What Reggie Wayne's Big Week 1 Performance Means for the Indianapolis Colts

In case you missed it, Reggie Wayne put on quite the performance during Sunday Night Football against the Denver Broncos.

Outside of one scary moment where it looked like Wayne may have suffered another devastating knee injury, it would've been hard to tell that Wayne was a 35-year-old veteran in his first game back from a major knee injury.

While it may be surprising to some, considering the circumstances, Wayne's performance wasn't unexpected by many experts.

Jon Benne of SB Nation reported:

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Outside of the occasional day off, Wayne should be all systems go on game days. It's a remarkable recovery for the 35-year-old, and suggests that Wayne could age more gracefully than many of his peers. He should resume a starting role opposite T.Y. Hilton.

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And, resume his spot he did.

Wayne posted nine catches for 98 yards against the Broncos. He received 13 targets from quarterback Andrew Luck, which led the Colts.

It didn't take long for Wayne to make an impact either. Luck ran a play-action pass on the first play of the game, looking to go deep right away. When that option was taken away, he threw a strike to an open Wayne 22 yards down the field.

Throughout the game, he was able to get open multiple times in man coverage against Broncos defensive backs, including top cornerback Aqib Talib. Wayne also combined with Luck to pick on rookie corner Bradley Roby more than once.

It was that matchup, however, that sealed the win for the Broncos.

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Late in the fourth quarter, down one touchdown and out of timeouts, the Colts faced a 4th-and-7 in Denver's territory. Luck went back to the well, but this time it was Roby who broke up the pass to Wayne and all but ended the game.

While we all knew that Wayne would lose a step after the injury, it was never more evident during Sunday's game than on that play. Wayne lacked the explosion to break in front of Roby and make the big-time catch that fans have come to expect from No. 87.

The rookie deserves credit for making the play, but it's hard to think Wayne would have failed to haul that pass in before the injury.

Regardless of that particular play and the loss, Wayne was able to re-establish himself as a true No. 1 receiver, which has huge implications for the Colts the rest of the season. While Wayne will continue to draw the bulk of the targets, and often the top opposing corner, the other receivers on the team will be able to enjoy single coverage.

And just as we saw against the Broncos, this often works to great effect.

Brennan Linsley/Associated Press

Wayne's compatriots Hakeem Nicks and Hilton combined for 10 catches, 77 yards and a touchdown (pictured). Though the numbers aren't flashy, they should improve as Luck settles into the flow of the season. Nicks, in particular, took advantage of his one-on-one matchups, snaring five passes on only five targets. Hilton was regularly matched up with Talib, which limited his ability to get open.

Luckily for Hilton and the Colts, the Broncos aren't on the schedule every week. Most teams don't boast a corner of Talib's ilk.

Although Luck can't be expected to throw the ball 53 times in every game, the continued struggles of the running game suggest that the Colts may not be in two-tight-end formations as often as advertised. Trent Richardson's struggles continued, as he carried the ball six times for 20 yards.

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

Apparently, putting two tight ends on the field isn't enough to run the ball effectively. Especially when one of them is Coby Fleener. Who knew?

Back in July, Stephen Holder of IndyStar.com outlined the possible effects of Dwayne Allen's return to the Colts squad in 2014:

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One of the biggest differences you'll notice in the Colts' offense with Allen onboard is the increased use of two-tight end formations. Whereas the Colts used the fullback extensively last season in power-running situations, look for that to be curtailed.

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This scheme is something that offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton has been both admiring and utilizing since his days as the quarterbacks coach of the San Francisco 49ers in 2006. Hamilton had this to say about it during training camp:

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I was like, 'Man, that's a dynamic player.' When I was with the Jets, we had Anthony Becht, who was a first-round pick. We drafted Greg Olsen in the first round when I was with the Bears. You just look at the matchup issues that defenses have when you have that big body, a guy who is working the middle of the field and they can stretch the field vertically. It gives us a weapon that is hard to defend.

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But at some point, Hamilton and the Colts will be forced to come to terms with the fact that they are not a power-running team. The offensive line just isn't built to grind out yards on the ground. It's a mediocre group of pass-blockers who are even worse at blowing defenses off the ball.

With a running back who couldn't find Waldo, let alone a hole to run through, that's an awful recipe for success.

Once the ideology fades and reality sets in, the Colts will be running three wide receivers onto the field for the majority of their offensive snaps. Because as good as both Allen and Fleener can be, neither of them are as dangerous a receiving weapon as the top three Colts receivers.

Assuming Luck can be a little more accurate with his passes than he was against Denver, Wayne and Co. should be ready to enjoy an epic air show from their signal-caller.