PHI @ IND Post-game discussion: coaching and playcalling

[GoColts8818]

and hate it when coaches say that kind of stuff. i am not saying throw in the towel and blow up the team. Just admit we had some problems and there is stuff we need to iron out before next week. boom you acknowledged the problem and that you plan to make some adjustments so we can get a better result.

Didn't Enstein say "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results"?  so what does that say about our process to this point?

thats why it's called coach speak. He's not going to rip the players or coaches in his pressers or say anything really harsh about them. Coaches don't do that sort of thing and the ones that do are viewed as bad coaches. He's just going to say something and get out of there. I saw several adjustments from last week that made the ground game work very well. On defense they are behind the 8 ball without a pass rush and not getting turnovers but I view that as more a personal issue right now than a coaching issue.

[Steve]

Hard to say whether it was Luck or playcalling, but the early success on the ground brought the safeties up and we rarely tested them or took advantage of them. Lots of favorable matchups wasted in the passing game.

 

With all do respect, it's not hard AT ALL to say that Luck had nothing to do with it. This team has Reggie, T.Y., Nicks, Moncrife, Fleener, and Allen. There is absolutely no reason why Luck should not end every game with 250-300 yards. I understand our O-Line is laughable, but call roll outs and bootlegs then, get creative!!!!! 

 

Pep Hamilton makes ANDREW LUCK look like a game manager......... ANDREW LUCK???????????????????????????????????????????????????

[SLILLINGTON10]

thats why it's called coach speak. He's not going to rip the players or coaches in his pressers or say anything really harsh about them. Coaches don't do that sort of thing and the ones that do are viewed as bad coaches. He's just going to say something and get out of there. I saw several adjustments from last week that made the ground game work very well. On defense they are behind the 8 ball without a pass rush and not getting turnovers but I view that as more a personal issue right now than a coaching issue.

granted i am not looking for him to rip into anybody. just want to admit there is some things they need to fix, this team is not perfect and minor changes to the "process" are needed.

[GoColts8818]

With all do respect, it's not hard AT ALL to say that Luck had nothing to do with it. This team has Reggie, T.Y., Nicks, Moncrife, Fleener, and Allen. There is absolutely no reason why Luck should not end every game with 250-300 yards. I understand our O-Line is laughable, but call roll outs and bootlegs then, get creative!!!!! 

 

Pep Hamilton makes ANDREW LUCK look like a game manager......... ANDREW LUCK???????????????????????????????????????????????????

Andrew has to hit his passes. The biggest flaw in his game so far is he is a bit wild with the football. Still a young player though who is still growing.

[GoColts8818]

granted i am not looking for him to rip into anybody. just want to admit there is some things they need to fix, this team is not perfect and minor changes to the "process" are needed.

thats just not the way coaches talk in pressers. Although I would say a "process" by it's very nature does include change not drastic ones but tweaks which is what is needed. Honestly when they look at film they are going to see a lack of execution in some areas and try to correct that. You can't miss tackles like they did on one TD, or have your running back fumble twice, even if he only lost one, or keep getting destroyed on screens and win. Those will be the things they look to correct.

[SLILLINGTON10]

thats just not the way coaches talk in pressers. Although I would say a "process" by it's very nature does include change not drastic ones but tweaks which is what is needed. Honestly when they look at film they are going to see a lack of execution in some areas and try to correct that. You can't miss tackles like they did on one TD, or have your running back fumble twice, even if he only lost one, or keep getting destroyed on screens and win. Those will be the things they look to correct.

hope you are right. just wish people would be a little more down to earth. i am not one of the guys hoping for someone to get fired or blow up the team, just hate losing on sloppy and baffling play calling and poor execution. those things shouldn't happen to a playoff team in the NFL. maybe a high school team or a d2 college team, but not professionals.

[MrPreGame]

The thing that irks me about the pkaycalling is lack of utilizing our resources. We are loaded at skill positions. You could tell the excitement Gruden had when we finally got Moncrief on the field. Gruden went on about his athleticism, and on cue we hit the rook for an easy first down. Then we never went back to it.

We didnt get Allen, Nicks, Fleener, or the bottom 3 receivers involved. And I'll bet that umbalanced line will be diagnosed and defeated in the future; as much as we relied on it it is simple to beat.

[GoColts8818]

hope you are right. just wish people would be a little more down to earth. i am not one of the guys hoping for someone to get fired or blow up the team, just hate losing on sloppy and baffling play calling and poor execution. those things shouldn't happen to a playoff team in the NFL. maybe a high school team or a d2 college team, but not professionals.

people will use his or any other coaches words against them that's where coach speak comes from.

