Knee-Jerk Reactions: Colts lose to defending champion

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Eagles 16-20 Don’t get me wrong Indianapolis Colts Hats , I didn’t expect the Colts to win coming into the game today. I expected that the Eagles would be just a little bit too talented and too experienced for the young transitioning Colts to pull of a win on the road. When the weather turned rainy, it didn’t make me feel any better as I acknowledged how stout the Eagles front seven is and how strong their run defense has been for over a year.That said, this team had me believing that it could win the game the entire way. Every time I was worried that the team would fall flat or start to fade, they didn’t. Specifically, the Colts defense is a highly underrated and under appreciated unit who has been significantly better through three weeks than almost anyone would have predicted during training camp and in the preseason. One week after earning AFC defensive player of the week honors, rookie linebacker Darius Leonard led the Colts with 13 tackles, including 9 solo, 2 sacks, 5 tackles for a loss, and a pass defensed. This is will put him right back into consideration for defensive player of the week. Defensive end Margus Hunt is doing his very best to embarrass anyone who doubted him (I’m guilty) by acting as a defensive force on the the defensive line, inside and outside. He finished the game with 4 tackles, a strip sack fumble recovery, and 4 tackles for a loss. This is against an offensive line recognized as perhaps the very best in the NFL just a season ago.If you would have told me before the game that the Colts defense would generate two turnovers, 5 total sacks, 9 tackles for a loss, and six passes defensed, I would have expected the score to reflect a stunning victory against the Eagles in Philadelphia. In a strange turn of events, the Colts offense has come out of the gate looking lost and has not yet found its way. The quick release passes, no huddle and hurry-up style, and use of numerous weapons looks impressive when it is working right. The group just isn’t hitting on all cylinders yet.Now, if fans can accept that this was a difficult game to win and a likely loss from the time it was first announced on the schedule, there is something to feel confident about. This very young team just took the defending Champs to the wire on their own field only three weeks into the 2018 NFL season. Andrew Luck is still working his way into a new offensive scheme and back onto the field after not playing in a regular season game for nearly two years. Once the offense gets going and the schedule eases up a bit, this group could do some exciting things.Let’s revisit our five keys to the game.Keep Carson Wentz uncomfortableThe Colts were more disruptive in the Eagles backfield than they have been in a game for a very long time. For the day, Indianapolis tallied 5 sacks and 9 tackles for a loss. One of those sacks was a strip sack and fumble recovery for Margus Hunt. Carson Wentz’s stat line of 25/37 with a TD and an INT is still a respectable outing, but he took 7 total hits and threw from very small pockets or had to scramble to keep plays alive on numerous occasions.In all, the Colts defense has to consider this area of the game plan a win. Limit Zach ErtzZach Ertz led the Eagles in receiving yards with 5 receptions for 73 yards. He was targeted in the end zone but the pass was broken up by Clayton Geathers. Linebacker Anthony Walker also picked off a pass intended for him to give the ball back to Andrew Luck and allowed the offense to setup a second consecutive scoring drive to give the team the lead for the first time.This is a reasonable performance against one of the best tight ends in the NFL.However, rookie Dallas Goedert added 7 receptions for another 73 yards and a touchdown. This was the player at the tight end position who gave the Colts the most fits. If they could have held all other tight ends in check on the day, they likely come out with a win. Giving up 146 yards and touchdown to Philadelphia’s tight ends collectively is something opponents will rarely be able to survive.Win the turnover battlePerhaps the most frustrating facet of the game comes from the failure to capitalize here. The Colts did a great job of forcing two second half turnovers. Anthony Walker’s INT to stop an Eagles drive in the third quarter allowed Adam Vinatieri to give the Colts their first lead of the game. Margus Hunt’s strip sack and fumble recovery gave Andrew Luck and the Colts offense the chance to really turn up the pressure and put the Eagles in a difficult situation.Rewarded with two extra possession from these turnovers, the offense still only possessed the ball for 20 minutes. Philadelphia had twice the time of possession and they were able to capitalize on a couple of key long drives that turned the tables. This isn’t a knock on the Colts defense who held their own all day long against the defending Champs. This is a sign of real work to do on offense and potentially an indication of how much it hurts to not have players like Anthony Castonzo, Jack Doyle Indianapolis Colts Womens Hoodie , Robert Turbin and Marlon Mack on the field.Stay balanced on offenseThis wasn’t even close. There were 40 passing attempts compared to only 12 rushing attempts — excluding Luck’s 33 yard scramble. This is a highly imbalanced offensive game plan and the weather certainly made it more difficult to win the game through the air. Give credit where it is due here, the Eagles front seven is formidable and the best rushing defense in the NFL — in 2017 and so far in 2018. Still, this offense must find a way to maintain balance or they will struggle to get anything going.Hit Field GoalsOnce again, playing in poor weather conditions makes special teams very important. Adam Vinatieri continued to be reliable and his 3/3 stat line would have played a very big role in a Colts victory if things turned out differently. Jake Elliott’s first half field goal miss would have also stuck out as a key moment in the game if the Eagles don’t punch the ball in on their devastatingly long game winning touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. One-quarter of the way through the schedule, minus the Panthers and Redskins who had byes in Week 4, there's one obvious trend in the NFL: Nobody knows anything.Still, we'll try to decipher what happened in a September that saw some early season swoons and some sizzling starts.THE GOODThe NFL wants offense, offense and more offense. If a game winds up 60-55, the folks on Park Avenue will have no problem with it.So the points explosion the Rams and Chiefs put forth in the first four games deserve praise for their entertainment value, and perhaps for pleasing the upper echelon bosses of the league. Both teams have young, strong-armed gamblers at quarterback, dynamic running backs, and schemes that befuddle defenses.Kudos, too, go to some of the unexpectedly impressive teams through the opening month. We talk of:—Cincinnati . Although the defense hasn't quite come around, the Bengals (3-1) have displayed enough with the ball, averaging 31.5 points despite playing three road games. There's a resilience this club rarely has displayed in recent seasons, best exhibited by the way the Bengals rallied to win at Atlanta on Sunday."We didn't flinch," quarterback Andy Dalton said. "We just kept going. That's what you need to be a really good team and to be a good offense."—Baltimore . And most notably, Joe Flacco, who with a new and much stronger receiving group, has looked like the guy who helped the Ravens (3-1) win the 2012 championship. Almost always possessing a reliable defense, Baltimore has yielded 65 points; only Jacksonville among clubs that have played four times has yielded fewer.—Tennessee . Talk about resilience, the Titans (3-1) have won three straight, each by three points. The gumption they showed in overtime versus defending Super Bowl champ Philadelphia — converting three fourth-down plays in overtime, one via penalty — is a great sign in Music City.—Chicago . Monsters of the Midway indeed. It's been a while since a trade just before the season kicked off has had the kind of impact of the Bears (3-1) getting Khalil Mack from Oakland. This is a defense that should keep Chicago in every game — don't go overboard, Bears fans, by Mitchell Trubisky's six touchdown passes against a befuddled and, at times disinterested group of Buccaneers — and that bodes well for winter time for a recently downtrodden team.—Cleveland. Hey, the Browns (1-2-1) have a win already. And a tie.—TV ratings. They are up and Womens Customized Indianapolis Colts Jerseys , as we get closer to cold and nasty weather, the numbers figure to continue climbing.THE BADLet's start with the new head coaches, who have a combined mark of 10-18, including Arizona, the only winless team at 0-4. Steve Wilks has a defensive background, but the Cardinals have allowed 94 points while scoring a measly 37. Already, 13 teams have scored at least 37 points in a game.You must score consistently to win in the current NFL.Chicago's Matt Nagy and Tennessee's Mike Vrabel (see above) each are 3-1. Indianapolis' Frank Reich, Oakland's Jon Gruden, Detroit's Matt Patricia and the Giants' Pat Shurmur all are 1-3.Also not worth bragging about:—10-minute OTs. The 2017 rule change had no effect as there were no ties. Already we've had two this season, nearly had three more on Sunday, and a perhaps unintended consequence of the shortening of overtime from 15 minutes, generally for player safety, could be coming. The OT structure allows the team that kicks off to begin the extra session to get the ball if the opponent opens with a field goal. What if that opponent uses up all 10 minutes and kicks a three-pointer to win it as overtime expires?—The malaise plaguing supposed Super Bowl contenders in Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Atlanta, all playing far below expectations and revealing some alarming weak spots.SHIELD YOUR EYESLe'Veon Bell's holdout and what it has done to the Steelers, on the field and in the locker room, has gotten ugly.Injuries to such key players as Earl Thomas, Tyler Eifert, Jimmy Garoppolo and three Falcons defensive starters not only were tough to watch, but could have long-range impacts on their careers and their teams' chances.Finally, the officiating.Coaches grit their teeth or, in the case of Packers' Mike McCarthy, slam their play sheet to the ground. Players demonstratively protest calls and reversals of calls. Broadcasters, including former NFL officiating chiefs, wonder aloud where that decision came from and how it was reached. Owners probably throw food around in their luxury boxes.Points of emphasis become so emphasized that they exceed their intent. Hey, a Miami Dolphin gets hurt trying to avoid landing too hard on a quarterback in fear of getting a penalty for something that physics say is unavoidable.Video replay in September became more intrusive than ever, and perhaps even a bit unreliable.Of course, there are three more months to go. Let's see what October brings.
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