INDIANAPOLIS – Each week, readers of Colts.com can submit their questions to have a chance of them being answered in our Wednesday mailbag.
Here is this week's collection:Alex Cotterman (New Palestine, IN)
I really liked what I saw out of the run game on Monday night. The colts were able to dominate the line of scrimmage and run the ball very effectively. I just hope it can stay consistent. Now the question.
Will the Colts be able to develop any kind of pass rush? On Monday night our D-Line let us down. The coverage wasn't bad he just had all day to throw.
Bowen: Yes, the rushing output was very promising on Monday night. Having a pair of rushers over 70 yards against a normally solid rush defense was a pleasant sign for the Colts offense. Listening to Chuck Pagano on Tuesday, it's clear the Colts know they must continue to develop their young pass rushers. Erik Walden had his moments on Monday night against a team that runs a ton of misdirection looks with pass rushers accounting for their specific run lanes first and foremost. It will be interesting to see how the Colts pass rush does now that they play some more conventional offenses.
MP (Charlotte, NC)
I'm not understanding how we are not using all of our weapons. We ran the ball good but we have big Tight Ends and incredible Wide Receivers. Why not use them all? Nicks is a big guy, who's going to stop that? Something has to change, offense and defense. We lost two games which we should have one. This is not a young, rebuilding team anymore. What's the problem now????
Bowen: Coming into the season it was obvious that with so many offensive weapons, there were going to be games where specific guys emerged and others where those same players take more of a back seat. We've seen that already early in the season with Reggie Wayne and the receivers shining in Week One. In the Colts second game, we saw the Colts running game produce in a big way. That's exactly what Pep Hamilton wants out of his offense---the ability to be multiple and force defenses to account for both the run and the pass.
Richard Wolford (Tulsa, OK)
Why was Shipley wearing #63..? Didn't the team retire Jeff Saturday's number? Thanks
Bowen: The team has not retired the No. 63. Saturday retired as a Colt back in the spring of 2013.
Meg Wendling (Missouri)
What a classy rendition of the National Anthem from Josh Kaufman! How do these performers get chosen?
Bowen: The Colts try to select both national and local artists to perform the Anthem. Locally, the last few seasons the Colts have chosen the winner of the Feinstein Music Competition (Carmel) to sing the Anthem at a game. Obviously, Josh Kauffman has ties locally (Indianapolis) and his notoriety nationally from winning NBC's The Voice. On a personal note, I attended the Notre Dame/Purdue game on Saturday at Lucas Oil and Kauffman was terrific performing the Anthem in front of that audience, too. For anyone interested in performing the Anthem at a Colts home game, they can visit www.colts.com/entertainment.
Darren Gipson (Los Angeles, CA)
The Colts should use Herron as running back mix it up and find a way to use purifoy in defense situations that caters to his skill set the colts must establish a running game to have a chance at going all the way, lets go Colts, Colts strong!
Bowen: Herron was definitely a very pleasant surprise in the preseason. He's a complete back that the Colts have used as a kick returner early in the season. It's very difficult to incorporate three backs in the flow of the offensive game and the Colts have gotten production from Trent Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw early in 2014. If an injury occurs, Herron has shown he can fill-in just nicely. As far as Purifoy, again it's a numbers game. Right now the Colts are using their three corners (Vontae Davis, Greg Toler and Darius Butler) in their defensive packages. Purifoy is definitely impressing on special teams though.
Ramon Pages (Las Vegas, NV)
Why we don't trade for a pass rusher now?. I have high hopes for the Colts this season but with Robert out everything changed. Please don't trade a 1 round pick, 2 or 3 okay. I trust you guys to make the right choices for our team. Go COLTS!
Bowen: If you aren't willing to give up something substantial it's hard to find an elite pass rusher during the season. Right now, the Colts feel comfortable with the guys they've got off the edge and the development of the young outside linebackers in Bjoern Werner and Jonathan Newsome.
Harold Mapes (Kendallville, IN)
I will agree that there were things that the Colts could have done to win the game last night. What I do not like is that most of the media turns a blind I to what I and thousands of fans at the stadium saw last night. The officials cost us the game. Sure we made mistakes. The officiating was terrible. Why do all the writers ignore that in their columns. If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck? then it probably is a duck. If officiating is so bad that thousands of people boo continuously for 5 to 10 minutes, then it is probable bad officiating. We pay alot of money to attend these games. We should expect good play,and good coaching from both teams. We also deserve good officiating. If it is bad I expect it should be brought out by the reporters that was there to witness it.
Bowen: The media contingent at the game on Monday certainly asked Chuck Pagano and players about the calls in question late in the game. They followed up on Tuesday and asked Pagano if he had heard anything from the league. Pagano said they submitted the plays they had in question and are now waiting to hear from NFL headquarters.
