Michael Pittman Jr. is tired of the disrespect. He’s also ready to do something about it.
After Wednesday’s joint practice with the Arizona Cardinals, Pittman spoke excitedly about the Indianapolis Colts offense, and why this year looks to be different than in prior years.
“Everyone knows what [Jonathan Taylor] can do, he’s a top 10 player,” Pittman says. “I’m just really excited to see what our pass game can do, because I feel like we’ve gotten so much better at my position. We added pieces I feel we didn’t have and I feel like we’re a really complete core.
“When we have everybody back, I feel we’re going to rise up those receiver-room ranks that everyone makes. I’m always pissed off to see us ranked low. I think it’s going to be good.”
For the Colts, the key to improving in the rankings might be rookie Adonai Mitchell.
Despite not having played a single NFL game, Mitchell is impressing. This summer, Pittman has studied the releases of his rookie teammate, calling them the Texas product’s superpower. Instead of relying on athletic gifts, Pittman says Mitchell is fantastic at setting up moves with fakes, giving himself a clean release off the line.
“He’s so deceptive and he’s fast,” Pittman says. “He’s so much faster than he looks when he’s running. It’s crazy.”
As second-year slot receiver Josh Downs recovers from a high-ankle sprain sustained last week in practice, Mitchell’s development and versatility will be paramount against a brutal early schedule which includes the Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers over the first two weeks.
Perhaps Mitchell can help Indianapolis become what it thought it could be last year.
In the 2023 NFL draft, the Colts selected quarterback Anthony Richardson out of Florida and quickly anointed him the starter over veteran Gardner Minshew. Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard also found a dynamic slot receiver in Downs, who contributed 68 catches for 771 yards and two touchdowns.
However, Indianapolis’s potential for an offensive explosion was muted when Richardson only started four games, with shoulder surgery preemptively ending his rookie campaign.
Now, with Richardson back, Pittman signed long-term and another Mitchell joining the group, the Colts have enough firepower to make real noise in the increasingly competitive AFC South.
“Our division got good fast,” Pittman says. “People used to say we have an easy division, and now it’s one of the most competitive. Houston has gotten so much better, Jacksonville has been good, Tennessee just got better. We have to get better too. It starts with how we practice. We’ve got to win in Jacksonville, that’s been our problem.”
For the Colts to win the AFC South—something they were less than 25 yards away from doing last season despite Richardson’s injury—Pittman and his young quarterback must establish a chemistry.
Of course, nothing matters if Richardson isn’t the player many around Indianapolis believe he’s becoming.
In his aforementioned limited action last year, Richardson totaled seven touchdowns (four rushing) but also had three fumbles and an interception while completing just 59.5% of his attempts. And although the electrifying ability is clear, the Colts need him to operate Steichen’s complex scheme well while minimizing the youthful mistakes through growth.
If Richardson can strike the right balance, the Colts are well-positioned both for 2024 and the future.
“I’ve seen him become more vocal, I’ve seen him become more comfortable taking on that role,” Pittman says. “It is hard for a rookie to come in here and be a shot-caller, because maybe he feels he hasn’t done enough or something like that. But we give him that confidence letting him know that this is his team and we’re going to go as far as he takes us.”
With Richardson healthy, his supporting cast improved and one of the league’s bright offensive minds in charge, Indianapolis is a trendy pick to be a sleeper in the AFC.
Maybe the disrespect hurled at the Colts is going to cease after all.
Best thing I saw: Pittman getting open deep
Against the Cardinals, Pittman repeatedly got open deep, catching multiple touchdowns on go-routes. The most impressive play of the evening came during the final team period, a 35-yard scoring strike from Richardson to Pittman that concluded a six-play, 75-yard drive.
“It was awesome,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said of the march. “When you can score and go 75 yards on six plays like that, that’s where you want to be. You want to be explosive like that. Guys were operating at a high level on that last drive.”
Best thing I heard: Shane Steichen on executing a balanced, but explosive offense
“It was good to see those guys run the football. You want to be explosive, however you want to do it, whether it’s throwing the ball or running the ball, you want to be explosive.
“When you go into games, you have an idea of how the game might play out. Sometimes you might go into a game saying we’re going to throw it a whole bunch and the next thing you know, you start running it early and running it good, and you stick with the run game.” - Shane Steichen
Expect the Colts to be one of the more balanced teams in the league this season.
With an excellent offensive line and a top-tier back like Taylor, Indianapolis can take the pressure off Richardson by utilizing the ground game for both ball-control purposes and the occasional chunk play.
It’s a luxury Steichen has at his disposal, and he’s smart enough to know it.
Veteran who impressed: Jonathan Taylor, RB
Sticking with the run game, it had to be Taylor. While Pittman was terrific and the offensive line shined against Arizona’s underwhelming front, Taylor was tough to miss.
Repeatedly, the 25-year-old showed he still has plenty of burst and wiggle. On a few plays, Taylor was bottled up before accelerating through a small crease, or using his jump-cut to break outside and up the sideline.
Last season, Taylor was limited to 10 games but still ran for 741 yards on 4.4 yards per carry. If healthy, look for him to be in the All-Pro conversation again.
Rookie who impressed: Adonai Mitchell, WR
Throughout Wednesday’s joint practice, I stayed on the Colts’ offensive side of the field to focus on Richardson and the progress being made.
And through that, it was impossible to miss Mitchell. The second-rounder was consistently winning his one-on-one battles in individual drills and during team periods, worked himself open from a variety of positions and on a plethora of routes.
With Downs likely sidelined the first few weeks of the season, Mitchell will line up both in the slot and on the perimeter.
Song of the day: Ain’t My Fault by Dee Boy
If the Colts don’t make the playoffs once again, it won’t be the offense’s fault.
With Steichen running the show and the talent abundant on that side of the roster, Indianapolis will be potent. The real question is the defense, which could be solid up front behind DeForest Buckner and rookie edge rusher Laiatu Latu, but has no quality boundary corners or safeties beyond Julian Blackmon.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Colts Training Camp Report: Offense Eager to Show Off Firepower.
