Such a winnable game. Pats did not really "wow" me.

[JH8788]

Lol some of you all are so delusional... The Patriots took their foot off the pedal...  It was obvious lol.  They know that this team will just beat themselves and if they don't they can just throw to Gronk for an easy TD.  If we see them in the playoffs we will lose the traditional 50 to 20 or 30.  

You my friend are a sorry excuse for a Colts fan if you're already conceding defeat to NE should we meet in the playoffs. We were fighting them like hell up until the fake punt & with the crazy comebacks we've had over the years(some against them even though we still had Peyton), you out your damn mind to believe they would purposely let us back in the game.

[will426]

Got away from the balanced offense....... like always

Pep just doesn't learn. Your QB just got back and you out here having him throw 80 times

Run the ball!!!!

But defense was beautiful. Glad we're healthy aside from Geathers & Adams getting hurt. Proud of this team, disgusted with the coaches

every coach did something stupid I think. Manusky refused to double gronk after Adams and feathers went down, doesn't matter if they're gone next man up and continue the game plan. Pep ran gore like twice in the second half and every third down pass gore is on the sideline. He's a workhorse he says he can handle the load let him handle it till you see it isn't working. And Pagano with these stupid punt tricks which everyone knew was illegal..luck could've ran it for one or gore we were pushing the pats line with ease.

[JColts72]

Another moral victory loss. Col fans here are always looking on brigjt side and not the loss. Give me a break. We lost.

[Narcosys]

Got away from the balanced offense....... like always

Pep just doesn't learn. Your QB just got back and you out here having him throw 80 times

Run the ball!!!!

But defense was beautiful. Glad we're healthy aside from Geathers & Adams getting hurt. Proud of this team, disgusted with the coaches

Doesn't matter if we ran it though, it would get called back for holding.

[RandomFan]

Who cares if they didn't "wow" you. We lost again. I hate this loser talk.

 

[amfootball]

They have a pretty dang easy schedule, I can see them caughing up maybe 1. People have said in previous years they look beatable, every team is beatable. But the Patriots 9 times out of 10 are the ones who execute the best and they take advantage of what you give them. They play disciplined and they are consistent.

The easy scheduled is the biggest why this team will win a lot of games. I believe it was Superman who had said this Colts would present the most challenges offensively for the Pats to handle and he was right. The rest of the way, the Pats play lousy QBs outside of Eli in NY and the Giants certainly do not look indestructible this year. They do not play Cincy who at this point would be the best team to beat the Pats given they can score and play good defense. We will see how it all shakes out but I was happy to see the defense get tested last night and then respond so well in the second half. They held Luck under 100 yards passing until the final two minutes in the second half which was impressive. I am also happy that Butler has been playing so well as we need that secondary to continue to improve. I was also happy that nothing beat us deep but mostly underneath. That is a good sign as in past years the secondary used to get torched over the top a lot. I like that they are making teams work for their yardage.

[bababooey]

Or they could do a better job of calling holding when it happens and not calling it when it doesn't happen. Lots the Colts need to work on, but the holding calls are bogus. Holmes and AC got hit with bad flags.

If you rewatch LB pass TD, Langford was in a SLEEPER HOLD.

[18Manning]

Who cares if they didn't "wow" you. We lost again. I hate this loser talk.

 

ColtsCoveredSpread.jpg

 

How about if it was said like this..."The Pats won the game, but they didn't whip our butts as everyone expected". I don't think it's loser talk, just the OP's opinion and mine too. They were better than the Colts, but they were not a team with no chinks in the armor.

[18Manning]

How about if it was said like this..."The Pats won the game, but they didn't whip our butts as everyone expected". I don't think it's loser talk, just the OP's opinion and mine too. They were better than the Colts, but they were not a team with no chinks in the armor.

 

I'll reply to my own post here. If not for, at least one stupid play, this game could have been a Colts victory. Personally, I didn't like the onside kick either (even though that should have been our ball). So, take away those 2 plays, I'm not conceding the Pats were the better team. We played lights out a good part of this game.