[Superman]

We're talking about play calling?

[GoColts8818]

The thing that irks me about the pkaycalling is lack of utilizing our resources. We are loaded at skill positions. You could tell the excitement Gruden had when we finally got Moncrief on the field. Gruden went on about his athleticism, and on cue we hit the rook for an easy first down. Then we never went back to it.

We didnt get Allen, Nicks, Fleener, or the bottom 3 receivers involved. And I'll bet that umbalanced line will be diagnosed and defeated in the future; as much as we relied on it it is simple to beat.

and yet up until late in the game it was still working for the Colts. It got stuffed one time in the fourth quarter and then they didn't go back to it. The ironic thing here is the play that really hurt the Colts was the INT which people are screaming should have been a run and now here people are ripping Pep for not throwing it more. People can't have it both ways.

I didn't like the play calling on the first series or the last but other than that I don't think the play calling was as awful as some want it to be. The ground game was effective tonight something we have been waiting forever to see I had no issue with running it until the Eagles stopped which to their credit they did late which is why I didn't like the play calling on the last drive that seamed more like playing not to lose.

[GoColts8818]

I swear at times this team could have Vince Lombardi coaching them with Don Shula running the defense and Bill Walsh running the offense and fans would still complain about the coaching.

No it wasn't a perfectly called game but it was far from a perfectly played game either. If we held our players to the same standard we seam to hold the coaches too Andrew Luck would be on the chopping block right now for his lack of performance in his last three outings.

This a flawed team but not as flawed as I think some want it to be and it's not just the coaches fault or the players fans don't like fault alone every time we lose.

[NewColtsFan]

Never can admit when they're wrong. Always "We played good but gotta do better"

No one believes that Jive

(Is jive allowed on the forum? )

 

 

It's called......    Keeping it behind closed doors.

 

Well run teams do not air dirty laundry in public.     You do not throw coaches and players under the bus so fans can feel good about a quote.

 

Badly run teams do the opposite which is what you're asking for just to suit you.

 

You might want to re-think this approach..........

[GoColts8818]

It's called......    Keeping it behind closed doors.

 

Well run teams do not air dirty laundry in public.     You do not throw coaches and players under the bus so fans can feel good about a quote.

 

Badly run teams do the opposite which is what you're asking for just to suit you.

 

You might want to re-think this approach..........

and from someone who live through playoffs, don't talk to me about playoffs I just hope we can win another game trust me it doesn't make you feel better. I makes you feel worse because you know the guy who is supposed to be your teams leader has lost it and you have a real coaching problem at that point.

[OldSchoolColt]

Good read:

 

Colts Coaches Cost the Team a Win

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/colts-coaches-cost-team-win-043432603.html

[NewColtsFan]

Good read:

 

Colts Coaches Cost the Team a Win

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/colts-coaches-cost-team-win-043432603.html

 

Respectfully.....

 

This is one of the biggest pieces of nonsense I've ever read....

 

The writer, who I think writes for Stampede Blue,  but it might be Colts Authority, I'm not sure....  lays out a case against Pep Hamilton and sites.........     one call....    the 2nd down run on the Colts last drive which left only one pass play for Luck.

 

But he spends the vast majority of the story saying Chuck Pagano is to blame, and doesn't site a single play,  not one call that Pagano blew.

 

That's bad writing.    That's bad journalism.    That's a writer with an agenda looking to make it.

 

And that's a steaming pile of nonsense.........

[Gavin]

Respectfully.....

 

This is one of the biggest pieces of nonsense I've ever read....

 

The writer, who I think writes for Stampede Blue,  but it might be Colts Authority, I'm not sure....  lays out a case against Pep Hamilton and sites.........     one call....    the 2nd down run on the Colts last drive which left only one pass play for Luck.

 

But he spends the vast majority of the story saying Chuck Pagano is to blame, and doesn't site a single play,  not one call that Pagano blew.

 

That's bad writing.    That's bad journalism.    That's a writer with an agenda looking to make it.

 

And that's a steaming pile of nonsense.........

