Panic from the start.

[House]

Anyone else feel that Luck's initial INT set the tone for the whole game.

Not blaming him for the loss, just from my perspective, the game felt wild and out of control.

The O seemed anxious, the D seemed anxious. Obviously Pats played better, but couldn't imagine a worse start to that game.

[Jules]

Absolutely agree. But, I tried to push it out of my head too. I got  up and even left the room for a second and came back when the initial pick was thrown since I knew the Pats would score a TD off of it.

 

Just seemed like we started out with ants in our pants.

[Caffrey]

Agree, that first interception was huge.  To his credit, he brought us back and we still had a shot at the end of the 3rd quarter but we can only second guess what would have been the outcome if he took us a TD, or at least a FG on that opening drive.

[House]

Absolutely agree. But, I tried to push it out of my head too. I got up and even left the room for a second and came back when the initial pick was thrown since I knew the Pats would score a TD off of it.

Just seemed like we started out with ants in our pants.

It felt deflating honestly.

I knew the game had only just begun, but it felt like we were instantly in a hole.

[Coltsman1788]

It was demoralizing from the beginning.  I felt like new era same ole bull crap in Foxboro. 

[No 1 Manning Fan]

Luck seemed anxious when the run game failed. It seems that we are incapable of adapting to the game. We need to use short passes like screens, out routes, wheel routes, ect... to replace the run game when it's not working. We don't have to throw to the marker every time. YAC can get first downs too. If we have success with that, the safeties will start to creep up just as they do when the run game is working. Then we can air it out deep.

[Jules]

It felt deflating honestly.

I knew the game had only just begun, but it felt like we were instantly in a hole.

 

When you play in NE you need to stay composed. When the Jets pulled off the monster upset n 2010 it was Brady of all people who had the early interception and a lot of Pats fans were stunned. In the WC round years ago it was the Ravens who started out with the big TD run. Last year......not sure it was closer until the half but the Ravens stayed nose to nose with NE again like the year before and pulled away in the second half.

 

Of course to Luck's credit he pulled himself together and made a game of it for a while. And again it was like watching the Colts broken record of needing the QB to play hero with a shaky run game, defense and the opposing team being able to run and pass with ease........

 

I hope we can polish this up. We need more balance badly. Luck was in hero mode coming back vs. the Chiefs and we know he can do this but coming back in the playoffs should be a rare thing and not a constant.

 

 

Perhaps if we had Reggie out there it would have been easier and most likely it would have been but not much we could have done about it.....

[bestQBever]

Anyone else feel that Luck's initial INT set the tone for the whole game.

Not blaming him for the loss, just from my perspective, the game felt wild and out of control.

The O seemed anxious, the D seemed anxious. Obviously Pats played better, but couldn't imagine a worse start to that game.

If one early pick makes the O and the D anxious, I can't fathom how they were feeling after being down 38-10 vs the chiefs.

[House]

If one early pick makes the O and the D anxious, I can't fathom how they were feeling after being down 38-10 vs the chiefs.

Super anxious lol.

[BPM_Colt]

You can't put yourself in a hole that early in that environment in the playoffs. As much as we hate it, the Pats are a dang good team.. And we basically handed them 7 before the game even got going

[The Fish]

I'd like to know what went wrong last week at the start of the second half and the first play last night. It was almost identical if I'm not mistaken?

[Coltsman1788]

"...coming back in the playoffs should be a rarity and not a constant."  I love that line from Jules post.  It is true and underlines the main problem with this team. We had to rely on coming back entirely too often.  That is indicative of a problem that needs to be fixed.  We can't continually dig these big holes and expect to dig ourselves out of them week after week after week.  Fittingly...this ultimately proved to be our undoing.  Live by the sword...die by it. 

[Jules]

You can't put yourself in a hole that early in that environment in the playoffs. As much as we hate it, the Pats are a dang good team.. And we basically handed them 7 before the game even got going

 

Well they were 7 pt faves I think so perhaps we were being nice? ;) j/k

 

 

It's weird. Like when we played SF/Seattle I was not worried at all. When we play NE it is agonizing. Denver? Yep the same but different since it's Peyton and we know him much too well too.