[King Colt]

The Colts have adopted a new offensive format and like anything they need to practice, and improve it. The defense continues to impress and the offensive line is finally gelling in to a good one and that alone was killing the Colts and Luck. Chris Collingsworth said last night in the second half the Colts seemed to be getting away from the first half game plan and he was right, they need to stay with the short pass despite having two burners for the long pass and run the ball better. The idea that the onside kick and the "whatever that was" play showed the Colts to be desperate and resort to trick plays can be challenged. Recall the onside kick in the Saints Colts game. That was done with the ideas no one would ever try that in a Super Bowl. The "whatever that was" play could have been designed to force NE to burn a timeout and Pagano never intended the ball to be snapped. Poor rehearsal and if you insist blame the coach but if you were the snapper would you have snapped the ball with four defenders standing over you? I agree it will be tough to play NE in NE in the playoffs but tough is not the definition of impossible. The Colts showed the country that they are not simply a team on top of a weak division. There are many game left in the season and if the Colts can polish what they have started it could get real interesting. To me the worst thing that could happen is to dump Pagano. 

[ColtsBlueFL]

Got away from the balanced offense....... like always

Pep just doesn't learn. Your QB just got back and you out here having him throw 80 times

Run the ball!!!!

But defense was beautiful. Glad we're healthy aside from Geathers & Adams getting hurt. Proud of this team, disgusted with the coaches

 

 

Pep panicked!  We were balanced for 3 quarters.  We were down 27 - 21 with a minute or so left in the 4th quarter.  Down just one score.  If we punt ( or at least not screw up the worst play call in history, the shift punt ) and put the Pats deep into their own territory, they will eat up many minutes into the 4th quarter on a drive. if we then stop them out of FG range, or create a turnover, then we have the ball late in the game with a chance to take the lead, and full capability to use Gore to pound the rock and eat clock on our own drive.

 

But that failed punt fake that gave Brady the football on our 35 allowed the Pates to go up by 13 points by the start of the 4th quarter.  Full game complexion change right there!  So what does Pep do now?  the predictable.  Abandon the run.  I counted every play from the fake punt on, and there were 28!  All of them a pass attempt.  A few didn't count because of penalties. Some were scrambles, a couple were sacks, some completed, others incomplete.  But all 28 attempts were a pass play.  No running plays at all.  When you are one dimensional, defenses get the upper hand, especially up two scores allowing them to take a chance here and there.

 

Whalen failed us on that play.  He made a mistake, but having Whalen and a backup safety as center and QB raises my eyebrows too.  At least have your most athletic guys in the scenario.  I'm still flabbergasted.

[Bad Morty]

The Moncrief onsides was a 14 pt swing in their favor, but the fake punt was inexcusable

lol...because it's a given the Colts would have scored 7 there?

 

The game is the game. The Pats won it comfortably. If you think those 2 teams are close at this point, then you aren't paying attention.

[D'QwellTheRebellion]

Bottom line (to me at least): 

 

Colts may have achieved a moral victory (although I don't know what that is; you either win or lose) as some are claiming... but they got beat at home by the Patriots. Again. Take away the quirky pick-6 and a "prevent D touchdown" and this game wasn't all that close. 

 

The worst part is that the Colts are currently the laughingstock of the NFL regarding fakepuntgate. Being compared to the worst plays in NFL history (and justifiably so). Almost 90% of the articles across country or national web-sites I've read this morning don't even focus on the game - the main focus is on how the Patriots are inside the Colts heads. We're being viewed like the Jets as a franchise right now. 

[bababooey]

lol...because it's a given the Colts would have scored 7 there?

 

The game is the game. The Pats won it comfortably. If you think those 2 teams are close at this point, then you aren't paying attention.

 

Have you read anything else I wrote? I have been outspoken that it wasn't a close game and it's not a moral victory.

 

That being said, having to catch an onsides kick at the end of a game is not "winning comfortably" either.

 

And I never said it was a given the Colts would have scored 7. But they already had scored twice and would have been on their own side of the field. Since the maximum points they could get on that drive is 8, and the maximum the Pats could get is 8, that means it could have been a 16 point swing but I'm just calling it 14 based on what normal teams would go for after scoring a TD. Whether they would have scored or not is unknown, but you can't not call it a 14 point swing when it is.

 

Do you even pay attention or just come back to talk %? I'd have a lot more to say but getting a suspension over a casual poster like you who only comes in to talk % isn't worth it.

[JimJaime]

Was a very good game. The Pats were never on cruise control but the last 3 drives were not "typical" pats, they were actually showing respect for the colts Onby trying to run as much time off the clock as possible. Against say the Phins Brady is throwing and throwing a lot.

