Preseason Mag 7 #3

Oehser tells you what matters.

1. Most Valuable Back. At the risk of repeating past themes, we’ll take a few quick lines to discuss running back Joseph Addai. He had another impressive touchdown run last week, which means he has scored twice in the first two games. That’s an often-overlooked strength of Addai’s – his ability to get in the end zone when given the opportunity. He has had double-digit touchdowns in three of his four NFL seasons, and considering the Colts don’t look for their backs to put up 1,500-yard rushing seasons, that’s the sort of strength that makes Addai critical. Of course, with Addai, versatility and the ability to function within the offense is his primary value and one that can’t be overlooked. “Joe certainly allows us to do everything in our offense; to run the ball, to try to pound it in the middle, to run it outside, to put him out at receiver and let him run a full complement of routes,” Manning said. “We feel like he can stay in and block any defensive player, whether it’s a linebacker, sometimes a defensive end, sometimes a 3-4 linebacker that might be 260 pounds. It is a credit to Joe’s versatility, and he’s improved each year, getting better at certain phases. He’s such a threat out of the backfield running routes, as well.” That’s not just a throwaway quote. Around the Colts, those traits are as if not more important than running ability, and his ability to excel in those areas have helped Addai stay entrenched, and rightfully so, as the starter.