Indianapolis, IN
Should Matt Gay’s Preseason Woes be a Concern for the Colts?
![Should Matt Gay’s Preseason Woes be a Concern for the Colts? Should Matt Gay’s Preseason Woes be a Concern for the Colts?](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2654,h_1492,x_1213,y_169/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/horseshoe_huddle/01j5hpzxgh7sk90hq2t1.jpg)
The Indianapolis Colts have rested most of the team’s starters in the 2024 NFL preseason. The exception? Matt Gay, the second-highest-paid kicker in the league. Carrying a cap hit of over five million dollars, Gay has had some struggles since arriving in Indianapolis. Afterranking 27th in field goal percentage (80.5%) amongst his peers in 2023 (min. 15 attempts), the 2024 season has not begun well for the 30-year-old.
Gay missed two field goal attempts against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night, bringing the tally to three for the preseason. The misses have come from 54, 53, and 44 yards and were all pulled wide left.
Matt Gay misses from range. #Colts#ForTheShoe#Broncos#DENvsIND pic.twitter.com/kEd0dBacS1
— Chris Shepherd (@NFLscheme) August 11, 2024
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The leg power is certainly there, but the accuracy appears to remain a lingering issue from last season. Lost scoring opportunities will lose you football games all day, something Colts fans have been all too familiar with since the turn of the century.
The issue is that the NFL kicking market is pretty dry. Not a lot of options exist out there – Randy Bullock is probably the best we’re looking at. Bullock last played for the New York Giants in 2023 where he knocked down five of his six attempts, so about the same conversion rate as Gay.
“I feel like the ball is coming off my foot really well,” said Gay. “I gotta make the kick regardless of who’s holding or what’s happening” (via James Boyd | The Athletic). If the misses persist, the Colts will be stuck with one of the worst special teams contracts in the league. General Manager Chris Ballard could bring in a kicker to compete, but the options aren’t abundant.
Head coach Shane Steichen said he thinks that Gay “is gonna be fine” after two disappointing performances. His lone made kick through two games came from 35 yards out.
#Colts HC Shane Steichen says he’s not worried about K Matt Gay.
“He’s a pro. I think he’s gonna be fine.” — James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) August 18, 2024
On the bright side, Gay recorded a career-high eight field goals made from 50+ yards last season. Again, distance is not the issue. Missing kicks may be more costly than knocking down the occasional long one, though.
At the end of the day, Gay is likely to be the starting kicker in Week 1 when the Colts face the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 8th. Likely to be a close game, it should be a good test for Gay’s clutch time ability.
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Indianapolis, IN
Trey Benson flashes potential in Cardinals' sloppy loss to Colts
![Trey Benson flashes potential in Cardinals' sloppy loss to Colts Trey Benson flashes potential in Cardinals' sloppy loss to Colts](https://arizonasports.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/trey-benson-flahses-potential-cardinals-sloppy-loss-colts-e1723952576219.jpg)
INDIANAPOLIS — Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Trey Benson didn’t necessarily wow the crowd behind eight carries for 21 yards in his team’s preseason opener loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Seeing about the same number of touches in the Cardinals’ 21-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, Benson flashed his big-play potential and vision.
In just over a quarter of work, Benson averaged 4.8 yards per carry on his way to 43 yards on nine rushing attempts.
And it could have been much more.
Recording his fourth carry of the night, Benson nearly had a house call. After shaking multiple Colts defenders, the third-round pick turned up the field for a 19-yard gain. Had it not been for safety Nick Cross, Benson had a clear path to pay dirt.
It wasn’t only the Colts defenders Benson had to worry about, though.
On Benson’s final carry of the evening, the running back again made Colts defenders miss as he shifted his way 20 yards to Indianapolis’ two-yard line.
Unfortunately for Benson and the offense, his efforts were for naught thanks to a Christian Jones holding penalty. It was a tough series for Jones, who picked up three straight holding calls.
Benson, who entered the game listed as Arizona’s RB2 behind James Conner, won’t see the lost yardage on the stat sheet. He and the coaching staff will, however, see improved tape.