I was pleased with the Pats game as a fan considering.

1. We had our practice squad Olineman in for most of the game

2. We lost Sheard (top sack guy) on D but kept the Colts with only 2 TD drives till late in the 4th

3. Butler looked dang good in coverage.

4. Even with the colts doing the best job ever on Gronk and flooding the middle of the field they still moved the ball well.

The Colts threw everything at the Pats including the kitchen sink, and they have shown be a team not to be taken lightly come the playoffs.

[coltsfanatic24]

The Patriots was the better team from start to finish. They have better pass rushers, safeties, and LB's.

[ColtsBlueFL]

I don't know how they're calling holding. A lot of those holding calls are bogus, IMO.

 

I admit I no longer know what offensive holding is, nor what constitutes a catch. Our game and Tate in the Lions game has thrown my meter out of calibration.

[JimJaime]

I admit I no longer know what offensive holding is, nor what constitutes a catch. Our game and Tate in the Lions game has thrown my meter out of calibration.

I am not sure the refs know anymore, but a few holds I saw called were obvious.. You can't take the guy to the ground lol

[lollygagger8]

You're QB is still not 100%, so we throw short/quick passes the first drive, and march right down the field and score..... 

 

 

Quick abandon that game plan! 

[Bad Morty]

Was a very good game. The Pats were never on cruise control but the last 3 drives were not "typical" pats, they were actually showing respect for the colts Onby trying to run as much time off the clock as possible. Against say the Phins Brady is throwing and throwing a lot.

I was pleased with the Pats game as a fan considering.

1. We had our practice squad Olineman in for most of the game

2. We lost Sheard (top sack guy) on D but kept the Colts with only 2 TD drives till late in the 4th

3. Butler looked dang good in coverage.

4. Even with the colts doing the best job ever on Gronk and flooding the middle of the field they still moved the ball well.

The Colts threw everything at the Pats including the kitchen sink, and they have shown be a team not to be taken lightly come the playoffs.

 

I don't buy this either. This looked like pretty much every Pats game this year with the exception of Jacksonville, which was a blowout from the get-go. I never bought into the notion that the Pats were going to walk in here and score 70 or whatever other crap was being spewed. Most NFL games turn on a handful of plays both for and against. It's how you respond and adjust, and the Patriots are good at not panicking, letting the game unfold, and reaction accordingly as it goes along. So I don't think Belichick was "showing respect" to the Colts by handing the ball off. I think he was simply trying to run clock off in a 2 score game late in the 4th quarter. That's just basic strategy...same as backing off and essentially conceeding the last TD. Yes it resulted in an onside kick situation, but in the worst case scenario the Colts would have gotten the ball at midfield with no timeouts, a minute to play, and down 7. Had they played tighter D on the previous drive and gotten burned for a quick strike over the top, then they might have been looking at the same situation but with a lot more time to play. So they backed off, made the Colts kill 2 minutes of clock before pulling to within 7, and greatly increased their odds of closing it down.

[ColtsBlueFL]

Lol you apparently weren't watching the game.  They were most definitely not "running up the score".  They were content with running it and playing underneath with no reason to throw anything over 15 yards. Of course it was easy to win that game.  But they could easily tell we were back in panic Luck and throwing for 20 yards every play.  We literally did all the work for them the last quarter.  

 

And yes I actually believe that because it was painfully obvious.   

 

What the Pats did was a tactic known as 'shortening the game'.   Up two scores, and the other team one dimensional, you throw short high % passes or run it.  Chew up clock.  This turns the Scoreboard and clock into the enemy of the team down two scores.  It's a low risk method to milk a victory.  Throwing deep downfield may achieve a quick score, but does not peel off a lot of time.  Also, there's a chance of a pick, or maybe pick 6 undermining the stomp on their throat mantra.

 

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady both threw a pick six yesterday.  First time in history they both did it in the same day.

[SteelCityColt]

I admit I no longer know what offensive holding is, nor what constitutes a catch. Our game and Tate in the Lions game has thrown my meter out of calibration.

 

Random Number Generator hooked up a belt pager, when it hits a certain range of numbers holding is called. 

[ColtsBlueFL]

You're QB is still not 100%, so we throw short/quick passes the first drive, and march right down the field and score..... 

 

 

Quick abandon that game plan! 

