INDIANAPOLIS -- Each week on Examiner.com, Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser offers seven thoughts on all things surrounding the Indianapolis Colts. Without further delay, the fourth Magnificent Seven of the 2010 season, this one looking at seven issues as the Colts approach the preseason finale . . .
7. Keeping the streak. It wouldn't seem right to write about the Indianapolis Colts this week and not mention umpire placement, so let's lead Magnificent Seven with it and get it out of the way for today. We'll begin with a story in by the New York Times' solid NFL writer, Judy Battista, who provided a detailed play-by-play of the positioning change – the gist of which is that umpires will be lining up in the offensive backfield rather than around the linebackers, as they did previously. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning on Monday said it seemed the NFL didn't take into account how some offenses operate when installing the rule. The Colts, in particular, run one of the quickest-tempo offenses in the NFL and the ability of the umpire – who often places the ball at the line of scrimmage – to get into position quickly could have an effect on teams wanting to snap quickly after the ball is placed. The Colts last Thursday in Green Bay were twice penalized for snapping the ball illegally – before the umpire was in position. Battista reported that NFL Vice President for Officiating Carl Johnson said the umpire will stay on the offensive side of the ball, but said the NFL has made “subtle changes” already and that more could be coming. Already, Battista wrote, the NFL has moved the umpire from 14-to-17 yards – as was originally mandated – to 12 yards, then after the second week of preseason games, the league told officials the umpire needed only be deeper than the deepest member of the offense. “During a Monday conference call, members of the competition committee discussed more changes to the umpire’s spot that could be made in time for the final preseason games this week,” Battista wrote, then added what eventually could be the key to making the system work, “In the meantime, all seven members of the officiating crew have been told to hustle, Johnson said, and spotting the ball has become more of a community assignment — with nearly every member of the crew having spotted the ball at some point in the preseason games.” That's a start. Battista also reported Tuesday that the league will move umpires back to the defensive side for the final five minutes of the game in this week's preseason finales. For the first three preseason games, they had been moving back to defense for the final two minutes. This is a start, too, but likely won't address the Colts' issue, which is that they run a quick-tempo offense throughout the entire game.
6. One more umpire thing. OK, we said we'd get the umpire stuff out of the way, but No. 7 was running long and it's a big enough topic to merit two entries. Maybe the most interesting aspect of Battista's breakdown of the NFL's ongoing tweaking of the change came near the end of the story, when she wrote, “There may be a more long-term change coming in the types of people the N.F.L. employs as umpires. Johnson said that umpires are going to have to be more athletic — slimmer and faster — because they will have to cover more ground than they used to.” The last concept may eventually be the most important in this issue. Umpires simply must have the ability to get out of the way, however they do it, and somehow the league will get its officials working in a capacity to have this not be an issue. There's just no way the NFL wants broadcasters and media spending a time this season discussing why officials' speed – or lack thereof – is preventing teams from running offenses in the manner in which they are accustomed.
5. Important return. Center Jeff Saturday returned to practice Tuesday, and while he won't likely play against Cincinnati in the preseason finale, his return is important. Saturday, 35, has missed preseason after arthroscopic knee surgery early in camp, and his return this week makes it possible he will be ready for the regular-season opener September 12 against Houston. The absence of Saturday and left tackle Charlie Johnson in the preseason hasn't helped in the Colts' effort to improve their run blocking, and while there's no way to know how much that has hurt, this much is known: having Saturday playing is crucial in the Colts' no-huddle, quick-tempo offense. His ability to read defenses complements Manning's ability to do the same, and their ability to get the Colts into the right play at the line is critical to the Colts' offense.
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