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INDIANAPOLIS – When the final horn sounded Saturday afternoon, 44 rookies and first-year players had concluded four-of-five camp practices with the Colts.
Unlike Friday, today's afternoon work was held outdoors as intermittently wet weather subsided. However, instruction continued to rain down.
Forty-two rookies and two first year players are participating in the 2014 Colts rookie mini-camp.
"(We're) teaching them the process, how to be pros, how to go about their business, taking care of their bodies, treatment, nutrition, rest, everything football-wise," said Pagano. "You teach them A-to-Z how to handle themselves. We're not going to hold back. We're (throwing) a lot at them."
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PAGANO ON MATHIS – The NFL announced a four-game suspension of Robert Mathis Friday for the use a fertility drug that clashes with league policy.
Mathis admitted the mistake of not checking late last season with the NFL or NFLPA as he and his wife planned for a child that is due now "in several months."
Mathis will miss the first four games (at Denver, Philadelphia, at Jacksonville, Tennessee). He can participate through preseason and return in week five against Baltimore.
Mathis apologized Friday in statement form to his teammates, coaches and Colts fans. The Colts in a statement expressed support for Mathis, calling him a "cherished member of the family."
Chuck Pagano said Saturday, "We understand the severity of the situation but as we've done before, we'll come together as a team, family and organization and get through this.
"We love and respect Robert. He's a 'horseshoe' guy. Everyone in the organization has his back. At the end, we'll all be better."
Pagano cited the time of year and volume of work ahead for why no speculation will be made on how this affects the defense for the first four games, "That's why we have 90-man rosters right now. We're so far away from September."
Pagano saw his team battle through his own adversity in 2012 when he missed 12 games while fighting leukemia.
Indianapolis endured the loss of five veteran offensive players last year – Donald Thomas, Dwayne Allen, Vick Ballard, Ahmad Bradshaw and Reggie Wayne – yet still went 11-5.
The resilient Colts have handled 'sudden changes' before and will need to do so again for a player whose 19.5 sacks last year won the league crown and tied the tenth-best seasonal percentage by a player over the 32 seasons that sacks have been recognized officially.
HIGHEST SEASONAL PERCENTAGES OF SACKS BY ONE PLAYER (1982-2013) | |||||||
Pct. |
Name |
Team |
Year |
Pos. |
Scheme |
Sacks |
Team |
57.4 |
Tim Harris |
GB |
1989 |
ROLB |
3-4 |
19.5 |
34 |
51.3 |
Aldon Smith |
SF |
2012 |
ROLB |
3-4 |
19.5 |
38 |
50.0 |
Mark Gastineau |
NYJ |
1984 |
LDE |
4-3 |
22.0 |
44 |
50.0 |
Simeon Rice |
AZ |
1999 |
RDE |
4-3 |
16.5 |
33 |
48.9 |
Michael Strahan |
NYG |
2001 |
LDE |
4-3 |
22.5 |
46 |
48.5 |
John Abraham |
ATL |
2008 |
RDE |
4-3 |
16.5 |
34 |
48.2 |
Ken Harvey |
Wash |
1994 |
LLB |
4-3 |
13.5 |
28 |
48.0 |
Mario Williams |
Hou |
2008 |
RDE |
4-3 |
12.0 |
25 |
46.6 |
J.J. Watt |
Hou |
2012 |
LDE |
3-4 |
20.5 |
44 |
46.4 |
DeMarcus Ware |
Dal |
2011 |
ROLB |
3-4 |
19.5 |
42 |
46.4 |
Robert Mathis |
Colts |
2013 |
Rush |
3-4 |
19.5 |
42 |
Total times at 40-plus% = 35, done by 22 players |
The Broncos and Eagles are two potent offenses Indianapolis faces right out of the gate. Denver reached Super Bowl XLVII with an attack that produced a record 606 points (37.9 per game). Philadelphia won seven of its last eight games to win the NFC East title, averaging 417 yards and 27.6 points per outing.
Peyton Manning and Nick Foles combined for a TD:interception ratio of 82:12. Their combined 116.4 rating came on 653 completions in 976 attempts for 8,368 yards in addition to that ratio.
They were sacked a combined 46 times in 1,022 pass calls.
Last season when the Colts topped unbeaten Denver, it was a Mathis sack-strip-safety that helped propel Indianapolis from a 14-10 second-quarter deficit to a 33-14 lead in an eventual 39-33 triumph.
CAMP QUOTEBOOK – Jack Mewhort (on if he knows where he will play on line): "I'm here to play offensive line. I've played a lot of different positions through my years of football and that's what I intend to do here. I want to learn them all so that if there's ever a situation where they need me, I'll be ready for it." Donte Moncrief (on moving from SEC to the NFL): "Oh man, the pros, it's a different level. Coming in, everything's fast. You've got to learn on the run. The best thing to do is just get with some older guys, take everything they've got to say and run with it." Jonathan Newsome (on what first week has been like): "I've kind of got used to the schedule which is an all-day schedule; wake up at six, go home at six. It feels good. I'm happy to be in this setting. It's a professional setting, it's a family. Around here everybody's taking care of each other. It's a real smooth transition."
MEWHORT SUNDAY– Colts.com will have a profile on guard Jack Mewhort on Sunday. Mewhort (on if his versatility is a natural gift, or if it because he is a grinder): "I wouldn't say it's natural. It's taken me a lot of hard work over the years to learn different positions and different techniques. It's a whole different game here. I'm learning all over again how to play football. It's such a high level, the technique and speed of the game. It's something I've grinded at over the years. That's what I'm going to continue to do."