 

We didn't abandon that game plan until the failed fake punt at the end of the 3rd quarter.  That's why we were only down 27 - 21 at that point.  After fake punt led to Pats TD for 34 - 21, then we abandoned  the game plan.  We attempted 28 straight pass plays in the 4th quarter. {which entails those nullified by penalty, sacks, scrambles by the QB, completions, and incompletions}.

[ViriLudant]

I admit I no longer know what offensive holding is, nor what constitutes a catch. Our game and Tate in the Lions game has thrown my meter out of calibration.

That hold on Jones was textbook ; wrapped him up around the neck, dragged him to the ground. Easy call.

[BigStupidJellyfish]

I'm not as optimistic as some. I think we're a BIT better than last season but I don't think it'll be enough come playoff time. Remember we'll most likely be playing them in Foxboro if we meet again. We all know about the Patriots at home.

 

1. We can't outscore them... even at home. Our offense did a solid job in the first half but were it not for that pick six we still would have been outscored by them. Then the second half came around and they shut our offense down until that final TD at the very end of the game.

 

2. The defense still can't stop Brady.

 

3. Blount is still running all over us. Nearly six YPC is unacceptable.

 

4. We have to stop taking stupid penalties. Those holds killed us.

 

5. We couldn't beat them even when they had key injuries. Hightower, Edelman, Sheard, Brown, Solder, LaFell. They're pretty banged up right now and it would have been the perfect time to beat them.

 

Call me a pessimist but we're still a tier below the Patriots.

[JimJaime]

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady both threw a pick six yesterday. First time in history they both did it in the same day.

Manning a was a terrible throw! He had a bad game yesterday. Brady throw I don't think he could have thrown it better. ( always hate those INT because there was nothing the QB did that caused it just bad luck or what not)

[lollygagger8]

We didn't abandon that game plan until the failed fake punt at the end of the 3rd quarter.  That's why we were only down 27 - 21 at that point.  After fake punt led to Pats TD for 34 - 21, then we abandoned  the game plan.  We attempted 28 straight pass plays in the 4th quarter. {which entails those nullified by penalty, sacks, scrambles by the QB, completions, and incompletions}.

 

I'm aware of when it happened. 

[Surge89]

That hold on Jones was textbook ; wrapped him up around the neck, dragged him to the ground. Easy call.

 

Cmon you've been here long enough to know that it is always the refs fault not the players.  Typical all this talk about not wanting to be embarrassed BY the Patriots and the Colts embarrass themselves while the Patriots just smiled on the sideline. So the Colts fans can blame the refs and talk moral victories.

[ColtsBlueFL]

I'm aware of when it happened. 

 

Right.  Only in the 4th quarter, down 13 points.  Not before. Agreed.

[ColtsBlueFL]

That hold on Jones was textbook ; wrapped him up around the neck, dragged him to the ground. Easy call.

 

I never admitted to disagreeing with all offensive holding calls, just not sure where the line is anymore. How about the ticky tacky calls the Colts were flagged for?  They say holding could technically be called on every team on every play.  Thus, I feel some bias is involved in the subjective evaluation byt the refs that day.

[Restored]

This is what went wrong:

 

1. Penalties: For the life of me, I cannot understand how this offensive line can commit so many offensive holding penalties. People can say all they want about them being "phantom" calls or that the refs are just calling it one way but it is clearly a trend. On the defensive side, Trent Cole decided to line up in the neutral zone two different times. Toler's liability in coverage caused him to commit a bad PI in the first half. In all, this team has gone from being one of the least penalized teams in 2013, to one of the most this season. That has to fall on the coaching staff.

 

2. Abandoning the run: It was fairly obvious that when the team fell behind by 6, Pep Hamilton panicked and started to have Luck run the same long-developing pass play's that doomed the Colts early this season. Gore was running well nearly all game yet the Colts went away from him for most of the 2nd half. This team HAS to be balanced for a full 60 minutes.

 

3. Lack of pass rush: For most of the night, Brady had ample time to find receivers. This was my biggest concern heading into this game and it showed. The Colts secondary actually faired pretty well given the hand they were dealt in having to sit back in coverage for nearly 3+ seconds on a number of plays. Mathis is not back to full strength (and may not ever again). The Colts's blitzing packages simply don't get home either. That will have to get fixed if they plan on having any chance against any of the other top tier QB's they face the rest of the season.

[lollygagger8]

Right.  Only in the 4th quarter, down 13 points.  Not before. Agreed.

