Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich knows his team will have their hands full against the Houston Texans in the Wild Card this weekend. It appears he will rely heavily on running back Nyheim Hines to help keep the defense on their toes.
The Colts have undoubtedly been one of the more surprising teams in the 2018 NFL season. According to George Bremer of The Herald Bulletin, he attributes some of their success on offense to the emergence of Hines:
“He's really been instrumental in the success of our offense.”
Reich's comments should come as no surprise. Hines has been a welcome addition to a Colts' team that struggled to piece together a consistent run game early in the year. As a result, the former fourth-round pick out of N.C. State saw an elevated role in his rookie season.
Indianapolis has largely relied on a backfield by committee this season. Running back Marlon Mack has established himself as the lead back on early downs. Meanwhile, Hines and Wilkins have served as change-of-pace options. The recipe has done wonders for the Colts' ground game as this was the first time in 23 years that they managed to outrush their opponents over the course of an entire season. Of course, their success can be attributed to their talented offensive line as well.
Although Hines has been the least effective runner in the backfield, he has proven to be the most viable receiving option. As a result, he finished eighth among rookies with 738 yards from scrimmage. He could see in increased workload with the Texans finishing the year as the top rushing defense.
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