| Rookie Dwayne Allen figures to be a bigger part of the Colt offense Sunday against Miami. (AP) |
With TE Coby Fleener out for at least the next two games with a shoulder injury, fellow rookie TE Dwayne Allen will likely be more involved in the Indianapolis offense. Allen had perhaps his best game as a pro last week against the Titans, when he caught four passes for 56 yards -- including the first two throws of the game. Without Fleener to contend with, Allen should be seeing more passes from QB Andrew Luck.
"Whenever I decided to leave [Clemson], it wasn’t to become a backup tight end in the National Football League," Allen said. "I felt that I had the talents to be a starter in this league and with Fleener going down and more targets going my way, I’m definitely more than prepared for it.”
Allen has not been targeted more than six times in a single game this season, while Fleener is accustomed to seeing at least five and as many as ten. And though Fleener gets more looks and has more catches and yards than Allen, the rookie from Stanford has yet to find the end zone, something Allen has achieved twice.
The converse of not having Fleener out there on two tight end sets, of course, is that the defense will be more focused on Allen. Weslye Saunders, who made his first catch as a Colt last week, will slide into Allen's vacated spot.
Mathis back: Defensive coordinator Greg Manusky said Thursday that Robert Mathis will return to the Colts lineup after missing the past three games with a sprained knee. Manusky was certainly pleased to have the four-time All-Pro back on the field.
“Just a whole bunch of energy, excitement and he’s a Pro Bowler," Manusky said of what Mathis brings to the field. "He’s a difference maker and that’s what we’re looking to get on Sunday out of him.”
Rookie showdown (maybe): Luck has gone through one matchup with a fellow rookie, and it will happen again when Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins come to town. Tannehill, though, is a question mark for Sunday's game as he was limited in practice Wednesday due to knee and thigh injuries. Not that it really matters much to Luck who's on the other side of the ball.
“I guess it is fun to be able to talk to them after the game, win or lose because you know them," Luck said of playing fellow rookie QBs. "But I don’t know. I’ve never really got into who the opposing quarterback is thing. I worry a little bit more about what the defense is doing and try to keep my jersey clean, and get the ball to the right guys. I wouldn’t say I get into that too much.”
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis from Colts blogger Evan Hilbert, follow @CBSColts.