I believe Wilsons point in regards to Coach Pagano is that as the head coach Coach Pagano is ultimately responsible for plays that his coordinators and so forth call or do...Fair or not(I've been saying I don't want Coach Pagano to be anywhere near offensive playcalling duties as he has no experience at all at any level doing that)......Personally I find it hard to fault Pagano for Peps playcalling at the end especially on the 2nd and 3rd down at the end that the article refers to but ultimately I think we can all agree that the ball needs to be in Lucks hands at the end of games, Pep is ultimately the one to blame for not getting that done obviously BUT as the the HC Pagano has every right and justifiable reasoning to boot to make sure that Pep knows whos hands the ball is supposed to be in in that situation, Wilson even states on that 1st down run play that though he was not a fan of that call he understood it and accepted it, He also credited the teams play tonight, Its also no secret that Pep still is learning though he has gotten better up till the end last night

[SteelCityColt]

Respectfully.....

 

This is one of the biggest pieces of nonsense I've ever read....

 

The writer, who I think writes for Stampede Blue,  but it might be Colts Authority, I'm not sure....  lays out a case against Pep Hamilton and sites.........     one call....    the 2nd down run on the Colts last drive which left only one pass play for Luck.

 

But he spends the vast majority of the story saying Chuck Pagano is to blame, and doesn't site a single play,  not one call that Pagano blew.

 

That's bad writing.    That's bad journalism.    That's a writer with an agenda looking to make it.

 

And that's a steaming pile of nonsense.........

 

Regardless of whether the coaching is to be questioned, I agree the article is horribly written. But hey why should we worry about stuff like trying to substantiate your argument. If nothing else this forum has shown me all you need is to shout loudly and repeatedly to be right!

[Partsman41953]

Hello all, 

 

I have been a Colts fan for around 45 years and all I can say about last night's game is "what the hell is going on out there"? I know it is only 2 games but right now from what I have seen we should be 2-0. The coach's are not preparing the team correctly. We have the personnel but they are not preforming like they should when it gets down to crunch time. What happened to the offense we had when Peyton Manning was here? Why are we not using the tight ends more? Why do we go so conservative when we get into the red zone and the big why is when we needed a drive late in the game against the Eagles we RUN the ball twice and then pass it when they knew we were going to pass it!!! We have one of the best quarterbacks in the league and he is being handcuffed by the play calling. If he is being blitzed up the middle what about rolling him out of the pocket? Also, what about the vertical passing game...what happened to that?

 

And do not get me started on defense. I cannot believe our linebackers are that bad, which they are not. They are just being put in situations where they simply cannot win. How do you expect a linebacker to cover a running back that is as fast as Sproales or McCoy?

 

Yes the officials blew a lot of calls but the game should not have been as close as it was. I do not see that the Eagles are better than we were and they made plenty of mistakes that we did not capitalize on.

 

I think it is time to open the playbook and let Luck do what we know he can do. I would like to see more running sweeps, use the tight ends more and on defense be more aggressive instead of sitting on our heels and reading and reacting. 

 

We need a dominating performance against Jacksonville and turn the ship around before the season is lost. 

 

G. Gilbert

[John Waylon]

Pep just befuddles me. We run the ball like we haven't in some time last night, and do we try to make that mean something and go play action?

Not really. Especially not when it counts.

Was Hakeem Nicks on vacation last night? Did he even take the field at any point?

What was with all the empty backfield screens to the RB against a defense who excels at stopping that?

Pep is still calling games like he's a pac12 team against a small conference mid-major.

[1959Colts]

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see we were out coached.

[amfootball]

Tough loss. A game that Indy let slip away. Darren Sproules is a beast.

[John Waylon]

Pep is still married to the "run first/power run" mentality as evidenced last night. It worked last night. But I don't think he called a lot of pass plays to exploit the eagles secondary (specifically their safeties) or that played to our strengths. Lots of screens against a defense who flies around and gets to the ball carrier.

We really kind of seemed to make it a point not to pass over the middle last night.

[King Colt]

Why zero designed run plays for a QB that can run? Even Pholes had one. Colts always seem to start their games with a three and out. They looked lost in the fourth quarter and with a defense against the run like they showed it coukld be a grey season of mediocraty.

[OffensivelyPC]

Pep's playcalling started out really well.  And it was pretty good for most of the game.  But 2 runs with Richardson in those last few mins......what?

I didn't really have a problem with it.  We had 3:30 on the clock and the run had been working practically all game long.  All we had to do was get into field goal range.  The first went for 6 yards setting us up for 2nd and 4.  Maybe on 2nd down we could havep assed, but I didn't have a problem with the called run. 

[lollygagger8]

I'm not getting the hate for Pep, the run worked all game.

 

The Eagles figured it out eventually, and it wasn't working as well as the first half, but good ol' Pep just kept doing it and doing it like we were up 21 points. 

