Week 12 Game Synopsis
 

Steichen needs to change how he calls the game when teams start blitzing. Ball has to come out quick in those situations. Use RPOs, use screens, force them to back off. Otherwise, this offense will not be as productive as it was the first 10 games.

Yeah, where was the run to win mantra?

My opinion is that we faced a desperate team, and that was enough to keep it close. Poor play-calling made it impossible to avoid a loss. Well, add in the missed call on the pass to Downs that would have set us up in the Red Zone, and we see why it was a loss. Shane has to figure out how to get the opposition to stop blitzing, or we will spiral all the way down.

There was no way KC and Mahomes were losing that game. It would have basically ended their season and dynasties don’t die that easily.

I’m not really upset with this loss because we had them on the ropes and let them get away.

We really need to focus on the remaining 4 division games now, though. Those ARE the season. Everything is still in front of us if we take care of the division games.

All of our offensive drives in the fourth quarter and overtime were 3-and-outs.

All of them.

You cannot expect to beat good teams by coasting on offense.

Statistically, we were dominated in this game. Chiefs fans are saying their own mistakes were the only reason this game was even close and they’re probably right.

Total yards Colts 255 Chiefs 491.
Offensive plays Colts 50 Chiefs 91.
Passing yards Colts 181 Chiefs 346(so much for that much vaunted Gardner Ward combo).
Rushing yards Colts 74 Chiefs 148
First downs Colts 10 Chiefs 33.
Time of possession Colts 25:28 Chiefs 42:35.

In reality, we should have lost this game by 2+ touchdowns. Thats concerning. We really got dominated outside of a couple of flukey plays.

What’s become alarming to me is Daniel jones looks like Peyton manning on the first half and then Carson Wentz in the 2nd half

I disagree with this. We should not have "lost this game by 2+ TDs", the defense for most of the game allowed the Chiefs to get yards, but didn't allow them to convert in the redzone. That's a skill that many championship caliber defenses possess. Hell, the reason they even had the ability to force OT with a FG was because they forced the first Colts FG in a Goal to Go situation this season. The passing game needs better built in answers for the blitz, but this team definitely hung with the 3 time defending AFC Champions in their own building. The Texans and Jaguars will not pose nearly this many problems.

In defense of those two, the best CBs in the world don't mean much when you're not getting pressure on the QB.

And you can actually sack or touch their QB without awarding them a first down

Relax Colts fans. After this loss, the Colts are 8 and 3. There are only 3 teams in the ENTIRE NFL with a better record. Hopefully, Steichen learns from this experience, how to deal with blitzes. When things go your way, you don't really learn much, the learning comes from failure, from defeat. I believe the Colts can learn a shitload from this game. I know; I believe this because I want to find the silver lining, but I find it hard to believe the coaching staff won't put their heads together and come up with solutions. It's important for them to play well in their next two games. The Texans and the Jaguars are nipping at their tails. Win these next two games and I think we're in. Lose them and ... well, this board will be chaos.

Hang in there Colts fans, there's turbulence ahead.

I would not point the blame to Wads/Gardner. It seemed every big play by them was made to a guy being covered by Franklin. They dude could not cover a paraplegic. Need an upgrade there most importantly. Then we need a good replacement for Buckner, as he is on the back end of his career. I probably think we need to make a swing at his replacement in the second round this next draft, and get Franklin's replacement in the third. Get line depth and safety depth in the later rounds.

I think we win ugly both games against HOU, and split with the Jags, as we always lose in Fagsville.

My thoughts:

1. Keeping the Chefs to 1 TD in their house was tough. Credit where it is due.
2. Why is our pass D the weakness. We have stud players, right?
3. Dead horse but, we have arguably the best back in the league and we put the game on Jones to sustain or even start game winning drives. RUN THE BALL. Don't quit on the run because of a negative play.
4. Not blocking repeated stunts is getting old.
5. Play calling in relation to clock management was terrible. Make them use their TOs and take time off of the clock for Pete's sake!
6. Man that D-line misses Buckner.
7. How many of us knew the game was over when they drove to force OT?
8. then how many knew the game was over after the first Colts drive of OT?
9. This team is not a real contender until we put teams away and keep them there.

