INDIANAPOLIS – Each week, readers of Colts.com can submit their questions to have a chance of them being answered in our Wednesday or Saturday mailbag.
With the abundance of questions in recent weeks, we will have two mailbags each week. This one comes via a weekend edition (here’s the Wednesday version from this week).
Here is this weekend's collection:John K (Syracuse, NY)
Long time Colts fan here. But since I live in the northeast I've been catching a lot of crap from Buffalo fans about week one. Im not a Rex Ryan fan or a buffalo fan, with that said, I know Pep Hamilton has some new weapons, but I would like to see us not be conservative in this game. Score often and score a lot. I want us to show them we are the better team with authority. I want us to crush them. Around here in the news Rex is trying to create a fury in buffalo for game time. Do you see us running silent count no-huddle a lot? The other part, is do you see us going 5 wide at all, they will certainly not be able to cover everyone. What are your thoughts?
Bowen: John, your feeling falls right in line to what Matt Hasselbeck and Andrew Luck have been saying this week. How to attack Ryan's aggressive defensive pressure? Be just as aggressive. Check out this article from earlier in the week, which touched on this very subject.
Chris Pompilio (Boston, MA)
Is TY playing week 1?
Bowen: Chris, T.Y. Hilton will be playing Week One in Buffalo. If you are referring to the concussion Hilton had earlier this month. He practiced last week and was a full participant this week in practice. Hilton will play on Sunday.
Michelle M (Fort Wayne, IN)
I'm going to ask a question I'm sure many colts fans are asking, or has wondered about. Reggie Wayne, now that he isn't playing for the patriots, (big sigh, whew) and if he doesn't get picked up by another team, is there a chance the colts organization could contact him about being a wide receiver coach? Just something to get him back into our organization? If so, how would that work? I'm sure all of colts fans would love that!!
Bowen: I'm not sure if it's fair to Reggie or the current coaching staff to speculate about such things. Wayne has been on record saying he would like to work for the Colts in some capacity. When that would be is anybody's guess. Wayne has been adamant this offseason that spending time with his family has been a treat, compared to the little time he could do that in his 14 previous seasons. Wayne is just a week removed from potentially playing for the Patriots so let's hold off on "Coach Wayne" talks for a few months.
Mark Casey (Abingdon)
I was wondering why Andrew Luck doesnt use the pump fake in some of his throws , I think it would help draw the safeties off of his receivers or the areawere he was going to pass to. I think Andrews a great qb love watching him throw the pigskin and love reading all the qs on here.Keep up the great job for us fans.
Bowen: While Andrew Luck might not use a violent pump fake, his subtle movements do enough to get defenders second-guessing. I recall Chicago safety Antrel Rolle talking about Luck back when the Bears came to scrimmage the Colts last month. Rolle said what Luck does perhaps better than any other quarterback is how he's able to look off defenders, so often leading to massive plays.
Debbie Luedeman (Indianapolis)
Do you think the Colts can win over the Patriots this year? Our defense is going to have to be much better if we plan to win. What do you think?
Bowen: Well, I thought this question would hold off for a few weeks. The Patriots had a very solid debut on Thursday with tremendous efficiency from Tom Brady. While the Steelers moved the ball pretty well, they sputtered several times when reaching New England territory. To answer your question, I definitely think the Colts can beat the Patriots when they meet in Week Six at Lucas Oil Stadium. However, we have a long way to go until that meeting. The Colts run defense is obviously going to play a major factor in that matchup. There's so many great debates regarding that game. Are the Colts equipped to handle a Patriots offense that has recently given them fits? Is a new-look Patriots secondary ready for the Colts weapons on the outside? From a personnel standpoint, I think the Colts can knock off the Patriots this season. But we have a ton of football to get through before getting a more accurate look at such an anticipated contest.
Miguel Rodriguez (Springfield, MA)
Update on mathis please i've been acolts fan since lydell michel days
Bowen: Mathis has been practicing for the last three weeks and is questionable for Sunday's regular season opener. Neither the Colts nor Mathis are revealing much in terms of him playing in Buffalo this weekend. If he does give it a go, I wouldn't expect Mathis to log a ton of action as the Colts have been monitoring his practice reps (logged around 15 snaps of action during Wednesday's team drills at practice).
Rob E (Ocala, FL)
I see that Dorsett will be returning punts but moncreif will be returning kicks. Can you expand why Dorsett isn't doing both? Also if he does well, will the coaches thinks about letting him do both?
Bowen: Rob, typically teams want a little bigger guy returning kicks. Donte Moncrief definitely fits that category and even his backup, Tyler Varga. You don't want to expose the smaller Dorsett to too many special teams hits. For now, I don't see Dorsett moving to kick return, especially when you have so few kick returns in the NFL nowadays.
John Knotts (Frankton, IN)
Why is David Parry wearing number #54 most defensive tackles wear numbers in 60's 70's or 90's?
Bowen: Defensive tackles specifically can wear numbers in the 50s. There's no restriction there.
Mohamed Galal (Charlotte, NC)
How do you think the defensive line will hold up with two starting rookies?
Bowen: The million-dollar question heading into this weekend. I have plenty of belief in Henry Anderson and David Parry. My bigger question is can the depth hold up over the course of a 16-game season. In an effort to bolster that depth, the Colts traded for veteran Billy Winn on Friday afternoon (18 starts in 40 career games). The movement on the Colts defensive line has shifted to a more versatile/athletic group within their 3-4 scheme. If the Colts can provide some depth, I see this unit having the chance to hold up.
Logan Charles (Allentown, PA)
Hello Mr. Bowen, I'm just wondering if you think the Colts would trade up in this upcoming draft for either a top Offensive Lineman or a top running back. I don't focus much on O-line when I watch football but I do watch everything else and I feel like Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott could do wonders for our ground attack ( if Josh Robinson Isn't the answer.) Thanks for your time.
Bowen: Wow, I didn't think we would get our first draft mailbag question for at least a couple of weeks. Colts Nation loves the draft though (and so do I)! I could certainly see an offensive lineman or a running back being an option come draft time. As far as trading up, let's remember just how rare it is for teams to trade up that early in a draft. It costs quite a lot to move up any number of slots in the first round.
Zac Filipetti (Windsor, Ontario)
Hi Kevin,
I have a question regarding the depth chart in regards to the wide receiver position. I have heard rumours that Phillip Dorsett has been named the number 3 wide receiver, leaving Moncrief as the number 4. I was just wondering how much we can still expect to see Moncrief on the field despite having the WR4 label. Moncrief stepped up a few times last year when Reggie Wayne was injured and I believe that he is too good of a talent/athlete to keep on the bench.
Thanks and go colts!
Bowen: I'm not sure we've received a more frequent question since Training Camp started on who the Colts third wide receiver is going to be. When the Colts came out in a three-wide set this preseason it was Moncrief joining T.Y. Hilton and Andre Johnson. But of course Phillip Dorsett was battling a knee contusion during that time. I think Moncrief gets the first look at the "No. 3" wideout spot, but I wouldn't read too much into labeling him in that role. Pep Hamilton is so multiple with his personnel groupings that I fully expect Moncrief and Dorsett to see plenty of action in a variety of roles (sorry Fantasy Football owners).
