Colts' Defense Stands Tall, Offense Implodes in Win vs. Broncos | Andrew's Analysis
In one of the sloppiest games you will ever see, the Indianapolis Colts pulled out the victory.
The Colts pulled off the upset of the Denver Broncos in overtime on Thursday Night Football by a score of 12-9. The victory brings the Colts to 2-2-1 on the season while the Broncos drop to 2-3.
Defense and special teams were the theme of the night for both teams. Neither team scored a touchdown the entire game as the defenses dominated. It was a battle of field goals all night, with Colts' kicker Chase McLaughlin going a perfect 4-for-4 to give Indy the ugly victory.
Instead of "Jake's Takes" this week, it's time for "Andrew's Analysis" after the Colts' win. Here are some of my main observations from Thursday night.
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Defense Balls Out
The defense of the Colts kept Indy in the game all night. All levels of the defense played well, locking down the Broncos and allowing only nine points on the night.
The Colts pass rush consistently got after Russell Wilson all night. DeForest Buckner (2.0 sacks) and Yannick Ngakoue (1.5 sacks) were very disruptive and generated pressure throughout the game. Grover Stewart commanded double teams and helped stuff the run, even blocking a Brandon McManus field goal attempt in the third quarter.
The Colts' linebackers flew around all over the field. Bobby Okereke and Zaire Franklin tied for the team lead in tackles with nine each. They picked up the slack with Shaquille Leonard out with a concussion.
The Colts' secondary was the unit that sealed the game. Stephon Gilmore played his best game as a Colt, grabbing an interception in the fourth quarter and making the game-winning pass break in overtime. Kenny Moore II, Rodney Thomas II, and Isaiah Rodgers Sr. all made plays in the secondary to keep the Broncos' offense at bay.
The entire defense deserves a game ball for their performance. Without their play and effort, the Colts would have been run out of the building. Credit to Gus Bradley's unit for playing tough, hard-nosed football the entire game.
Offensive Line Continues Abysmal Play
The play of the Colts' offensive line had been awful through the first four weeks of the season. So, the Colts decided to shake things up on Thursday night.
The starting offensive line for the Colts was as follows: LT Bernhard Raimann, LG Quenton Nelson, C Ryan Kelly, RG Braden Smith, and RT Matt Pryor. Pryor switches from left to right tackle, where he is more comfortable. Smith slides inside to guard, where he played in college at Auburn. Raimann, the rookie third-round pick out of Central Michigan, got his first NFL start.
The changes along the offensive line did not work. Raimann had four penalties called against him, all in the first half. Pryor was still a turnstile on the right side, allowing continued pressure on Matt Ryan. Kelly left the game in the first half with a hip injury and did not return.
Altogether, the Colts gave up six sacks and 12 QB hits to the Broncos. Bradley Chubb (2.5 sacks) and Baron Browning (1.5 sacks) lived in the Colts' backfield all night long. The Colts have serious issues with the offensive line, and it does not look like they are going away anytime soon.
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Turnover Prone Matt Ryan
Much has been made about Ryan's turnovers in 2022. Coming into the game, Ryan had nine fumbles and five interceptions. Both totals increased tonight.
Ryan threw two interceptions tonight to bring his season total to seven. The quarterback threw a terrible interception in the second quarter, right into the hands of safety Caden Sterns. Ryan had plenty of time to throw but made a poor decision trying to force the ball to Kylen Granson. Sterns took advantage, and a promising drive for the Colts ended in 0 points.
The second interception was by Sterns again. Ryan stepped up in the pocket and tried to force the ball to Michael Pittman Jr. Sterns was right there, once again, and stepped in front of the ball for the pick.
Ryan also fumbled twice on the night to give him 11 for the season. Ryan is only the third quarterback since 1960 to fumble more than ten times within the first five games of the season. While the Colts recovered both fumbles, the ball security issues are still prevalent and are not getting any better.
Ryan is desperately hurting the Colts with turnovers and his inability to protect the football. While the offensive line is making Ryan's job very difficult, the turnovers from Ryan are as much to blame for the offensive struggles.
Alec Pierce Has Arrived
One of the only bright spots from the Colts' offense was Alec Pierce. The rookie had his most productive day as a pro, hauling in eight catches for 81 yards. Pierce made plays all over the field and proved he is much more than just a deep threat.
"I believe (Pierce) is going to be a very good player in this league for a long time," Ryan said after the game.
Pierce stood out Thursday night for his ability to make contested catches. With Pittman garnering extra attention from the defense, Ryan looked Pierce's way often, and the rookie consistently delivered. Pierce is getting better every game and looks to be a solid compliment to Pittman in the Colts' wide receiver room.
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Running Back Depth Challenged
The Colts were already down their best offensive player in Jonathan Taylor (ankle). Unfortunately, his replacement Nyheim Hines only lasted three plays as he was knocked out with a concussion. That left Deon Jackson and Phillip Lindsay, who was elevated from the practice squad, to pick up the slack.
Jackson and Lindsay stepped up to give the Colts help on the ground. Jackson rushed for 62 yards on 13 carries, while Lindsay added 40 yards on 11 carries. After rushing for only 38 yards last week against the Tennessee Titans, the Colts amassed 106 yards on the ground without Taylor and Hines.
While it was not a spectacular performance by the running backs, they did enough to help the team pick up yardage and extend drives. With ten days off before Indy takes on the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Colts hope Taylor and Hines can heal up and return as soon as possible.
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