 

 

Two words for Pep, that he needs to Google. 

 

PLAY ACTION. 

[NewEra]

and yet up until late in the game it was still working for the Colts. It got stuffed one time in the fourth quarter and then they didn't go back to it. The ironic thing here is the play that really hurt the Colts was the INT which people are screaming should have been a run and now here people are ripping Pep for not throwing it more. People can't have it both ways.

I didn't like the play calling on the first series or the last but other than that I don't think the play calling was as awful as some want it to be. The ground game was effective tonight something we have been waiting forever to see I had no issue with running it until the Eagles stopped which to their credit they did late which is why I didn't like the play calling on the last drive that seamed more like playing not to lose.

You're comparing apples to oranges. On the int play we were in the redzone and just needed a fg to go up 10. So should of just took the 3. At the end when we needed to score we tried running it again. Result 3 and out.

[NewEra]

Hello all,

I have been a Colts fan for around 45 years and all I can say about last night's game is "what the hell is going on out there"? I know it is only 2 games but right now from what I have seen we should be 2-0. The coach's are not preparing the team correctly. We have the personnel but they are not preforming like they should when it gets down to crunch time. What happened to the offense we had when Peyton Manning was here? Why are we not using the tight ends more? Why do we go so conservative when we get into the red zone and the big why is when we needed a drive late in the game against the Eagles we RUN the ball twice and then pass it when they knew we were going to pass it!!! We have one of the best quarterbacks in the league and he is being handcuffed by the play calling. If he is being blitzed up the middle what about rolling him out of the pocket? Also, what about the vertical passing game...what happened to that?

And do not get me started on defense. I cannot believe our linebackers are that bad, which they are not. They are just being put in situations where they simply cannot win. How do you expect a linebacker to cover a running back that is as fast as Sproales or McCoy?

Yes the officials blew a lot of calls but the game should not have been as close as it was. I do not see that the Eagles are better than we were and they made plenty of mistakes that we did not capitalize on.

I think it is time to open the playbook and let Luck do what we know he can do. I would like to see more running sweeps, use the tight ends more and on defense be more aggressive instead of sitting on our heels and reading and reacting.

We need a dominating performance against Jacksonville and turn the ship around before the season is lost.

G. Gilbert

Welcome to the board. I'm right there with you.

[Defjamz26]

and hate it when coaches say that kind of stuff. i am not saying throw in the towel and blow up the team. Just admit we had some problems and there is stuff we need to iron out before next week. boom you acknowledged the problem and that you plan to make some adjustments so we can get a better result.

Didn't Enstein say "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results"?  so what does that say about our process to this point?

 

That's why you have to love Mike Tomlin. He doesn't hold anything back when he talks about the Steelers losing. But back to the Colts. I don't think an OC can really be fired mid-season since it's their system, and you can't learn a new system during a season, but I would really like Chudzinski to take the reigns. I'd bet he'd be the genius to throw in some read option plays for Luck and really open up the passing game for Luck.

[chrisfarley]

NFL Network ‏@nflnetwork 25m

"Stick to the process. Come back in. Get back to the grind." -@Colts HC Chuck Pagano on 0-2 message to his team

 

 

And now it's confirmed that nothing is going to change.

Stick to the process, ugh, heard that too many times before.  it's like a broken record. I worry about road games against ANY nfl team.

[Dudley Smith]

I'm surprised people still are defending the coaches, especially Pep Hamilton. Miraculously his run plays worked in the first half,  but with so much success with them it backfired on the Colts in the 2nd half because Pep thought that he didn't need to do anything else the rest of the game. He didn't figure that the Eagles had a defensive coordinator who would adapt at halftime.

 

People have pointed it out multiple times, but the absolute worst decision by Pep was the final drive where he runs the ball twice instead of letting Luck do what Luck does best and install a game-winning drive. It was just inexcusable in that situation to be so conservative. I really hope the Colts make a change at both coordinator positions this offseason, but especially pray that Pep Hamilton is somewhere else next season. He is holding our offense, and especially Luck, back from their full potential.

 

Edit: And while I think the jury is still out on Pagano as HC, I think his seat needs to be warming up a bit if he doesn't force his subordinates to make necessary changes on both sides of the ball. Granted, I am not sure what can really be done on a defense with no pass rush.

[TJ14]

Hey everybody, I've been following the forums for over a year now and finally decided I join.