 

 

Beating the "big boys" on the road in the AFC might be harder to do then we thought initially. Last year the Ravens were a loaded veteran team and we struggled there. Granted they were still only rooks but we struggled. This year in NE we struggled.

 

To our credit though we did score a lot of points in the playoffs, we were not held scoreless by any means but played a very reckless style of football at times with a boom or bust mentality.

 

Vs. KC it felt at least like Alex Smith had to break out in a heavy sweat and work it......for 60 minutes. That poor dude was playing his butt off and my hat was off to him big time. Brady might as well had a cup of ice tea on the side line and a few models to entertain him with jokes and bikini photos.

 

I think what bugs me most deep down is not the loss but how EASY it was for Tom Brady because deep down you know for Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck it's like they have to jump through hoops of fire to get a win in New England. It can be disheartening.

[dw49]

Anyone else feel that Luck's initial INT set the tone for the whole game.

Not blaming him for the loss, just from my perspective, the game felt wild and out of control.

The O seemed anxious, the D seemed anxious. Obviously Pats played better, but couldn't imagine a worse start to that game.

 

 

I don't mean to be a "coach basher" , but I just find myself just hating so many of Pagano's game decisions. I would have never taken the ball first in that game . Just a lot more pressure on Luck and the offense with Paganos decision. I think over all he's an OK coach but he makes numerous "old school" blunders . The SD game and the 4th and 1 punt last night is what Im referring to. 

[TheBlueAndWhite]

Most of the time it seems like our offense and defence play like a bunch of high school boys. It seems like most of the time we get bullied and picked on both sides of the ball. This team is really inconsistent and is always on the bad end of some very questionable calls..also our offensive and defensive play calling and schemes severely lack imagination...

[Jules]

"...coming back in the playoffs should be a rarity and not a constant."  I love that line from Jules post.  It is true and underlines the main problem with this team. We had to rely on coming back entirely too often.  That is indicative of a problem that needs to be fixed.  We can't continually dig these big holes and expect to dig ourselves out of them week after week after week.  Fittingly...this ultimately proved to be our undoing.  Live by the sword...die by it. 

 

Yep.......

 

I am out of likes for now but may get back to all this later. It's a toughie. I did feel deep down after the KC game that we would clean up our game but we didn't. This team is very exciting and can never be counted out in any game but the constant need for the comeback killed us again. I am not sure why we usually fall behind but we do........

 

Could represent a team that just is not experienced enough yet either. Perhaps this loss will wake many of them up for next season and they start faster in more games. We played virtually the same style of game last year vs. NE too with the turnovers and the shaky D.

[BPM_Colt]

Well they were 7 pt faves I think so perhaps we were being nice? ;) j/k

 

 

It's weird. Like when we played SF/Seattle I was not worried at all. When we play NE it is agonizing. Denver? Yep the same but different since it's Peyton and we know him much too well too.

 

 

Beating the "big boys" on the road in the AFC might be harder to do then we thought initially. Last year the Ravens were a loaded veteran team and we struggled there. Granted they were still only rooks but we struggled. This year in NE we struggled.

 

To our credit though we did score a lot of points in the playoffs, we were not held scoreless by any means but played a very reckless style of football at times with a boom or bust mentality.

 

Vs. KC it felt at least like Alex Smith had to break out in a heavy sweat and work it......for 60 minutes. That poor dude was playing his butt off and my hat was off to him big time. Brady might as well had a cup of ice tea on the side line and a few models to entertain him with jokes and bikini photos.

 

I think what bugs me most deep down is not the loss but how EASY it was for Tom Brady because deep down you know for Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck it's like they have to jump through hoops of fire to get a win in New England. It can be disheartening.

I actually couldn't agree more with everything you just said.

 

There was just something about that game yesterday that made me think we weren't going to come back.. Just something about New England.

