Quenton Nelson has been a stud for the Indianapolis Colts’ offensive line. But off the field, he has had just as big an impact on the mentality of the team.
It’s not very often that an offensive lineman, let alone a guard, can make this big an impact on a football team. And yet, not even a year into his young career, Indianapolis Colts left guard Quenton Nelson is one of the most important players on the Colts.
The Colts were in an odd position coming into 2018. Star quarterback Andrew Luck was finally set to return from injury, but no one around the league knew if he would ever be the same again. The AFC South was wide open, and depending on how Luck’s season went, the Colts could have a playoff window once again. So, when the time came to draft at No. 6, the Colts were just trying to keep Luck upright for 2018.
Well, general manager Ryan Ballard certainly nailed that aspect of it. But he also got so much more than he bargained for. Some had Nelson pegged as the best prospect in the draft, or at the very least the best offensive guard in the draft. But they probably didn’t know that Nelson would end up as a culture-changer for the team that selected him.
Through just 10 games of his promising career, Nelson has already made his presence known around the AFC South. To put it lightly, the Notre Dame product is a bruiser on the offensive line. Now, that bruising, hard-nose philosophy is paying dividends for the Colts as an organization.
By now, the video of Nelson bulldozing and screaming in the face of the Jaguars’ Barry Church has gone fully viral. But that is simply a microcosm of the rookie’s on-field play. For the lack of a better term, Nelson is a bully on the field, and he has imbued that spirit into the entirety of the Colts organization.
In their past five games, the Colts have not allowed Andrew Luck to get sacked once. Led by Nelson and center Ryan Kelly, Indianapolis has transformed into one of the best offensive lines run the league. If they can keep Andrew Luck upright and healthy, the AFC South is theirs for the taking.
All things considered, the Andrew Luck Revival Tour has been a rousing success. Even without a lot of weapons, the Colts have scrapped their way to a .500 record through hard-nosed football and Luck’s resurgence. The goal was to keep Luck healthy through this season, and the Colts have pass protection in spades.