Much to clean up
While Jones was dinged for numerous penalties, he wasn’t the only one caught having mental lapses.
As a team, Arizona committed 11 penalties for 82 yards.
The sloppiness on display simply cannot happen if the Cardinals hope to improve their win-loss record from a year ago.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon on the team’s sloppiness throughout Saturday’s loss to the Colts:
“One of our modes of play is our brain and we didn’t use it tonight. … That falls on me and the coaches. We gotta get it cleaned up fast.” pic.twitter.com/Koz8eunD6Z
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) August 18, 2024
“I think it’s pretty self-explanatory. One of our modes of play is our brain and we didn’t use it tonight,” Gannon said. “That falls strictly on me.
“I thought we were ready to play physically, violence was on display, good effort and finish, but I just told them we’re not going to beat anybody making those kinds of mistakes and you can’t self-destruct and we did on all three phases. That falls on me and the coaches. We gotta get it cleaned up fast.”
Tune takes Round 2
For a second consecutive week, Clayton Tune outperformed Desmond Ridder, further solidifying his case for QB2.
Completing 80% of his throws (8-of-10) for 79 yards, Tune again looked comfortable operating the offense after getting the starting nod on Saturday.
He capped off a strong first half with a 12-yard touchdown run.
“I feel like I’ve put in some good work,” Tune said postgame. “There’s still work to be done. That’s my mindset. Go in, watch the tape, learn from it, come back next week ready to work and build on it.”
“I feel like I’m playing more on time, playing quicker, getting through my reads, seeing the defense and just being decisive,” the QB added.
Ridder on the other hand completed 60% of his passes (6-of-10) for 71 yards, though saw the majority of his yardage (42) come in the final series of the game.
A false start on Dennis Daley ended the drive and the game, leaving Ridder without another chance at finding the end zone.
“He had some good balls in there. I thought he made some plays with his legs,” Gannon said. “Would have liked to see the last play get off, but we couldn’t get it done.”
The Thomas twins
Saturday night was another strong showing from 2024 fifth-rounder Xavier Thomas.
Recording his second sack of the preseason along with two QB hits and a tackle for loss, Thomas had good pressure on Indianapolis signal callers.
It’s sack city up in here 🎉
📺: #AZvsIND on CBS | @atxlete pic.twitter.com/EYDUmZydy4
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) August 18, 2024
For someone who said their legs were shaking on the first play of the preseason opener against the Saints, Thomas is looking more at home and appears to be trending up the depth chart.
“Today I pretty much knew what to expect and things like that. It’s always good to get more comfortable,” Thomas said postgame.
The rookie wasn’t the only Thomas who stood out on Saturday.
Third-year pro Cameron Thomas was also a factor in the backfield, getting to quarterback Sam Ehlinger for a sack and pressuring fellow signal callers Jason Bean and Valley native Kedon Slovis on multiple occasions.
The Cardinals still have question marks surrounding their pass rush after projected starter BJ Ojulari went down with a reported torn ACL during training camp, ending his season before it began.
Could either Thomas find a more prominent role in the rotation? A strong showing next week in Denver could press the issue.
Aside for the Thomas twins, Victor Dimukeje was another name getting added pressure against the Colts and narrowly missed out on a pair of sacks.
Give me that!
Kei’Trel Clark and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson provided an added boost in Arizona’s secondary on Saturday, each forcing a turnover and flipping the field in the Cardinals’ favor.
Clark put the hammer down on wide receiver Anthony Gould to force a fumble in the waning moments of the first quarter.
The second-year pro flew around the football field for most of the night, a positive development in a cornerbacks room where roles are still up for grabs.
“I thought he looked violent, physical. He had a couple good coverages in there, forced the fumble,” Gannon said. “He looked good in there and he played two spots today, so it was good to see.”
It was Taylor-Demerson, better known as Rabbit, who had the play of the evening.
