INDIANAPOLIS – A lengthy injury report to start the week has shrunk considerably for the Colts with kickoff less than 48 hours away.
It looks like the Colts will only be without one defensive starter (Mike Adams) Sunday to go along with the absences of Andrew Luck and Anthony Castonzo.
Here are some sound bites from Chuck Pagano and Boom Herron meeting the media on Friday:Chuck Pagano on Joe Reitz playing left tackle and the biggest difference:
"Muscle memory.
"The good thing is he's played over there some. He's a good athlete. He will be fine."
Bowen's Analysis: With Anthony Castonzo ruled out on Sunday, the ultimate plug-in play guy will get his first NFL start at left tackle. Joe Reitz has played at left tackle before, but in very limited action.
At Friday's practice, we continued to see Denzelle Good working with the tackles, and Jack Mewhort/Todd Herremans staying with the guards. It's looking like a very real possibility that Good is going to get his first start on Sunday, in what would be his first NFL action (he's been inactive for the first 10 games of 2015). Last year at Mars Hill (Division II), Good was blocking against schools named: Brevard, Lenoir-Rhyne and Catawba. On Sunday, he could be starting versus a team in the thick of the NFC playoff race.Chuck Pagano on Bucs wide receivers Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson:
"They are a matchup problem.
"Big, physical guys. They can body you. They have a huge catch radius."
Bowen's Analysis:* *At 6-5 and 230 pounds (and change), the Bucs top two wideouts are power forwards playing wide receiver.
They have been exceptional in catches for first downs this year. Jackson ranks first in the NFL with 84 percent of his catches moving the chains. Evans is second in the league at 81.8 percent. The Colts appear to be healthy at the cornerback position with Vontae Davis and Greg Toler practicing on Friday. At safety, Clayton Geathers will again start for Mike Adams. Geathers has the physical makeup to maybe be a red-zone matchup opposite the massive Evans/Jackson.
Boom Herron on his four games with the Bills:
"I was definitely grateful for the opportunity."
Bowen's Analysis: Back in his old No. 36, Boom Herron was on the practice field for the Colts on Friday. The Colts claimed Herron off waivers after he played in four games with Buffalo earlier this season.
Herron joins Frank Gore and Ahmad Bradshaw to makeup the current Colts running back group. Now, Herron's initial role in 2015 is going to come on special teams. With Ahmad Bradshaw now fully immersed in the Colts offense, him and Gore provide a necessary 1-2 punch. Herron's first impact in Indianapolis was on special teams, so the fit makes plenty of sense there.INJURY NOTES
Here is the final injury report:
- OUT: OT-Anthony Castonzo (knee), WR-Phillip Dorsett (ankle), QB-Andrew Luck (abdomen/kidney)
-No surprises here. Dorsett is approaching the final two weeks of his original timetable (four-to-six weeks).
- DOUBTFUL: S-Mike Adams (ankle)
-Adams was limited in practice Friday, so that's a step in the right direction for him after he's not participated the past two weeks.
- QUESTIONABLE: CB-Greg Toler (groin), OLB-Erik Walden (heel)
-Toler and Walden were both limited at Friday's practice after missing Thursday's session.
- PROBABLE: CB-Vontae Davis (hamstring), ILB-Jerrell Freeman (ribs), RB-Frank Gore (ankle), ILB-Sio Moore (back), CB-D'Joun Smith (knee), ILB-D'Qwell Jackson (hamstring)
-Some key, key defenders on this list.
