Pagano says Colts have lots of work to do

Aug 14, 2017 - 10:54 PM INDIANAPOLIS -- With several expected starters sitting out the Indianapolis Colts' preseason opener with Detroit, head coach Chuck Pagano expected more than A few hiccups.

He got that and more in the Colts' 24-10 loss.

Indianapolis was its own worst enemy against the Lions, being penalized 11 times and being forced to punt 11 times.

Pagano knows there's a lot of work to get done before the Colts head to Dallas for Saturday night's second preseason game.

"Obviously, we've got a lot of work to do (and) a long way to go," the Colts' coach admits. "I'm disappointed in the outcome, but never discouraged.

"I thought we did some good things defensively. I think there were some good things there. We gave up a couple of runs that are easily fixed. Twenty-one points (came) on three one-on-one matchups. We'll look at the tape and we'll make the corrections."

As for the Colts' offense, the team played without several offensive line starters as well as receivers Donte Moncrief and Phillip Dorsett.

"Offensively and special teams wise, we created some big plays but then we hurt ourselves with penalties. You're not going to win any football games in the National Football League or at any level for that matter when you have 11 penalties," Pagano stressed.

"You can't do that to your offense, you can't do that to the football team. You've got to be smart. We've got to make those corrections and we will."

The Colts won't have a lot of time to make the needed corrections due to a short week before the Dallas game.

"We are going to grind it," the Indianapolis coach said. "We've got to make corrections. The whole idea is that you've just got to keep taking incremental steps to get better every single day and then every game that you play every week.

"We are going to be upfront and forthright and honest with these guys. We are going to show them the tape and we are going to make the corrections. It's not personal, but we can't beat ourselves. You just can't do that. If we don't point that stuff out and we don't make those corrections, we are not going to get better."

Notes: Tight end Eric Swoope will be sidelined after having a scope done on his knee. Pagano said Swoope had been experiencing some swelling in the knee so the decision was made to have it taken care of. A former college basketball player at Miami, Swoope had been a project player for the Colts and had spent time on the team's practice squad. He started to blossom as a tight end over the final month of last season and was expected to be the team's No. 2 tight end entering the regular season. ... Rookie safety Malik Hooker got good reviews after the Lions game. Hooker showed many of the skills that led to the Colts taking him with their first-round pick in last spring's draft. "Malik's a natural. He's gonna be as good as advertised," Pagano said Monday, adding that he was impressed with his tackling in the game. "He hadn't had pads on in a long time," Pagano added, alluding to Hooker's absence during much of the offseason as he recovered from hip surgery. ... Rookie cornerback Quincy Wilson got beat for a touchdown in his first NFL game. Pagano says to chalk it up to a great learning experience. "He battled. And he's young, too. There are going to be growing pains," Pagano said. "It's not an easy position to play, as we know. He gave up the touchdown and you've got to have amnesia and put it behind you. You've got to fight and you've got to hustle."

Undrafted rookie center Deyshawn Bond got the start against Detroit due to a Ryan Kelly injury issue. Bond, who attended high school in Indianapolis and played collegiately at Cincinnati, did OK in the game, according to Pagano. "The game wasn't too big for him," he said. Kelly is not expected to be available for the Dallas game on Saturday as he continues rehab on his injured foot. He has not practiced since early last week. Pagano, though, says that the former Alabama center is "trending in the right direction." Kelly has quickly developed into the offensive line anchor in just one full season as a starter for Indianapolis. ... Guard Joe Haeg might be able to return for practice Tuesday or Wednesday. Haeg has been sidelined for about a week. He has become a valuable player for the Colts since he can play anywhere on the offensive line. Haeg had been penciled in as the potential starter at left guard after getting work at right guard as a rookie last season. He also played tackle in 2016 and had been getting some reps at center at training camp this year. ... Wide receiver Phillip Dorsett has missed a lot of practice time in the last week due to a hamstring issue. But Dorsett is expected to return for workouts sometime this week. The Colts have been looking for the former University of Miami standout to make a push to be the team's No. 3 receiver, but injuries continue to be a problem.