BEWARE: RABBIT ON THE LOOSE 🐰
📺: #AZvsIND on CBS | @DadrionT pic.twitter.com/yosmhhLDD7
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) August 18, 2024
With 1:51 left in the first half, Taylor-Demerson snagged a pass near the sideline intended for wide receiver D.J. Montgomery and managed to keep his feet inbounds.
Had it not been for the duo’s takeaways, the score would have looked a lot different in Gannon’s eyes behind the mountain of penalties.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon dives into Rabbit’s interception and how that and Kei’Trel Clark’s forced fumble kept his team in it despite the sloppiness on display: pic.twitter.com/KTkONtIi6H
— Cardinals Corner (@AZCardsCorner) August 18, 2024
“The takeaways were good. That’s the reason we stayed in the game,” Gannon said. “Without those takeaways, I think we get the brakes beat off of us, truthfully. I gotta watch the tape, but I know the interception was a phenomenal play. I thought he had a couple tackles in there. He looked good.”
Indianapolis, IN
Fantasy Guru Says Colts Anthony Richardson ‘High Risk, High Reward’
![Fantasy Guru Says Colts Anthony Richardson ‘High Risk, High Reward’ Fantasy Guru Says Colts Anthony Richardson ‘High Risk, High Reward’](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2860,h_1608,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/Anthony-Richardson-22-fdf1837da49672f349bee2029f0287a8.jpg)
The 2024 Indianapolis Colts roster has talented offensive players who can help any fantasy football manager get their squad to the playoffs and beyond. The obvious names that stick out are running back Jonathan Taylor and wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Adonai Mitchell. But they all pale compared to the fantasy potential that their quarterback, Anthony Richardson, harnesses.
In a recent piece from the fantasy football department at Pro Football Focus, Jonathon Macri dives into the biggest high-risk, high-reward players and by which round they might see themselves taken. The second-year signal-caller is located in the fifth round of this piece. Macri breaks down the potential risk and meteoric reward that Richardson poses to a fantasy manager.
“Should he play an entire season, when considering everything that he brings to the table as a runner on top of his passing potential in Shane Steichen’s offense, there’s a fair bit that can go right with this pick. Richardson delivered a higher fantasy points per dropback rate (0.73) than any other quarterback last season, which helps highlight his potential whenever he’s on the field.”
– Jonathon Macri | Pro Football Focus
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Richardson’s mobility is no secret going into his second professional season. While he only saw four games in 2024, he still dominated as a runner from the quarterback position. He finished with 25 carries for 136 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Expect more explosive running statistics to pile up if Richardson can stay healthy. Macri continues in his analysis of Richardson.
“Richardson’s elite athleticism and arm talent only feed into his breakout potential and overall upside, but for that to all come to fruition, he has to stay on the field, which has become a particular concern for Richardson after last season.”
– Jonathon Macri | Pro Football Focus
Richardson understands that if he isn’t more aware of where his body is on the football field, he will continue to withstand injuries like he did during his inaugural campaign. It will be paramount for the former Florida Gators field general to continue his quarterback development while staving off any injuries.
There is plenty of hype around this Shane Steichen-led Indianapolis offense with Richardson at the helm. If Richardson stays under center, especially for all 17 games, he has the ceiling to be the highest-scoring fantasy quarterback for 2024 and help Indianapolis finally reach the postseason.
Want more Colts content? Check out the latest episode of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!
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Indianapolis, IN
Here’s what the 2025 proposed city budget wants to fund public safety
![Here’s what the 2025 proposed city budget wants to fund public safety Here’s what the 2025 proposed city budget wants to fund public safety](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/08/13/PIND/74776525007-mp-finals-15513.jpg?auto=webp&crop=2999,1687,x0,y0&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Unique opportunity for Indy––Eiffel Tower comes to town
A replica Eiffel Tower is erected at the corner of Georgia Street and Capitol Avenue ahead of the U.S. Olympic Swimming trials.
INDIANAPOLIS — At the city-county council meeting Monday, Mayor Joe Hogsett said public safety has been one of the highest priorities over the last eight years and will remain so for the 2025 proposed city budget.
