The Indianapolis Colts went head-to-head with the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
While the team came up short in overtime, there were many promising positives shown throughout the first game of the regular season.
Jacoby Brissett
While most of the fan base was concerned about Brissett being in the drivers seat (replacing a retired Andrew Luck), he played the first regular season game with very minimal error. Brissett completed 21 of 27 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns. He had a pass completion percentage of 77.8% and threw no interceptions. Brissett looked extremely comfortable and collected, all while leading the Colts to a second-half comeback that took the game into overtime. Colts fans can breathe a little easier as Brissett has shown that he has the capability of being a top-20 quarterback in the league.
Marlon Mack
For the first time in what feels like forever, the Colts had a solid run game. Mack had a career-best performance on Sunday in the regular season opener with 25 carries for 174 yards. Early in the third quarter, Mack had an explosive 63 yard run (the longest in his career) for a touchdown, which started the second half comeback for the team. He also pushed through the Charger’s defensive line for a successful two-point conversion that sent the game into overtime. With a fantastic offensive line in front of him, fans can expect to see more time spent on the ground as long as Mack keeps up the eruptive talent seen against the Chargers.
Malik Hooker
Hooker had a game-altering interception in the 4th quarter of Sunday’s matchup. The Colts were one throw away from going down by two scores, but Hooker would not let that happen. In an attempt to connect with Keenan Allen in the back of the end zone, Phillip Rivers was picked off by Hooker, who had an absolutely insane (Odell Beckham Jr. style) one-handed snag. Malik ran the football to the Colt’s 20 yard line before being taken down which set the Colts up for another drive. Looking ahead, Hooker is going to be a very tough contender for offenses to contain.
While the Colts did have some hiccups with their special teams and defensive line during Sunday’s game, it is evident that they have an abundance of talent that could very well shape them into a playoff worthy contender in the 2019-20 NFL season.