Without Michael Pittman in the lineup, the Indianapolis Colts relied much more heavily on rookie receiver AD Mitchell, who took full advantage of the opportunity.
After averaging just over 12 snaps per game from Weeks 3-9, which included a season-low of five against Minnesota last week, Mitchell was on the field for 60 offensive snaps.
He finished the game catching all six of the passes thrown his way for 71 yards–both of which are now career highs. Mitchell also drew a defensive holding penalty in the red zone that gave the Colts a fresh set of downs, that they then turned into seven points.
“It definitely felt good to be able to convert when the opportunities came,” Mitchell said after the game via Colts.com. “But kind of like a regular day, to be honest, was how it felt.”
The start of the season was slow for Mitchell, who would catch only two of his first 13 targets, with him and Anthony Richardson often not on the same page. As of late, however, he had been trending in the right direction, catching 10 of his 15 targets for 108 yards during Weeks 5-9.
Since the day Mitchell arrived in Indianapolis, his athleticism and ability as a route runner have been evident. His ability to create separation from the defender is impressive, and when done consistently, it’s only a matter of time before the production will follow.
Like just about any young player, Mitchell is navigating the learning curve that comes with making the jump to the NFL level, resulting in up-and-down play. But in order to work through those growing pains, what Mitchell needs is reps, as receivers coach Reggie Wayne said recently.
Up until Sunday’s game against the Bills, as noted, Mitchell’s playing time has been sporadic, with him often being out-snapped by Ashton Dulin.
Sure, Dulin brings a level of stability right now that Mitchell may not, but for an offense with a struggling passing game and one that needs more juice, that has to change going forward.
Mitchell isn’t going to be out-snapping Pittman or Alec Pierce or Josh Downs, but he needs a defined role moving forward and more than 12 snaps a game. That is only going to help expedite that learning curve, and as we saw on Sunday, he’s ready for it.
