Zack Moss Runs Wild in Divisional Win: Film Room

Colts running back Zack Moss exploded for nearly 200 yards on Sunday.

The Indianapolis Colts finally ended the Jonathan Taylor offseason drama by rewarding the star running back with a three year, 42 million dollar extension. So, naturally, the player that stole the show on Sunday was none other than Taylor's backup in Zack Moss.

While Taylor is still working himself back into top form, Moss carried the load for the Colts on Sunday. Facing off against the fourth-best run defense in the NFL, Moss exploded for 165 yards rushing on 23 carries while also adding two rushing scores. He added 30 yards on top of that in the pass game as well.

Moss may not be making the 14 million dollars per year that Taylor recently agreed to, but he was certainly a star in his own right on Sunday. Moss looked patient and controlled all game long, as the bruiser showed some impressive burst on the day.

Today, I dive into the career day that Moss had against the Tennessee Titans and break down the many elements that went into his performance.

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The Scheme

Shane Steichen and the Indianapolis Colts' offense did their fair share to prop up Zack Moss in this game. The absolute best example of this has to be Moss' long touchdown run late in the first quarter.

Third and short and the Colts call a zone read into the teeth of the Titans' run defense. Quarterback Anthony Richardson deserves a massive assist on this play, as the threat of him keeping it on the backside draws the attention of the unblocked end and the single high safety.

From there, it is just up to the guards to get to the linebackers. Quenton Nelson swallows up the playside backer while Will Fries climbs to the second level and cuts off the WILL. Zack Moss bursts through the open hole and goes untouched for the long touchdown:

The Colts' run scheme is diverse and creative, which feels nice to say after last year's disaster in the trenches. The Colts love to live in their inside zone/split zone world from the gun, but they mix in some wham/trap block calls at perfect times for chunk plays.

This call below is simply run to perfection. Drew Ogletree whams the nose tackle from the sniffer tight end position while Will Fries kicks out the strong side defensive end. The rest of the OL down blocks and creates a massive lane down the middle for Zack Moss to exploit:

Shane Steichen's best play design of the day came late in the fourth quarter. Facing a third and medium, Steichen trusted the fate of the ballgame in the hands of the playmaking running back.

The Titans had been struggling to tackle Moss all game long so Steichen took full advantage of that on this quick pass. Knowing that the Titans love to simulate pressure on key downs, the Colts run a stick-flat combo to act as a natural pick play for Moss in the flat.

Minshew delivers a pass on time and Moss is able to turn up field for a massive conversion:

Grinding Out Tough Yards

Zack Moss is a classic bruiser type of running back. In an NFL that is gravitating towards speed and athleticism at linebacker, a good old bruiser back can be quite effective at grinding out yards.

Moss always keeps an offense on track with his style of running. He could be hit five yards in the backfield, and he will turn it into a two yard gain. He could be swallowed up at the line of scrimmage, and he will turn it into four yards. He knows how to get skinny through the hole and how keep those legs churning to create hidden yardage.

These are just two of many clips Moss had this weekend grinding out tough yards:

Patience and Pace

Admittedly, I did bury the lede a tad with this article. While Moss can credit a handful of his yards to great schematic design and his own propensity to churn out tough yards, the biggest contributor to his career day was simply his high level play.

Moss was a fantastic collegiate running back that struggled to find his footing in the NFL prior to joining the Colts. While he has looked impressive in his stint in Indy, he took it to another level this past Sunday. I have never seen Moss look so controlled and so poised in an NFL game up to this point.

Zack Moss is a battering ram that seeks out contact and always falls forward, but he was a legitimate star on Sunday. He was patient and played with outstanding pace in the backfield on a majority of his runs. He showcased an impressive short area burst when the rush needed that explosion up field. He even set up multiple blocks with his vision against the Titans.

Everything that Moss did was at a high level on Sunday, and he was one of the biggest reasons why the Colts were able to finally beat the Tennessee Titans:

The Bottom Line

The Indianapolis Colts have their superstar running back extended and back in the fold, but don't forget about the strong play of Zack Moss. He has always been a powerful rusher, but now with his comfort level and his feel at an all time high, the Colts may be able to throw out a devastating 1-2 punch in the backfield.

The Colts are still going to slow play Jonathan Taylor back into the lineup. In the meantime, Zack Moss will continue to churn out strong performances with his high level of play.

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