 

Still lots of improvement to go around on both sides of the ball.. Hopefully we are the "big boy" of the AFC sooner than later, and opposing teams fear having to go through Indianapolis

[Coltsman1788]

Most of the time it seems like our offense and defence play like a bunch of high school boys. It seems like most of the time we get bullied and picked on both sides of the ball. This team is really inconsistent and is always on the bad end of some very questionable calls..also our offensive and defensive play calling and schemes severely lack imagination...

I really want to tweet Irsay and ask him why the Colts are always so soft in the trenches and get punched in the mouth year after friggin year?  Can we ever do some punching in the mouth ourselves?  Can we mug the Patriot receivers like they molest ours and lay one of them out for once?  I don't have a Twitter account though and don't intend on getting one. 

[ColtsBlueFL]

I was mad at the decision to punt 4th and less than 1 at the time.  But now, a touch less.  Our D would have had to come up with 3 straight series of not allowing any score.  They had not done that nor was any indication they could.  I felt We cried UNCLE when we punted, and for the first time ever, I felt like BB let off the gas pedal a little.  Move chains, chew clock, but not tried to hang 60 on us anymore.  If we had went for it, any failure after that point would be carte blanche to run up the score on us.  We didn't, they didn't.  Just cruised to an easy V. It's how it felt, to me, anyway.

[deedub75]

I'm always nervous when we play the Patriots.  Peyton made me that way.  LOL!

 

Patriots and Chargers are the only teams I never feel confident about us beating.  I hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

[Tark The Shark]

I think Luck tried to do too much in that game.

 

Obviously the running game was doing nothing, receivers were slipping, and the defense did nothing to stop the Pats.

 

Luck tried to win the game on his own, and it just didn't work out.

 

You have to play a perfect game to beat the Pats, in NE, in the playoffs.

[chrisfarley]

Anyone else feel that Luck's initial INT set the tone for the whole game.

Not blaming him for the loss, just from my perspective, the game felt wild and out of control.

The O seemed anxious, the D seemed anxious. Obviously Pats played better, but couldn't imagine a worse start to that game.

Unfortunately it did.  Absolutely.  It was a horrendous decision.

[Malakai432]

I was highly disappointed with Luck, however it would help to have a fullback who can catch the ball, lol..

It was a highly winnable game, but the turnovers killed them. TB didn't dominate at all by any means. I didn't hear any post game interviews but it would not surprise me if Luck took full responsibility. He played atrocious.

That being said it was a great season, very proud of the Colts and they should probably be a top the division again next year.

[TheBlueAndWhite]

I really want to tweet Irsay and ask him why the Colts are always so soft in the trenches and get punched in the mouth year after friggin year? Can we ever do some punching in the mouth ourselves? Can we mug the Patriot receivers like they molest ours and lay one of them out for once? I don't have a Twitter account though and don't intend on getting one.

exactly my man I am a huge colts fan and always have been since they came to Indianapolis. And I am fed up with all B.S. we get from other teams year in and year out we always look inept on defence and in the trenches.... I'm getting real sick of it!. And i don't have a Twitter account either you know government tracking and stuff of that nature lol

[GoColts8818]

The INT was the worst start the Colts could have and then letting New England come down and score on their next drive with little to no resistance and being down 14-0 before you can blink is going to make winning on the road most weeks hard, winning in New England in the playoffs after that kind of start is nearly impossible.  The Colts have had issues with slow starts all year, not just on offense but on defense as well.  That's something they have to figure out this off-season.  Maybe it's as simple as getting some guys back healthy and getting a couple of new players but you just can't win games always trying to come from behind. 

 

I saw stat last night that said everytime the Colts have come back from down 10 points or more under Luck they have lost every game after it and have been blown out every time as well.  I think making all those comebacks after playing poorly for most of the game to be down so much just takes so much out of you it's hard to recover and does impact you going forward. 

[ColtsFan1976]

Anyone understand why the Colts game was played at 8:30 at night when the NFC game being played right now on the east coast started at 1:00 PM.  Another reason why the Colts had the troubles they did. 

[CanuckColt]

Anyone else feel that Luck's initial INT set the tone for the whole game.

Not blaming him for the loss, just from my perspective, the game felt wild and out of control.

