REPORT; Nick Cross committed a cardinal sin, which may cost the Colts.
The Indianapolis Colts will play their first true game of the NFL preseason on Sunday against the Denver Broncos at Lucas Oil Stadium.
This is the exciting part that fans have been waiting for. However, Josh Downs suffered a high ankle injury after being tackled to the ground during 7-on-7 practice, taking some of the wind out of their sails. The early assessment is that he will be out for 4-6 weeks to recover. Nick Cross, the man who made the tackle, is fighting for a starting berth and is under criticism from all sides.
Nick Cross was a third round pick in the 2022 NFL draft and has seen the field on and off during his tenure. He is currently fighting to be a starter, but the worst way to go about it is to draw negative attention from your coach.
Look. Mistakes happen. It is unfortunate the Downs is injured. While it is lucky that it happened a month before the season, it is unfortunate that he may still miss regular season action due to an avoidable situation.
Cross shouldn’t be taking people to the ground in practice. That is a major no-no, and this is exactly why. The issue I am having, beyond the injury, is that Cross doesn’t seem overly fazed by it. I know he is trying to secure his spot on the roster, but I would like to see a little more accountability. Yes, it isn’t season or career ending for Downs, but just a little more empathy would be nice.
Once again, it is evident that there was no malicious intent. Cross was not aiming to damage anyone, and I am confident he genuinely cares about Downs as a person and teammate. When asked if he should have pulled up, I would have preferred a simple “yes”. “Yes, I should’ve pulled up. In the midst of combat, my adrenaline took over. When you’re in those situations, your body takes over. “I did not think, but I should have.” Something like that would have done wonders. Doubling down on “it is what it is” would not gain him any favors.
At the end of the day, Josh Downs’ injury isn’t nothing. He loses practice time and could miss actual games. A high ankle sprain could take longer to heal than expected and could also create lingering issues as the season progresses. It is fortunate that this is as bad as it is, though. Ligament damage or a broken bone are always a possibility. Nick Cross needs to thank his lucky stars it wasn’t any worse. Not advocating for any type of punishment, but he needs to consider what could have happened and use that as a lesson going forward. Hopefully, all will be well and Downs will be ready to start the season. If not, Cross will continue to be in the Colts doghouse until he returns.
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