and confusion are sometimes all an offense needs to make big plays. When you run a play like this effectively, it gets in the heads of the defensive players. You can bet the Jaguars will remember this play the next time they play the Colts, and that may be what Frank Reich is counting on.The WorstThe Colts didn’t start their first drive of the second half until just over 6 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, after the defense let Jacksonville grind out a long scoring drive. A hold on Braden Smith backed them up to their 15 yard line and a dropped pass by Nyheim Hines left them facing a 2nd and 20. Frank Reich’s play call at that point is the one I’ll label as his worst for the day. It is tough to dial up anything from that position, and it is hardly an egregiously bad call, but it is indicative of the kind of conservative approach that stymied the offense for much of the second half. You might think that this is Luck checking down with no open receivers. However, the screen pass is the call here, and Ryan Kelly is proof of that. He is getting up field in a hurry to put a hit on Telvin Smith and try to break Mack loose. It doesn’t really work, however, because he isn’t able to get there to buy Mack much space. Since they run at the short side of the field Youth Malik Hooker Jersey , Mack doesn’t have much room to work, and the play gets blown up for a gain of less than 2 when they needed to cut out a significant chunk to avoid 3rd and absurdly long. These screens just have not worked effectively all season long, and this is no exception. The result is a 3rd and 19, and then giving the ball right back to the Jaguars after possessing it just 1 minute and 42 seconds. They wouldn’t get the ball back until :57 left in the 3rd quarter. ConclusionThis was largely a solid game from Frank Reich. The Jaguars’ defense despite looking pretty awful in the first half, is actually very talented. You cannot get too risky with a good defense or they can make you pay, and the hold and dropped pass put Reich in a tough spot on his play call early in the 3rd, but that’s where you have to find more effective and creative ways to get yards. His stubborn attempts to repeatedly make that screen pass work have been frustrating and hopefully he will let that one go as a play the Colts just don’t seem able to run very effectively.What those rough two quarters should not overshadow is that Reich had receivers running wide open down the field against the team that was considered the best passing defense in the league. While we’d like to see a more even performance over a whole game, it is a pretty impressive feat to behold. For so very long, the AFC South easily ranked among the NFL's worst divisions.Not anymore.Both Jacksonville and Tennessee are coming off playoff berths, with the Jaguars a blown lead in the AFC championship game from playing in the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. The Jaguars and Titans also have their rosters from those trips back largely intact. Deshaun Watson and J.J. Watt are healthy again in Houston. Even Andrew Luck is throwing passes and ready for the season in Indianapolis."It's crazy how nobody wanted to play in the AFC South a couple years ago," Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith said. "Now it seems like it'll be one of the premier (divisions) in the league."The Jaguars not only are defending division champs, they are looking for a second straight playoff berth for the first time since 1998-99. The Titans changed coache s after consecutive 9-7 seasons because sweeping Jacksonville last season wasn't enough to win the AFC South, and another postseason would be their first back-to-back berths since 2007-08. If the Texans stay healthy, they are chasing their third division title in four years.The Colts have a lot of rebuilding ahead, but a healthy Luck is so good that Indianapolis always has a chance.Here's what to look for out of the AFC South this season:SURGING JACKSONVILLEYes, the Jaguars not only are contenders, they are a popular pick to reach their first Super Bowl. That means dealing with high expectations from the start."That's a big jump, but I feel like we're going to put ourselves in the right position to be an immediate contender," defensive tackle Malik Jackson said. "I think with the defensive product that we put out there, the offensive product we put out there, and special teams, if we do anything less than what we did (last) year, it'd be a huge disappointment. I know we're going to be consistent. I can promise you that."All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey is keeping Jacksonville lively with his comments — positive and disparaging — on NFL quarterbacks. But Jaguars coach Doug Marrone has every key starter back http://www.coltsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-rigoberto-sanchez-jersey , including 10 of 11 on one of the league's stingiest defenses featuring six Pro Bowlers. Blake Bortles' right wrist has been surgically repaired , and he has an offense that led the NFL in rushing last season.CONFIDENT TITANSTennessee has a first-time head coach who won three Super Bowl rings playing linebacker in New England, Mike Vrabel . This franchise also has been busy building the past three years trying to compete not only in the division but the AFC. The Titans gave themselves a big confidence boost by rallying for a wild-card win in Kansas City before a divisional loss in New England . It was an eye opener."To be able to experience that was huge," quarterback Marcus Mariota said. "You understand that the postseason, everything kind of intensifies just a little bit more, and to go through that, to experience that in year three was huge. I do believe that it was a good stepping stone for this season, hopefully for future years as well."The Titans have new coordinator Matt LaFleur teaching Mariota his third offense in four seasons, and they replaced aging DeMarco Murray by signing Dion Lewis to work with Derrick Henry. They also bolstered the defense by signing cornerback Malcolm Butler and drafting linebackers Rashaan Evans and Harold Landry.HEALTHY TEXANSThis season has to be better for Houston if only because the Texans are healthier. When they finished their first losing season since 2013 at 4-12 last year, 22 Texans were on injured reserve. Losses of Watson , Watt and LB Whitney Mercilus were most costly. So even with the Texans' run at a third straight division title over, coach Bill O'Brien got a new general manager and a contract extension .Watson was so thrilling while healthy. Yet the second-year quarterback will be tested if an offensive line anchored by center Nick Martin and featuring three new starters can't protect Watson any better than a year ago, when the Texans gave up the second-most sacks in the NFL.As dominant as Watt was in winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award three times in four seasons, he now has to prove his body can survive a full season. Watt played only eight games combined over 2016 and 2017.COLTSFinally improving the offensive line has been a big key for general manager Chris Ballard in trying to end a three-year postseason drought. The Colts gave up a league-worst 56 sacks last season, and Luck won't stay healthy for long if they can't protect him better. Ballard drafted guard Quenton Nelson at No. 6 overall, signed two free agents, and has center Ryan Kelly coming back off an injury.Owner Jim Irsay also fired Chuck Pagano and hired Frank Reich when Josh McDaniels decided to stay in New England . Reich now has watched Luck return to the field; Luck is feeling much more confident in his own throwing shoulder."I feel like I can make all the throws I need to make with confidence," Luck said.Safety Malik Hooker is back from knee surgery that ended his rookie season after just seven games. But not even Luck might be able to cover up the roster issues that Ballard needs more time, draft picks and money to fix.PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: Jaguars, Titans, Texans, Colts.AP Sports Writers Mark Long and Michael Marot contributed to this report.Follow Teresa M. Walker at teresamwalker

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