Colts may play starters more in preseason

WESTFIELD — The Colts have lost their last eight season openers, and in three of Frank Reich’s four seasons, Indianapolis has gotten off to slow starts overall.

And on top of that, the Colts have a new defensive system, along with a new starting quarterback who is healthy enough to play in every practice of training camp so far.

For all of those reasons, the Indianapolis starters might be on the field a little more than usual when the Colts open the preseason against Buffalo on Saturday.

“Maybe play (the starters) a little bit more than we’ve played (them) in the past,” Colts head coach Frank Reich said. “Just a little bit more for the starters.”

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If Indianapolis does play the starters a little more, it will likely be an extra series past the team’s normal plan.

“Nothing is etched in stone,” Reich said. “(General manager) Chris (Ballard) and I have talked about this at length. 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, then we’ll make individual exceptions as needed.”

Those exceptions can go either way.

Indianapolis could play a young starter longer than the rest. The Colts could also decide to hold out a few of their most important players to avoid the risk of injury altogether.

If Reich already knows who those players might be, he’s not telling, not with a week left before the Colts take on the Bills.

“For the most part, I want the guys to think everybody is playing,” Reich said.

Those plans only apply to the preseason opener against the Bills and the preseason finale against the Buccaneers.

Indianapolis is holding joint practices in the days leading up to the Lions preseason game on Aug. 20.

“There’s a good chance the starters won’t play in that game, because we’ve got two good days of work against (the Lions),” Reich said. “It’s highly competitive. Dan and I have already talked, so that will probably, likely be the plan for that game.”

For years now, the trend across the NFL has increasingly seen teams hold more players out of the preseason than ever before.

The Colts head coach thinks there’s something to be gained in the preseason that can’t be replicated on the practice field.

“I don’t think it’s an absolute rule, but I do think it helps. There’s nothing like getting out there and playing live football,” Reich said. “It really takes guys to another level.”

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts may play starters more in preseason