The Indianapolis Colts played most of their reserves in their 21-13 preseason win over the Arizona Cardinals. While notable starters sat on the bench for this game, a starting defensive lineman played a lot of football and several storylines emerged from this second preseason game for the Colts.

With that, it’s time to discuss the good and bad of Indianapolis’s penultimate preseason game. As always, let’s start with the positive side of things.

The Good | The Reserve RBs

While running back Trey Sermon recovers from a hamstring injury, Evan Hull, Tyler Goodson and Zavier Scott took over most of the running back duties against the Cardinals. The trio did not disappoint, forming a three-man attack that put pressure on Arizona’s defense.

Hull, Goodson and Scott combined for 21 carries for 116 rushing yards and two scores. Shane Steichen may have more weapons in the backfield behind Jonathan Taylor than he expected to use.

The Evil | Matt Gay

Colts kicker Matt Gay was an ace several times in the 2023 season. After Indy signed him for four years and $22.5 million ($13 million guaranteed; per About the cap) Gay should be the solution at Kicker for the coming years.

But Gay’s start to the preseason has been brutal so far, with him now down to 1/4 of his field goal attempts after two games. While punter Rigoberto Sanchez was out for this game due to the birth of his newborn, Gay had a backup holder, which could explain the kicking issues. However, dropping to 0/2 is not ideal. We’ll see if this becomes a problem for the former Pro Bowler.

The Good | Segun Olubi

Linebacker Segun Olubi showed his ability to be anywhere on the field in Saturday’s game. Fellow linebacker Jaylon Carlies also looked solid, but Olubi led Indy’s defense.

Olubi finished with nine tackles (led the team) and countless stops in the running game. Olubi was already in the starting lineup in 2023 and complements the duo of Zaire Franklin and EJ Speed ​​well. Olubi is expected to make the roster and continue to be a reliable backup at linebacker.

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Evil | Blake Freeland

Blake Freeland, drafted in the fourth round out of BYU in 2023, had to compete against some of the NFL’s best pass rushers while filling in for tackles Bernhard Raimann and Braden Smith during their injury absences. Although he struggled, it was hoped that the experience he gained would help him develop as a swing tackle heading into 2024. So far, that hasn’t happened.

After a miserable performance against the Denver Broncos (Focus on professional football With a pass blocking rating of 34.2, Freeland had a lot of trouble with the backup players on the sidelines against Arizona. Quarterbacks Jason Bean and Sam Ehlinger desperately ran away from the pass rushers on Freeland’s side.

That’s not encouraging for Freeland, as there are several players who could take his position as swing tackle. The most likely candidate is rookie Matt Goncalves. Freeland will need to finish the preseason strong or risk falling further down the rankings.

The Good | Nick Cross

After reports circulated in Indianapolis that safety Nick Cross was not ready to start and the franchise needed outside help, Cross put together another great preseason performance against the Cardinals and seems ready to prove the doubters wrong.

Cross was hot on the heels of linebacker Olubi in most categories, but finished the game with five tackles (one for a loss) and flew down the field to make plays. Cross carries himself like a player who wants to make people look ridiculous for seeing Justin Simmons right through him. We’ll see if that momentum continues for the former third-round pick.

The Bad | Jelani Woods

The Colts’ tight end position is arguably the most competitive position on the 2024 roster. One of the biggest starting candidates just a few months ago was third-year pro Jelani Woods. Given Woods’ incredible athletic profile and an offensive mind like Steichen, the 2024 season was a breakout scenario. However, there’s a chance Woods could be off the active roster in a few weeks when cuts need to be finalized.

After some good plays against the Broncos, Woods only managed one special teams tackle against the Cardinals, but then had to leave the game with a toe injury.

Even veteran tight end Eric Tomlinson outperformed Woods in this game, catching two passes for 24 yards on three attempts. Woods may not make the roster if Indianapolis decides to go into the 2024 regular season with only four tight ends. Woods will need a fantastic closer in the preseason against the Cincinnati Bengals to help his cause.

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