with Jonathan Taylor out for Thursday night’s matchup against the Denver Broncos, the Indianapolis Colts are elevating running back Phillip Lindsay from their practice squad. Indianapolis needs any help it can get to right the ship and avoid a 1-3-1 start.
Speaking with the Athletic’s Zak Keefer earlier this week, Lindsay said, “I’m gonna be ready to go if and when my number gets called.” His number has officially been called and he is expected to see a few carries behind Nyheim Hines against his former team.
Lindsay’s Dominant Early Start
Lindsay, a former undrafted rookie for the Denver Broncos, immediately burst onto the scene in 2018. During his rookie season, Lindsay rushed for 1,037 yards and 9 touchdowns. He averaged 5.4 yards per attempt on his way to a Pro Bowl selection, the first of any undrafted offensive rookie. He followed his rookie season with a solid 1,011 yards and 7 touchdowns.
The former Colorado star battled injuries throughout the 2020 season, including a concussion and two knee injuries, in what would be his final season in orange and navy. He was cut heading into the 2021 season and eventually played for both the Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins during his fourth year in the league.
After signing with Indianapolis during the offseason, Lindsay failed to make the 53-man roster but was signed to the practice squad on September 6th.
Solid Preseason Outing
While the level of competition in the preseason leaves something to be desired, Lindsay still performed well. In 16 carries, Lindsay rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown. Even though he averaged 3.4 yards per carry, he showed his elite acceleration and speed are still there.
Lindsay was impressive during camp per Indianapolis beat reporters. But he failed to make the roster due to a lack of special teams value. He may not be the running back the NFL saw during his first two seasons, but Lindsay should still have some gas left in the tank.
Reversing Course of Rushing Attack
The Indianapolis rushing attack has struggled thus far. Even with star running back Jonathan Taylor, the Colts have the sixth-least rushing yards in the league with just 351 yards. They are also one of four teams with only one rushing touchdown in 2022.
Per Keefer, Lindsay said “There’s a lot of game left. I know Jonathan’s frustrated at times. I know coach is frustrated at times. I don’t know how he did at the start of last season, but then he exploded. That just shows you that you stay true to what you do.”
The Colts have to find a way to get their running game going. With a lack of a rushing threat, defenses can key in on the pass and edge rushers can pin their ears back to pressure quarterback Matt Ryan.
For a team whose entire offensive profile is ground-and-pound, head coach Frank Reich and the offensive staff need to scheme up a ground attack that works on a consistent basis. Per Spotrac, the Colts have spent more on their offensive line than any other team in the NFL. Reich and company are hoping that their investment in the trenches pays off Thursday against the Broncos and beyond.
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