In a bad matchup against a dominant Bills defense, Frank Gore finally looked his age.
Moving to Indianapolis to play behind the great Andrew Luck was supposed to make things easier on the aging veteran, but after a 8-carry, 31-yard effort, it's safe to say it's not all roses and unicorns in Indianapolis. It also does raise the eyebrow a bit to look at what Carlos Hyde did Monday night as Gore's replacement.
While many understood the Colts' average offense line was a liability, many assumed Gore would be involved in the passing game in the Ahmad Bradshaw role we saw last year. But after just two receptions for zero yards on Sunday, perhaps it was a bit of a leap to assume he could simply duplicate that success.
Look, it was one week, but Gore certainly looked every bit of 32 years old. The silver lining is that his backup is rookie Josh Robinson, who looked just as overwhelmed as everyone else in this offense. The Colts likely have no other option than to role with the veteran, even if the production doesn't follow suit.
Gore was actually moderately effective as a runner, posting a 0.04 Rushing NEP per rush. But the game got away from the Colts and they struggled to prolong drives long enough to get Gore the ball. Against easier defenses you expect the Colts to control the game and utilize the former Hurricane to close things out in the fourth quarter.
While that likely won't happen against the Jets' outstanding front in Week 2, owners shouldn't bail on Gore just yet. If he fails to produce in Week 3 against the Titans I will be very concerned, especially if the issue continues to be workload and an inability to work behind that offensive line.
Until then, however, staying the course is the best response.