My thoughts:

IMO, the job of any NFL defense it to keep the opposing team from scoring over 20 points no matter who they are. If you are balanced team, you have to assume that your offense can score 3 TDs in a game to win. Our offence did not.

On our final four drives when we went 3-and-out each time and started still ahead by 11 points, we went:

Drive # 1 = JT run / Pass / Pass / Punt (4th quarter)
Drive # 2 = Pass / Pass / Pass / Punt (4th quarter)
Drive # 3 = Pass / Pass / Pass / Punt (4th qurarter)
Drive # 4 = Pass / JT run / JT run / Punt (Overtime)

Sure, in the end you say we called 3 run plays and 9 pass plays so the balance was okay, but, IMO, that imbalance early (1 run, 9 pass plays), when you have a 2 score lead AND NEEDED TO BLEED THE CLOCK, is why the Colts lost.

If there were one thing I would change about our HC, is that he devolves when the chips are down to the pass. We were ahead, we knew their QB is all-world and we were not able to design concept runs that could gain first downs and bleed the clock.

IMO, this loss is on the offense as I think the defense did their job against the best player in the NFL on their home field in a "must win" game for them and our offense did not perform.

And I think most of that did not perform is on our coach lacking of knowing what type of plays to call in the right situations. Everyone is calling him a genius for some really good play designs and calls but I think he trys to get way too cute when what he needs to do is RUN THE BALL.
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I finally got to watch a full game this year.
I was amazed at how little pressure we put on the opposing QB
I believe Jones only completed 4 passes in second 1/2?
We have 1 really good LBer and 1 terrible LBer.
We covered well at times which was obvious with how little pressure we put on their QB.
Why in the hell don’t we utilize a dump pass to JT when they’re sending 5 or 6 the whole second 1/2?
When you’re at 3rd and one to win the game why do you run a play where the JT gets the ball late from Jones and ends up hesitating? Straight up need a quick hitter there behind Q.
So much wrong with Steichens play calling and clock management in the second half.

This team is cooked. Done. Can easily end up 10-7 and playing as a wildcard in the playoffs, or even out of the playoffs in a logjam for the final wildcard spot.

Can't handle the blitz and now its on film against multiple teams. We have a coach that won't scheme away from it, refuses to run the ball, repeatedly says "its on me" but never changes anything. Forget JT in the conversation for MVP. He'll average 12 touches a game from here on out. Everything that succeeded early season is on tape and isn't working anymore, and Steichen will continue to panic in the 2nd half and forget about the run game.

The secondary is better but with Defo out, the pass rush and run D are not getting home, and covering the short middle is terrible. Mahomes had the middle open all game. LBs are terrible in coverage.

The Texans game will be tough, if for no other reason than their defense is really good, and defense travels.

In fact, all 4 remaining division games will be close, hard fought games, I’m fairly certain of that. I see those games much the same as I saw the Falcons game, toss up games that will come down to the end.

Obviously I hope I’m wrong but I don’t think I am.

Running was futile. Save for one big run, Taylor was a gaining right around 2 yards per carry.

It was obvious before the game, but it's undeniable at this point. Teams are going to blitz the fuck out of us until we beat it. That likely means going back to some of what Steichen used to do before this year.


There was certainly a way they were going to lose that game. 11-point lead with 8 and change... 3-point lead with 5 and change... and a 4th-and-3 where Ward got his feet tangled and fell down, etc.

We needed our offense to do slightly more than nothing in the 4th quarter. Instead, they did exactly nothing.

The defense was odd, because they gave up a bunch of LONG drives, but then locked down at the goal line. Part of that is why they were probably gassed towards the end (not sure how much of that was them getting killed on crossers/mesh routes)...

