There was some concern on how the Indianapolis Colts would look following Andrew Luck's sudden retirement. One player who has taken a lesser role in the offense with Luck gone is Eric Ebron.
The veteran tight end has caught just four passes this season for a grand total of 33 yards and a touchdown. This comes just a year after Ebron had a career-high 66 receptions for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Despite the slow start to the season, the Colts are going to need a huge game from Ebron in Week 3 versus the Atlanta Falcons. Indianapolis has instilled a new brand of football with Jacoby Brissett under center but that doesn't mean they can't utilize their tight ends in the offense.
As the Colts have begun the season with a 1-1 record, they have shown a concerted effort to run the ball. With Brissett as the quarterback, Indianapolis has the third-most rushing attempts for teams who haven't played in Week 3 yet. Their decision to pound the rock has paid dividends as they have the second-best rushing offense in the NFL.
At the same time, though, they have thrown the ball just 55 times this season, third-least in the NFL. Regardless of that low total and Luck's absence,, the Colts still still have plenty of weapons on offense—including Ebron.
The Colts will face a Falcons defense that currently stands as the best pass defense in the NFL. Last week, Atlanta held Carson Wentz in check on their way to a 24-20 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Article Continues BelowLikewise, Brissett could have a tough time getting a rhythm going through the air in Week 3, unless he uses Ebron in certain situations to open up the offense down the field.
After failing to adjust to the NFL with the Detroit Lions, Ebron showed in 2018 that he can be a viable offensive weapon in any offense. Catching 13 touchdowns in any season can't be described as a fluke under any circumstance.
The Falcons boast a secondary with talented players named Desmond Trufant, Keanu Neal, Ricardo Allen, and Isaiah Oliver. As talented as they are, it's never easy defending a tight end who has the skill set of Ebron.
The Colts tight end can do some damage over the middle of the field and can be a red-zone threat. On the other side of the field, Atlanta has an offense that can put up 30 points on any given Sunday.
That means that Indianapolis may need to expand their playbook to create some offense. With Marlon Mack and T.Y. Hilton questionable against the Falcons, Ebron needs to improve his play on the field if the Colts want to improve to 2-1.