Josh Robinson Setting Up for Increased Role in Indianapolis Colts Backfield

The first preseason game was rough for the Indianapolis Colts, to say the least.

Positives can be hard to find in a 36-10 loss filled with poor tackling, miscommunication and dropped passes.

Sure, the preseason matters little in the overall scheme of things, but the Colts still looked about as bad as they could Sunday afternoon.

But the team is not the focus during the preseason. To really get value out of meaningless games, one must zero in on individuals as the team attempts to sort out its depth chart and select which players will make the eventual 53-man roster.

One individual in particular stood out Sunday—rookie running back Josh Robinson.

With Frank Gore, Dan Herron and Vick Ballard all sitting out, Robinson had a chance at an extended bit of play, and he took advantage of the opportunity.

Normally, Robinson's numbers wouldn't jump out at you, rushing 10 times for 44 yards and a touchdown. Decent, but nothing spectacular.

But in the context of Indianapolis' overall team performance, Robinson looked like Gale Sayers.

How a running back earns his yards is more important than how many yards he earns, at least in the preseason, and Robinson had to earn his yards the hard way.

The Colts offensive line got little push in the run game throughout the day, and the rest of the Colts ball-carriers rushed for 75 yards on 23 carries, a healthy 3.26 yards-per-carry average. Pro Football Focus gave Indianapolis a negative-6.6 team run-blocking grade on the day.

Fortunately, Robinson excels at making people miss. This was the back who finished second in the country in Pro Football Focus' "Elusive Rating" and overall missed tackle rate. Robinson's measurables before the draft were not particularly impressive, but he always manages to fall forward and is incredibly difficult for defenders to wrap their hands around.

He's been oft-compared to a bowling ball, a comparison he embraced after Sunday's game, per Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star: "I was just out there trying to be J-Rob. I was just doing what the bowling ball do. If you go back and watch, I sometimes run under defensive players. That’s the key to my game, keeping my feet moving. I think it wears (the defense) down a little bit."

Robinson's most impressive run of the day, however, didn't include him bouncing off defenders as much as it forced them to grasp at air.

The lone touchdown of the day was scored with a combination of balance, vision and just enough wiggle to keep defenders guessing. That kind of combination is something that other backs on the roster lacked Sunday. Even Dan Herron, who has a fairly solidified role as the backup running back right now, doesn't have quite as much potential as Robinson.

Perhaps even more importantly, Robinson succeeded in his lone blitz pickup attempt, stonewalling a blitzing linebacker long enough to allow Matt Hasselbeck to drive the ball downfield. Robinson still needs work in this area, but seeing the competence in an actual game is a nice first step.

So what now?

It certainly seems like Robinson has earned himself more time in the Colts backfield, but how much?

Frank Gore and Dan Herron are the clear top two, which has been apparent throughout the offseason. Unless Robinson can continue this kind of tear, those two jobs should stay secure.

But outside of those two veterans, nobody should be ahead of Robinson on the depth chart.

Zurlon Tipton, a second-year player out of Central Michigan, started the game Sunday and saw the most looks with 39 snaps, per Pro Football Focus. But Tipton was unimaginative and failed to create anything other than what the offensive line provided, which wasn't much. Perhaps Tipton understands the offense a bit better or has shown more in practice regarding pass protection.

Robinson is a better runner, however, and it's not particularly close. If you want to talk potential ceiling, Robinson blows Tipton out of the water.

Vick Ballard, the other player legitimately competing for the third running back spot, has yet to show that he belongs on the roster. Attempting to come back from two consecutive season-ending injuries, Ballard has been hampered by nagging hamstring issues of late and sat out of Sunday's contest.

Both Tipton and Ballard were ahead of Robinson on the initial depth chart released by Indianapolis, but it's hard to see that continuing.

It might not happen right away, but Robinson should be that third back by the end of the preseason. It's clear from what we've seen that he's the most talented back with the highest ceiling.

The rest will sort itself out.