The Colts’ addition of Keenan Allen comes with a built-in comfort level, and Allen made it clear he’s excited about the reunion with Shane Steichen.
Allen signed a one-year deal with Indianapolis, putting him back with the Colts head coach who was his offensive quality control coach with the Chargers from 2014 to 2020. That familiarity was a big part of Allen’s message when he spoke about the move.
“Shane’s my guy,” Allen said, via the team’s website. “We go way back to having that connection and familiarity. Just knowing Shane and being able to come in, plug and play.”
He also praised the way Steichen sees the game.
“The way he runs things, he’s a genius in himself. He sees (the game) from a player’s perspective.”
And for Allen, the relationship goes beyond just scheme and terminology.
“Learning the game with Shane, through the coaches we had and just being able to have similar minds and understand the same type of football.”
In Jacksonville, Josh Hines-Allen spent part of the conversation celebrating what the Jaguars have built on the edge with Travon Walker. The team extended Walker this season with a $110 million contract, and Hines-Allen said the pairing gives Jacksonville a fearsome pass-rush tandem for the long haul.
“We’ve shown what we can do at a very high level. We’re both double-digit sack guys through and through.
You know, we both can play the run extremely well,” Hines-Allen said, via an interview with Jordan Schultz. “Tray, you know, he has some of the most athletic traits, traits that I’ve ever seen.
Somebody that can be as big as he is, as strong, as twitchy, and can change direction at a snap of a finger. There’s not a lot of guys in the league that can do that.
And all the guys that can do that are very special. And Tray’s one of those guys.”
Hines-Allen also addressed the less glamorous parts of his job, saying he’s fully on board with doing whatever the defense asks - including dropping into coverage.
“I’ve been putting the league on notice for a very long time. And I think my peers recognize that,” Hines-Allen said.
“And for me, my mindset is to come out and whoop somebody every play. And being able to do that in the run, in the pass, and even in coverage, you know, learning into, accepting that, like… who wants to drop into coverage, you know, especially when you get so much money?
But in a scheme that you have to do it, you have to buy into what’s going on. So if I’m gonna drop in coverage, man, I’m gonna be, I’m gonna do the best job that I can do for my team.
Because if I don’t do it, get beat to the flat, now that’s a 10, 15 yard, maybe a touchdown play that I just let up for my team. So really buying into all around being a great defensive player.
I think Tray and I both are really honing into that and, you know, just trying to be the best that we can be on every level.”
The Jaguars also have another receiver situation to watch, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting Parker Washington is expected to return to practice next week after missing this week with an undisclosed injury.
In Houston, DeMeco Ryans is seeing encouraging signs from Woody Marks even after the Texans added David Montgomery to lead the backfield. Ryans singled out the second-year runner’s route work, along with the way he’s looked as a runner.
“Woody has shown confidence back since OTAs,” Ryans said, via the Texans Wire. “Seeing him running the football, looking faster, quicker, but also in the passing game, excelling.
He is very defined at the top of his routes, which is cool to see. He’s a tough cover because he’s so quick.
He can beat you deep and also beat you underneath as well. He’s done a really great job.”
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There were still the usual preseason bumps, with rookies and backups getting extended run and producing mixed results across both sides of the ball. But the tape gave the Texans a few reasons to keep watching, especially with young players showing they can affect the game in different ways. For a team still sorting out depth and roles, those flashes matter even in a loss, and they leave open a bigger question about which of these names can turn an encouraging night into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]