But even more egregious was four consecutive 3-and-outs in the 4th/OT. I was really surprised. We haven't seen that since last season with AR throwing it into the stands.

o


The Colts' offense wilted badly in the 4th quarter yesterday, but I was glad to see that Daniel Jones did not turn the ball over.

On the whole, I believe that this team is for real ...... if and when DeForest Buckner comes back this season, the defense could be very interesting.

o

True, the run game was struggling, but why not keep the clock running with the run game and force them to use TOs THEN punt.

KC stuck with the run even when it wasn't working. The Colts abandoned the run when it wasn't working.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bOuczxTp4NA

Please someone tell me how this is a penalty?

Yet this is not. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/p8cOjc662Qc

I can't find a highlight of Chris Jones obvious late hit on DJ, that wasn't called by the same crew, in the same game. But, the Go whatever the Goodell Chiefs won the game.

Neither one of those were roughing the passer. And neither was Chris Jones' hit on DJ. But Grover's hit was the least defensible call. I mean, how many times have we seen a DE try to block a pass and a finger-tip the QB's helmet and catch a flag?

It's retarded. And it's also sad how these fucking gutless company-men calling the game can't admit it. The best you get is a tepid, "Ehhh, I don't know about that."

How embarrassing was it to listen to Romo and Steratore try to justify it... and you could hear in their voices as it's replaying that they realize what they're saying is gobbledy gook, because they acting like there's even a single thing Grover could do to avoid that...

...besides just letting Mahomes go by.

Oh, and nothing makes me hate a QB more than complaining for these welfare calls. Mahomes is one of the worst I've seen. Putting his hand out for a freebie constantly.

And that's separate from his fake slides and fake running out of bounds shit that the league allows these guys to do.

He definitely does this every 3rd down

Tell me how you stop the fucking play because the offense has 10 guys on offense???

Shane didn't learn a damn thing from the Steelers game.

There’s a real absence of an elite pass rusher, a guy who offers sudden pressure. If they had a Dwight Freeney, KC wouldn’t have scored 10 points.

He is proving to be way too fucking stick to your guns vs adjust guy. Both teams clearly had a plan to cause DJ to throw way ahead of schedule- and it worked tremendously. At some point you have to design shit to counter that approach. Shit, you have AP, fucking 3 step and throw that shit on a flyer down the sidelines and see what the fuck happens- 80% of the time you are going to get a PI on that shit.

He is a genius at times and then there are times where he looks like he would be challenged to scheme up an effective 5th grade game plan to counter the oppositions tactics.

Yeah, Buckner is really the only guy who just beats guys immediately several times per game. Latu gets consistent pressure, but he's been more of a worker than a clean-beat guy so far.

To me Steichen's biggest issue is in game changes. He has a plan and if it doesn't work he seems incapable of altering it. Maybe he has to much on his plate but as the head coach he needs to figure out how to adjust to what the defense is doing better as the game progresses.

It reminds me of a Colts playoff game when, I think, the Chiefs under Herm Edwards came into Indy with the leagues top rushing attack while we were at the bottom of the rush defense category.

For whatever reason, we ended up not giving up a first down to them until it was the 4th quarter.

After the game, the coach was asked what happened and his response was along the lines of "Plan A did not work and we did not have a Plan B."

That is what SS reminds me of a bit.

Great analogy. SS clearly determined that they would sell out to stop the run, which they did, and once they proved his theory right, well then he decided that his game plan to pass underneath on them all day which was drawn up during the week was on target and he his theory had been validated. So that's just what he rode all the way into the L too firm in his conviction that his planning was a better option that the games best RB. Fucking stupid.

He better have some new shit lined up for Sunday, that D-line looked about as great as any D I have seen in the last decade and if he doesn't have some fluidity in that play sheet to help on the edges, we are going to be looking down into the playoff abyss seeing Jax and Houston emerging from it with our playoff life in danger.

I wonder how many of those 4th quarter pass plays were RPOs.