Don’t look now, but a few teams are starting to figure things out, specifically at the quarterback position.
The Houston Texans don’t just have an NFL Rookie of the Year candidate in quarterback C.J. Stroud; the first-year signal-caller should be in the MVP conversation after another impressive outing.
Joshua Dobbs continues to create magic with the Minnesota Vikings, who now own back-to-back victories after trading for the former Arizona Cardinals starter.
The Cleveland Browns have been a nuisance all season because of the league’s best defense. However, their starting quarterback finally showed signs of high-end play to make them arguably the AFC’s most dangerous team.
Conversely, the New England Patriots may have finally moved past Mac Jones during the final contest from this year’s International Series.
Quarterbacks always dominate the conversation. But more stories defined this weekend’s NFL action. Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski and Moe Moton provided the biggest takeaways from each contest among the Week 10 slate.
The fact the Indianapolis Colts are 5-5 entering the team’s bye week is a testament to first-year head coach Shane Steichen and his staff, because his squad isn’t all that good.The fact the Indianapolis Colts are 5-5 entering the team’s bye week is a testament to first-year head coach Shane Steichen and his staff, because his squad isn’t all that good.
During Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots, the Colts managed a 10-6 victory against a struggling franchise in Frankfurt, Germany.
But quarterback Gardner Minshew II missed far too many opportunities to create plays and keep the chains moving. Running back Jonathan Taylor slogged his way to 3.0 yards per carry. Fellow back Zack Moss carried the ball once. Veteran center Ryan Kelly left he contest with a concussion. The defense is soft along the defensive interior beyond standout DeForest Buckner. The secondary still has issues as well.
Yet Steichen and crew go out and compete each and every week. The Colts have now won two in a row, with more wins already this year than the team experienced last season.
The squad is taking the right steps by learning how to win and beating teams it should. Yet it’s clear as crystal that everything this season is about next year.
Minshew just does enough to keep the Colts and the opposing team in every game. This was supposed to be the season of Anthony Richardson. Now, the team must wait until 2024 to see him on the field again. Moss’ usage is particularly perplexing because he’s a free agent after this season. Steichen did devise a split-back look, but all of those carries went to Taylor. The defensive front and secondary will require significant fortifications after this season.
As such, the Colts are learning a lot about who they are and where they need to go.
Indianapolis now gets a chance to a take a breath, regroup and get healthy after its bye. Obviously, significant fortifications aren’t coming at certain positions. However, games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans are winnable after the team’s in-season break.
Seven or more victories this season should be considered a resounding success considering where the Colts were last year and the fact they only got four games from their new franchise quarterback.
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