The O seemed anxious, the D seemed anxious. Obviously Pats played better, but couldn't imagine a worse start to that game.

Luck is still making some rookie mistakes...his worst problem is staring down his receiver EVERY TIME...he almost never looks off the DBs and goes the other way...he must learn to do this consistently.

[GoColts8818]

Anyone understand why the Colts game was played at 8:30 at night when the NFC game being played right now on the east coast started at 1:00 PM.  Another reason why the Colts had the troubles they did. 

Because the Broncos requested to play at 4:00 because of the number of prime-time games they have had this year and they play one NFC game and one AFC game each day they alternate who gets the primetime game each year so that one network doesn't get more prime-time games than another over the course of the contract. 

[CS Colts Fan]

I was highly disappointed with Luck, however it would help to have a fullback who can catch the ball, lol..

It was a highly winnable game, but the turnovers killed them. TB didn't dominate at all by any means. I didn't hear any post game interviews but it would not surprise me if Luck took full responsibility. He played atrocious.

That being said it was a great season, very proud of the Colts and they should probably be a top the division again next year.

Yes Luck owned it... no surprises

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/01/12/andrew-luck-im-disappointed-in-myself-for-the-interceptions/

[CS Colts Fan]

Anyone understand why the Colts game was played at 8:30 at night when the NFC game being played right now on the east coast started at 1:00 PM.  Another reason why the Colts had the troubles they did. 

they always play the games on Saturday with later start times than the Sunday games... my guess they try to hit the prime time with the evening game... Sundays game are setup to be similar start times as regular season... 

[Bluefire4]

I think we should always defer to the second half when we can.

[GoColts8818]

I think we should always defer to the second half when we can.

Yes, I never like taking the kickoff to start the game.  I like it even less when you know your team struggles to start fast. 

[mintor]

luck first pick was he thought he was cut more and guy don,t in turn a pick.. that didn,t change the game . normal luck lest throw 2 picks in the game. was non calls the refs and some bad calls of the refs . change the game .

[LockeDown]

There is a reason why wildcard teams win Super Bowls. They are loose the whole playoffs. Luck clearly plays better in the 4th quarter when all bets are off.

[throwing BBZ]

I thought our game plan, formations looked like something out of Arians playbook rather than what we tore KC up with.
Predictable run formations, with no space created for Andrew to run, and where were the 3 wide sets TY exploded out of?

 

Several calls Dierdorff said how can that not be a penalty. Brought back numerous bad memories of course.

[MaoBerry]

That‘s just football...hawk happens. I do believe devin hester stuffed the ball up our rear end on the first play of the superbowl as well. You must stick to the game plan.

[nerd12]

When we were within a score at the end and had couple of possessions before the taperiots scored, those two drives were killed due to blatant no calls by the refs. I hate using refs as an excuse but nobody can deny that. Luck started of badly but he could easily have tied the game with those two opportunities because we saw he was making amazing throws in the game. Screw that! Classless belichick needs 4 ints plus the refs help to win against us. This is the last time he wins against us. Luck will shred his defenses for the rest of his cheating career.

[James Lucas Smith]

Does anyone else feel like Pep Hamilton is one of our biggest liabilities? It seems like every week he gives us a game plan. It NEVER works so we get way behind in the 1st half. Then after we have absolutely no other choice  he lets Luck take over the game and let loose and  most of the time we come back and win. It worked in the regular season, but never works long in the playoffs. You cant continue to expect other teams to make mistakes for your team to win. I now understand why he called it a no coast offense. No one would take credit for that crap. I just hope they learned something this season, and next year with all our players back we can have an awesome season.

[mintor]

lucks still semi-green he does learn from his mistakes , he learn not keep eyeing down the wr,s and te before passing.  automatic  int.

[Malakai432]

Anyone else feel that Luck's initial INT set the tone for the whole game.

Not blaming him for the loss, just from my perspective, the game felt wild and out of control.

The O seemed anxious, the D seemed anxious. Obviously Pats played better, but couldn't imagine a worse start to that game.

Indeed it did set the tone for the game.