The Indianapolis Colts have been relying on explosive plays to move the chains in Week 3 of the season. The offense has struggled to put together sustained drives, with the Colts Drive Success Rate dropping to a season low of 65.2%. The team had 8 out of 11 drives that accumulated less than 20 yards of offense, though one of them started on the opponent’s 16-yard line, so that one shouldn’t really count.
The Colts’ 1.91 points per drive put them in the middle of the pack for Week 3 offenses, ranking 17th in points per drive. Despite their low Drive Success Rate ranking of 26th, they were able to score because of their explosive plays. They had 200 yards of offense on 8 explosive plays, which was the 5th most yards and the 8th most plays in the league.
While this strategy worked for them in Week 3, it may not be sustainable in the long run. The Colts faced an average yards-to-go on 3rd down, ranking 16th in that category, but converted those 3rd downs at the 6th lowest rate, ranking 27th in 3rd down conversion rate. Their overall success rate (adj TSR) was 23rd in the league, and due to 3 turnovers (1 on downs), they ended up with the 3rd worst EPA per play, ranking 30th in EPA per play.
Despite their struggles, the Colts somehow managed to hang on to the 17th ranked season Points Per Drive. The passing game was particularly abysmal, with the team ranking 3rd worst in EPA per dropback and dead last in passing success rate. Running back Richardson had the lowest first down conversions and the lowest completion rate in Week 3, ranking 32nd in both categories.
Overall, the Colts are playing like one of the worst offenses in the league this year, but their ability to put points on the board has kept them afloat. It will be interesting to see if they can continue to rely on explosive plays or if they will need to find a more sustainable offensive strategy moving forward.
