Every team always has to play the delicate balance of playing time during the preseason, and the Indianapolis Colts are no different.
While it’s important for the players to get reps in a live atmosphere, there’s a fine line to walk without risking injury too much. Getting the new players acclimated to the schemes is vital, but having them available for the season is the priority.
So while the Colts have a tentative plan for playing time during the preseason, it’s always subject to change.
Head coach Frank Reich told reporters Saturday that the starters may play a little more this preseason in hopes of getting more prepared for the start of the season.
“Maybe play a little bit more than we’ve played in the past, not a whole lot more, but maybe a little bit more,” Reich said.
It’s no surprise Reich would feel this way. Given the injuries that hit the starting unit during training camp and the preseason last year, and then the subsequent 1-4 start to the season, it’s no shock that he wants the two units gelling as much as possible.
But Reich knows he has to be smart with his players, especially the ones that play positions of higher risk like running back and linebacker. It’s a constant conversation between him and general manager Chris Ballard
“Chris and I have talked about this at length. It’s like, generally speaking in the first game, it’s a quarter. It will be a quarter but it really depends how many plays per series and all that stuff. We kind of have a play number,” Reich said of the process. “Then we’ll make individual exceptions as needed, and we will determine that. That can only be determined as we get to that day. But yeah, I would say in general, right now the plan would be to play a little bit more.”
When the Colts host the Detroit Lions for joint training camp practices before the Week 2 preseason game at Lucas Oil Stadium, the playing time during that preseason game may not matter as much given the physicality that will likely come from those two practices leading up to it.
“In Week 2 against the Lions, because we’re having competitive practice against them, there’s a good chance the starters won’t play in that game because we’ve got two good days of work against them, it’s highly competitive,” Reich said. “Dan (Campbell) and I have already talked so that will probably likely be the plan for that game.
“Then bounce back and play a little bit more in the third game.”
It’s a fine line to walk throughout the preseason. Every coach has a different philosophy when it comes to playing time during the preseason, and Reich is no different.
While the plan is certainly subject to change, we may see a bit more of the starters in the first and third preseason games.
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