Indianapolis Colts' Revamped Offensive Line Is Key in Win Streak

For the last two years, the Indianapolis Colts have trotted out an inferior product on the offensive line.

There's really no other way to put it. 

Whether it was protecting quarterback Andrew Luck or opening holes for running backs, the Colts offensive line was simply not good in 2012 or 2013. That's one of the difficulties of inheriting a roster with veterans on their way out of the league, as GM Ryan Grigson did in 2012. 

Of that line, only left tackle Anthony Castonzo was a young starter who would be a key piece going forward, and utility lineman Joe Reitz the only other lineman that would stick around in any capacity. 

Grigson had to start from scratch, a difficult task. He would realize those difficulties early in 2012, as the replacements he brought in struggled early and often. The Colts didn't draft an offensive lineman in the top half of the 2012 draft, but instead brought in declining veterans, cheap project players and has-beens in free agency. 

Players like Mike McGlynn, Samson Satele and Winston Justice were starters on that line, while players like Seth Olsen(!), Jeff Linkenbach, Bradley Sowell and Trai Essex all received significant playing time. The mishandling of the line and its revolving-door nature was epitomized when street free agent A.Q. Shipley outplayed Satele at center when filling in throughout the season, but was benched for the Wild Card Game against Baltimore, and then traded to Baltimore for a conditional seventh-round draft pick. 

Things weren't much better in 2013 except perhaps at right tackle, as the Colts brought in former Detroit Lion Gosder Cherilus to add to the Colts' pass-protecting chops. Cherilus didn't set the world on fire, but he brought some level of consistency to pass protection. But the Colts' other signing, guard Donald Thomas, was sidelined by injuries, and McGlynn and Satele continued to be a negative force. 

When the Colts finally allowed the duo to leave in the 2014 offseason, it seemed that it would be addition by subtraction, no matter who the replacements were. So far that seems to be the case, as all five players who have started on the interior line have held up well and the Colts offensive line is playing better than any Indianapolis grouping since 2007. 

Leading the way is Anthony Castonzo, the sole starter who wasn't a Grigson addition. Castonzo struggled in pass protection early in his career, but used his athleticism to impress in run blocking. But in 2012 and 2013, Castonzo began to flash improved pass protection more and more, and it's all come together for him to start 2014.

The former Boston College product has yet to allow a sack despite playing more snaps in protection than any other tackle in the league and leads all tackles in Pro Football Focus' pass block grade (subscription required). 

While Castonzo's run blocking has been uncharacteristically inconsistent to start the season, his pass protection—which is more important—has been stellar. 

Then there is the guard play, which has been interrupted by injuries over the last two weeks but continues to hum along. The season started with rookie Jack Mewhort at left guard and second-year player Hugh Thornton on the right side. Back-to-back injuries to the young players forced former Chicago Bear Lance Louis to start during the last two weeks, first at right guard and then left, but Louis has stepped in and provided a seamless transition. 

Grigson's early attempts to patch the line were predictably unsuccessful, but things have taken a decidedly brighter turn in 2014, namely with the drafting of Mewhort. A former tackle, Mewhort likely isn't cut out for tackle in the NFL, but his experience has proved incredibly valuable, as his communication and style of movement fits well with Castonzo, boosting both of their value and levels of play.

NFL Game Rewind

This play against the Jacksonville Jaguars was a good example, as Mewhort double-teams the defensive tackle at first, but passes him off to A.Q. Shipley to turn back and aid Castonzo on the defensive end's spin. 

Mewhort's mobility isn't quite ideal for Pep Hamilton's run-blocking schemes, which require him to pull and block on the run often, but he has the strength to hold his own in straight man blocking. 

On the right side of the line, Thornton and Cherilus have been inconsistent, but nothing at a level that is completely detrimental to the line's performance as a whole. 

The only thing that's been questionable about the line's performance has been the coaches' management, notably the decision to replace Shipley with undrafted rookie Jonotthan Harrison this past week. 

Shipley had been playing very well, with positive grades in both pass and run blocking from Pro Football Focus, and the line's chemistry had been fantastic. But the Colts have a very high opinion of Harrison, who may have a higher ceiling than Shipley, and inserted him into the starting lineup. 

Player	Week	Average Snaps	Pass Block Grade	Run Block Grade	Pressures allowed/game	Team Pressures Allowed/Game	Team Rushing Yards/Game
A.Q. Shipley	1-4	79.5	+2.2	+3.1	1	9.25	118
Jonotthan Harrison	5	85	+1.3	-2.6	0	14	117

The Colts still won the game, but Harrison had at least three snap-related issues that cost the Colts and took rhythm from the offense, and his run blocking left much to be desired.

The Colts believe he is the future, and now know they have quality depth in Shipley, but the treatment toward Shipley is odd, to say the least. In both of his stints now with Indianapolis, he's played well when filling in for injuries, even better than the players he's replaced. 

Yet he continues to get replaced once those players are healthy. What else does he need to do to win the starting job? 

But, regardless, it's one minor issue on a line that's been solid so far this season, despite the lack of established players on the interior. Is it one of the best lines in the league? Not by a long shot, but it's above-average thus far, which is a notable step up from the last two years. 

With more time, Andrew Luck is playing like one of the five or six best quarterbacks in the NFL. With more room to run, Trent Richardson is producing at a passable level and Ahmad Bradshaw is running like one of the best backs in the league. 

And after a slow start, the Colts are 3-2 and at the top of the AFC South. Things are humming along nicely in Indianapolis, and an offensive line that looked to be a big question mark to start the season is solidly in the positives column after five weeks. 

Take your hat off to Grigson for that one. Despite moves that were more than questionable at the time, it's all coming together in the trenches for Indianapolis.