Last night was a disaster 4th quarter, but it's not the end of the world, especially with the jags coming up Sunday. I just want to know where is Chud in all of this? Isn't he a special assistant to Pep? I think it would seriously help us if he was just a little bit involved in play calling, maybe he could help with stopping the conservative play calling. Just my $0.02.

[jaywhy]

Got a million dollar QB and Rec core. Hundred dollar OL..  Cannot block for run or pass effectively. An outside speed rush on #78 is a free ticket to #12.  Need a better Secondary. If it wasn't for # 30, we would really be in bad shape. #21 #20 #29 #28 are not consistent and will not come up and hit people. They reach and grab and when making tackles there is no leg drive. Need to spend money on a good support group. It is not all coaching, execution is very important.

[DougDew]

I didn't really have a problem with it.  We had 3:30 on the clock and the run had been working practically all game long.  All we had to do was get into field goal range.  The first went for 6 yards setting us up for 2nd and 4.  Maybe on 2nd down we could havep assed, but I didn't have a problem with the called run. 

I agree.  There is no problem calling a run on 2nd and 4 after you just ran for 6 yards on first down.  What I didn't like is that it was the same kind of run.....Richardson up the gut.  Should have done a quick pitch or even a Luck bootleg to the outside.  I don't recall the Colts really trying any run to the sideline plays.

 

On another note, the passing game just wasn't working.  The OL gave Luck plenty of time.  Even when Philly was trying to rush the middle the G, C, Gs held their own.

 

It seemed like luck was holding on to the ball too long.  Either he wasn't reading things right, or the receivers didn't get separation.  And it was another game where the TEs were nowhere to be found.

 

And frankly, I have yet to see Luck beat the blitz.  Most elite NFL QBs can hit a quick hitter or a long heave pass when the defense blitzes.  There have been too many times when it seems Luck is rattled and he throws an errant pass when blitzed.  If he is such an elite QB, the blitz shouldn't bother him so much.

[OffensivelyPC]

I agree.  There is no problem calling a run on 2nd and 4 after you just ran for 6 yards on first down.  What I didn't like is that it was the same kind of run.....Richardson up the gut.  Should have done a quick pitch or even a Luck bootleg to the outside.  I don't recall the Colts really trying any run to the sideline plays.

 

On another note, the passing game just wasn't working.  The OL gave Luck plenty of time.  Even when Philly was trying to rush the middle the G, C, Gs held their own.

 

It seemed like luck was holding on to the ball too long.  Either he wasn't reading things right, or the receivers didn't get separation.  And it was another game where the TEs were nowhere to be found.

 

And frankly, I have yet to see Luck beat the blitz.  Most elite NFL QBs can hit a quick hitter or a long heave pass when the defense blitzes.  There have been too many times when it seems Luck is rattled and he throws an errant pass when blitzed.  If he is such an elite QB, the blitz shouldn't bother him so much.

There were a couple of runs to the sidelines, most notably the off tackle by Bradshaw that went for 30 yards on our second possession of the game.  As far as Luck, it's really hard to say because the camera focuses on the ball, cutting out any WRs who run a route off the screen.  But they were pretty solid in coverage almost all game long from what I could see.  As for the blitz, he could be better, I agree.  But he isn't altogether bad at it either.

[DougDew]

Who are the Philly corners and safeties?  I don't know what their reputation is. They must have played a good game the way Luck was holding on to the ball.

[DougDew]

Another thought about playcalling:  Running the ball moves the clock and keeps the Philly O from wearing out a defense.  Its a good strategy and it was working.

 

The TRich fumble, the poor interception, and the poor PF horse collar call really hurt the Colts more than any coaching strategy or playcalling, IMO.

[MrPreGame]

and yet up until late in the game it was still working for the Colts. It got stuffed one time in the fourth quarter and then they didn't go back to it. The ironic thing here is the play that really hurt the Colts was the INT which people are screaming should have been a run and now here people are ripping Pep for not throwing it more. People can't have it both ways.

I didn't like the play calling on the first series or the last but other than that I don't think the play calling was as awful as some want it to be. The ground game was effective tonight something we have been waiting forever to see I had no issue with running it until the Eagles stopped which to their credit they did late which is why I didn't like the play calling on the last drive that seamed more like playing not to lose.

 

 

I swear at times this team could have Vince Lombardi coaching them with Don Shula running the defense and Bill Walsh running the offense and fans would still complain about the coaching.

No it wasn't a perfectly called game but it was far from a perfectly played game either. If we held our players to the same standard we seam to hold the coaches too Andrew Luck would be on the chopping block right now for his lack of performance in his last three outings.

