INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts have offensive line problems.
No, we’re not talking about the 2015, 2014, 2013 or 2012 seasons. We’re talking about today, after the Colts used half of their eight draft picks this year on offensive linemen.
A week after showing signs of promise in their two series against the Baltimore Ravens, the Colts' starting offensive line was thoroughly embarrassed by the Philadelphia Eagles in a 33-23 loss Saturday.
Clearly, losing QB Andrew Luck for nine games and having to use five different quarterbacks last season hasn't sunk in for the Colts yet, because Luck was under fire from the Eagles' front seven all game long.
Rookie starting center Ryan Kelly officially knows he’s no longer at Alabama because the Eagles bullied him up the middle to keep pressure on Luck.
Left tackle Anthony Castonzo, who is looking to rebound from a down 2015 season, was called for holding and struggled protecting the edge. Rookie right tackle Le'Raven Clark, starting in place of the injured Joe Reitz, was beaten on two of Luck’s three sacks.
There were a lot of people holding their breath in the Colts' organization when Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox beat Kelly and blasted Luck, sending him flying to the ground. The quarterback’s 2015 season ended with a lacerated kidney.
Luck was hit or sacked on nine of his 21 dropbacks in the first half. Things were so bad that Colts coach Chuck Pagano went from saying earlier in the week that Luck would play into the third quarter to not playing him at all in the second half Saturday.
“We didn’t do the job that we should have done protecting our quarterback,” Pagano said. “There’s way too much penetration.”
The preseason isn’t about wins and losses, it’s about progress. And at this point, the Colts' offensive line and position coach Joe Philbin have a lot of work to do over the next two weeks before they face the Detroit Lions on Sept. 11 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Their 2016 season depends on it.
QB depth chart: Luck was effective when he had time in the pocket. It’s just that he didn’t have it often enough. Luck finished 13-of-18 for 134 yards. Scott Tolzien replaced Luck at the start of the second half and had the Colts in position to score before what appeared to be some miscommunication between him and receiver Donte Moncrief in the end zone. Tolzien threw a fade to the back of the end zone, but Moncrief stopped his route, allowing for an easy interception by cornerback Nolan Carroll.
Who got hurt? The list of injured players grew even more for the Colts, who went into the game already without six cornerbacks. That list went to seven in the first quarter when Darius Butler, who had an interception on Philadelphia’s first series, left the game with an ankle injury. And to add insult to an already brutal performance by the offensive line, starting left guard Jack Mewhort suffered a knee injury.
When it was starters vs. starters, the Colts looked ...: The Colts were missing seven players who could end up starting on defense when healthy. But that doesn’t excuse the number of big plays the starting unit gave up. The Colts gave up plays of 19, 38, 16 and 22 yards to Philadelphia in the first half. The Eagles gained 177 yards and went 3-of-4 on third down in the first 30 minutes, when both teams had their first units in the game. The Colts' lone sack came on Philadelphia’s first snap, when linebacker Nate Irving went untouched up the middle to take Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford down for a 13-yard loss.
One reason to be concerned: As with the offensive line, the Colts are still stuck in reverse when it comes to their running game. Indianapolis' running backs rushed 16 times for a total of 36 yards Saturday. So if you’re counting at home, the Colts have totaled 102 yards on 54 carries from their running backs in the preseason. That's 1.9 yards a carry.
Special-teams help: The Colts got their first touchdown when linebacker Josh McNary got around the edge and blocked a punt in the third quarter. Backup running back Jordan Todman first bobbled the loose ball before gathering it in the end zone to cut the Eagles' lead to 24-10.
Vinatieri misses again: Adam Vinatieri, the Colt's 43-year-old kicker, missed an extra point wide left in the fourth quarter. It’s the second time he has missed a kick in the preseason. He missed a 47-yard field goal against Baltimore on Aug. 20.