Totaling $1.6 billion, public safety initiatives account for 41% of the allocated expenses of the 2025 proposed budget at $637 million. Hogsett said that 2022-2023 saw a 32% decrease in criminal homicides.
“And the number continues to trend downward in 2024,” Hogsett said. “Effective today, we are down another 8.2% from this very same day one year ago.”
2025 proposed city budget: COVID rent aid will expire, Georgia Street gets upgrade in proposed Indy budget
Indianapolis police and firefighters
The budget includes money for 1,743 officers, a goal that the department has tried to but failed to reach since 2019. To meet that goal, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department will add a third new recruit class.
There will be a continued investment in technology for the department’s license plate readers, public safety cameras, dash cameras, and body-worn cameras.
Funding would also go toward purchasing a new mobile traffic safety command center, new car printers and scanners for one-third of the department’s patrol officers, and investments in IMPD’s non-sworn personnel to fill professional and technical positions, shifting seven officers back to police work.
Indianapolis Fire Department would get $258 million — about $3 million more than last year— to maintain its 10-year fleet replacement program, fund a new arson unit and build new fire stations. This includes a budget for a recruit class in January 2025.
Violence prevention in Indianapolis
Hogsett said the plan will continue to fund 24/7 staff for its clinician-led community response teams in both downtown and the east IMPD district to divert people in a mental health crisis from the criminal justice system. Other proposed funding includes:
- Investing in community programs to help reduce homelessness, treat addictions, and address mental health challenges.
- Funding a master leasing program for 42 additional units for unhoused individuals and families as part of the 200-unit project created by the Mayor’s Office housing initiative.
- Violence reduction and intervention initiatives managed by the Office of Public Health and Safety, including the Witness Protection program, and the Group Violence Intervention program.
- $250,000 continued funding for the Tenant Legal Assistance Project and the Eviction Avoidance Project with Indiana Legal Services.
- Increased funding for community mental health centers operating in Marion County.
Criminal justice initiatives
Hogsett’s budget also allocates $313 million toward criminal justice expenses including:
- Funding for Forensics Services Agency to outsource a subset of cases, allowing them to reduce processing time on firearm and sexual assault cases.
- Funding to support recruitment and retention programs in the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
- Additional investment in technology to improve communication and jail maintenance in the Adult Detention Center.
- Funding the debt payments associated with the soon-to-be-opened Forensics and Coroner facilities, as well as the Youth and Family Services Center, all of which will replace outdated and inefficient buildings.
Infrastructure and community investment
The budget allocates nearly $200 million for roads, bridges, and other greenway improvements across Indianapolis neighborhoods in 2025 with more than 30% of funding across the 5-year capital plan to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety.
- $68.4 million for stormwater system improvements across neighborhoods in 2025.
- Additional personnel dedicated to trail maintenance as a result of the historic $50 million investment through the Circle City Forward initiative and Lily Foundation grant.
- $7 million in grant funding for the Department of Parks and Recreation to build an archery range at Riverside Adventure Park and additional funding for park beautification.
- Increased local funding for animal care supplies to reduce reliance on donors and investment in professional kennel cleaning to free up staff to focus on animal care.
- Technological investment to improve the Mayor’s Action Center request portal for increased transparency between citizens reporting concerns and the City’s progress toward alleviating them.
Funding would also support the creation of a safety ambassador position for parks. The goal is to begin developing a program dedicated to the enhanced public safety in parks.
It would fund a position in the Department of Public Works to begin developing a program dedicated to enhanced public safety in parks and implementation of the Vision 0 plan to help eliminate all serious injuries and deaths from traffic crashes.
Public safety and criminal justice committee
City-county council committees are reviewing the budget before it’s voted on this fall, and the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee met Wednesday, Aug. 14 for its first round of discussions on the Marion County Coroner’s Office, Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency and the Office of Public Health and Safety.
They will vote on the budget at a later date with the final budget vote happening later this fall.
Jade Jackson is a Public Safety Reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar.com and follow her on X, formally Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON.
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