This a flawed team but not as flawed as I think some want it to be and it's not just the coaches fault or the players fans don't like fault alone every time we lose.

Youre right, the run worked well last night. Thats not the problem. The problem is we didn't capitalize off the run action. In the 2nd half on first down we just sent our backs into brick walls b/c the Eagles were reading run all day. Its not college anymore, we cant just ground the other team up all game w/o them figuring out a decent way to stop it. Why carry 6 talented receivers if we don't use them.

Again I'm so happy our run game was effective last night. But it was like Pep thought the Eagles weren't going to counter it at some point. This is the NFL, please.

Also, now that we've run basically every play out of the Tackle Over formation, teams have the film to dissect it. I doubt it will work that well again. Why not try something else later in the game once the Eagles started selling out on the run? Save the unbalanced line for another game, don't reveal your hand too early in the season.

Lastly I think Luck had no chance to really get into a throwing rhythm last night. How can our QB and WRs and TEs get on the same page if every playcall is run, then run, then pass on 3rd down.

[GoColts8818]

You're comparing apples to oranges. On the int play we were in the redzone and just needed a fg to go up 10. So should of just took the 3. At the end when we needed to score we tried running it again. Result 3 and out.

I wasn't talking about the end of the game I was responding to a poster who was talking about us needing to throw more in general. I've said I didn't like the play calling at the end of the game. I get needing to throw there no matter how well the run had worked earlier.

[CoachLite]

Andrew has to hit his passes. The biggest flaw in his game so far is he is a bit wild with the football. Still a young player though who is still growing.

Poor coaching of the offensive scheme and play calling, poor coaching of the offensive line, and the offensive players (they're dazed and confused) tend to make Andrew Luck tentative and unsure.  The pressure on Luck is internal.  With these coaches, that will never change.  It will be just another wasted opportunity of great talent - just like Peyton Manning with the Colts last decade. Peyton should have won at least 2 SBs.

 

Defensive coaching is better, but not of the D-line. These guys could perform much better with better coaching.

 

The Colts can't seem to properly evaluate coaching talent (the reality vs. the hype). Dunning-Kruger effects?

[GoColts8818]

Youre right, the run worked well last night. Thats not the problem. The problem is we didn't capitalize off the run action. In the 2nd half on first down we just sent our backs into brick walls b/c the Eagles were reading run all day. Its not college anymore, we cant just ground the other team up all game w/o them figuring out a decent way to stop it. Why carry 6 talented receivers if we don't use them.Again I'm so happy our run game was effective last night. But it was like Pep thought the Eagles weren't going to counter it at some point. This is the NFL, please.Also, now that we've run basically every play out of the Tackle Over formation, teams have the film to dissect it. I doubt it will work that well again. Why not try something else later in the game once the Eagles started selling out on the run? Save the unbalanced line for another game, don't reveal your hand too early in the season.Lastly I think Luck had no chance to really get into a throwing rhythm last night. How can our QB and WRs and TEs get on the same page if every playcall is run, then run, then pass on 3rd down.

that didn't happen until very late in the game when the Eagles finally adjusted. Some credit does need to go to the Eagles secondary because the Colts did try to run play action a few times and Luck had to check down because I am guessing the deep guy was well covered. You could tell he was looking down field but he didn't throw it. That or he had to dump it fast because of the Eagles blitz getting to him.

Again once the Eagles adjusted and stuffed the unbalanced line formation late in the fourth quarter the Colts never went back to it after that. Up to that point it worked all night which is why kept going back to it. That's an old Tom Moore theory that you just run the same play until the other team stops it.

Also these wins and loses count just as much as the ones at the end of the season if you have something you think you can exploit to get a win you do it. Yes it's on film and yes other teams know it's coming but that happens for all teams in the league. It comes down to execution if you out execute other teams it doesn't matter how much film other teams have. Look at the Eagles offense teams have had it film since Chip Kelly got there other teams still struggle to stop it because they execute very well out of it.

All I have heard since the 49ers game last year was the Colts have to find away to run the ball and be more balanced. Last night they did and now I am hearing people complain because the Colts were balanced with an effective run game (look at the play calls last night it was almost 50/50 pass/run which is what you want) and people complain they ran too much except for when they were aggressive late and it didn't work. Then they should have ran of course. That's just people who the coaches can't win with no matter what they do.

The end of the game sure that's very fair to argue they should have been throwing no matter how well the run had worked to that point. So no Pep wasn't perfect in his play calling. Still ripping him for sticking with the run until the Eagles stopped it is silly.