 

We abandoned the short/quick passes in the 3rd quarter and shorty after that, the run game, but whatever. 

[ColtsBlueFL]

We abandoned the short/quick passes in the 3rd quarter and shorty after that, the run game, but whatever. 

 

Narrowing it down some, we abandoned short passes beginning midway through 3rd quarter and after- to run deep pass, run deep pass. Then, it was all pass in qtr 4.

[amfootball]

Gronk had 1 target in the first half. It wasn't until we had to switch our safety play that he had any success. The truth is that we played Gronk pretty well in the first half, and late in the game.

 

I've heard a lot of nonsense tonight, but the idea that the Pats decided to cruise in this game at any point is a total laugher. 

True but you dedicated so many defenders to him that Amendola, Endelman and our new WR (forgot his name) had some big plays/gains. That is the Gronk factor at its essence. His presence alone just opens up so much for others and the minute you don't dedicate resources to him, Brady finds him for a big play.

[amfootball]

That hold on Jones was textbook ; wrapped him up around the neck, dragged him to the ground. Easy call.

There were two on Ninck too that were wrestling moves.

[Superman]

True but you dedicated so many defenders to him that Amendola, Endelman and our new WR (forgot his name) had some big plays/gains. That is the Gronk factor at its essence. His presence alone just opens up so much for others and the minute you don't dedicate resources to him, Brady finds him for a big play.

 

Edelman didn't do a lot. Amendola did, which is annoying. The big play to Martin sucks too, but at the half, we were up. I'd rather let Martin catch the ball falling backwards than let Gronk take us apart. 

[ColtsBlueFL]

This is what went wrong:

 

1. Penalties: For the life of me, I cannot understand how this offensive line can commit so many offensive holding penalties. People can say all they want about them being "phantom" calls or that the refs are just calling it one way but it is clearly a trend. On the defensive side, Trent Cole decided to line up in the neutral zone two different times. Toler's liability in coverage caused him to commit a bad PI in the first half. In all, this team has gone from being one of the least penalized teams in 2013, to one of the most this season. That has to fall on the coaching staff.

 

2. Abandoning the run: It was fairly obvious that when the team fell behind by 6, Pep Hamilton panicked and started to have Luck run the same long-developing pass play's that doomed the Colts early this season. Gore was running well nearly all game yet the Colts went away from him for most of the 2nd half. This team HAS to be balanced for a full 60 minutes.

 

3. Lack of pass rush: For most of the night, Brady had ample time to find receivers. This was my biggest concern heading into this game and it showed. The Colts secondary actually faired pretty well given the hand they were dealt in having to sit back in coverage for nearly 3+ seconds on a number of plays. Mathis is not back to full strength (and may not ever again). The Colts's blitzing packages simply don't get home either. That will have to get fixed if they plan on having any chance against any of the other top tier QB's they face the rest of the season.

 

We didn't abandon the run, until the 4th quarter down 13 points.  Gore had 4 carries for 23 yards in the 3rd quarter, that doesn't include an 11 yard run that was nullified by a Castonzo holding penalty.  Bradshaw had 2 carries for 3 yards in the third quarter.

[JColts72]

Edelman didn't do a lot. Amendola did, which is annoying. The big play to Martin sucks too, but at the half, we were up. I'd rather let Martin catch the ball falling backwards than let Gronk take us apart. 

U forgot another Blount power TD as usual.

[amfootball]

Edelman didn't do a lot. Amendola did, which is annoying. The big play to Martin sucks too, but at the half, we were up. I'd rather let Martin catch the ball falling backwards than let Gronk take us apart. 

Edelman was hot early with the TD but then the finger which is why Amendola was targeted more. Martin. Thanks. Could not remember his name for some reason. Great catch by him.

 

I agree you don't let Gronk beat you like Pitt allowed. Overall I liked your defensive game plan. There were some big plays in there and broken coverages but the Pats had to work for their scores. Third down conversion really killed you guys as Brady converted all of them I believe in the first half as the Pats never punted.

[krunk]

That TD run by Blount sucked pretty hard too.  I felt we had him under control and then right as Collinsworth is praising us the guy pops a long one.   Then to make it so bad he ended up scoring on a passing TD.  The right tackle had one of our guys in a wrestling move and the refs just sat there as Brady scrambled right to throw Blount the TD.