INDIANAPOLIS – The bye week has officially begun for the Colts.
Tuesday was the final day for meetings/workouts this week, with players now going their separate ways on the bye week.
A return to work for the players will likely be at a Monday practice, as the Colts get ready for the final seven games of the 2016 season.
Here is the Tuesday notebook with players and coordinators meeting the media:**
Ted Monachino on moving Clayton Geathers to linebacker against Green Bay, and also inserting Darius Butler as a starting safety:**
"It strengthened two different position groups."
Bowen's Analysis:* *This article goes a little more in-depth on the decision to move Darius Butler to safety against Green Bay. The Colts wanted/needed more speed on the field. So Geathers slid down to linebacker, a move that could be made thanks to Butler being a reliable cross-training option at safety.
Now the question becomes, did Monachino uncork a part of his defense he can now use more often? Against pass-heavy teams, this sort of personnel grouping works. Some credit should go to cornerback Rashaan Melvin as well. With Butler going to safety last Sunday, starting corner Patrick Robinson had to slide into the nickel role. That pushed Melvin into the outside corner spot, opposite Vontae Davis. The versatility of Geathers, the football IQ of Butler and the trust in Melvin has possibly opened the door to an extra package for Monachino. Remember, the Colts used this new wrinkle without Mike Adams (groin).
Rob Chudzinski on this team closing out Sunday's victory over the Packers:
"The good thing is that you are seeing the poise out of the players in those situations improving."
Bowen's Analysis:* *T.Y. Hilton said Sunday was the most fun he's had playing in an offense. Credit Chud for creating such a balanced offensive attack that stayed in the fast lane all afternoon long. A healthy skill group around Andrew Luck was able to then close it out on Sunday with Aaron Rodgers salivating for one more chance.
How balanced were the Colts on Sunday? They were 7-of-14 on third down. All seven of those conversions came from different players (Andrew Luck, T.Y. Hilton, Jacoby Brissett, Dwayne Allen, Jack Doyle, Josh Ferguson and Robert Turbin). That group doesn't include Frank Gore or Donte Moncrief, easily two of the most important pieces to this offense. If the line can build off what it showed for the majority of the past month, the potential is there for this offense to carry the Colts near the top of the AFC South.Robert Mathis on why things clicked Sunday against the Packers:
"As a team we just made our minds up. This is really sink or swim, do or die, barbeque or mildew.
"3-6 is kind of a death sentence in this league and falling behind any more games behind Houston, it's just tough to make up."
Bowen's Analysis: The "death sentence" label to what a loss on Sunday would have meant for the Colts falls right in line with Chuck Pagano wanting no part of imagining such a scenario when the head coach met with the media on Monday.
Going into the bye, the Colts are 4-5. The Titans (4-5) and Texans (5-3) will both make trips to Lucas Oil Stadium in the first four weeks after Indy's bye. The Colts will have three of their first four games post-bye at home. The Texans have to prove themselves on the road. They have 5 of their final 8 games away from home, and are still in search for their first road win of 2016 (they are 0-3 on the road this year).
