Colts Fall to Bengals After Too Many Self-Inflicted Wounds

The Indianapolis Colts saw their four-game winning streak come to an end after a crucial loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Indianapolis Colts could not extend their win streak to five games as they fell to the Cincinnati Bengals 34-14. The loss brings the Colts to 7-6, holding on to the final AFC playoff spot with four games remaining.

The Colts never seemed in control throughout the game. Although the score was tied at 14 at the half, the Colts scored all 14 of their points within 25 seconds to end the second quarter. In the end, the Colts could not overcome the numerous self-inflicted wounds to stay with a Jake Browning-led Bengals team that now finds itself in playoff positioning.

Here are the main takeaways from the Colts' loss in Cincinnati.

OFFENSE

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– Gardner Minshew fails to elevate the offense. After leading the Colts to victory over the Tennessee Titans a week ago, Minshew looked like a backup quarterback against the Bengals. He went 26-of-39 (67%) for 240 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Minshew never challenged the defense deep and was visibly shaken by the pressure the Bengals brought. Minshew was sacked three times, never getting into a rhythm and providing the play needed to keep up.

– Running game struggles. Coming into the game, the Bengals were the worst team in the league against the run. They did not look like it on Sunday, as the Colts mustered just 46 yards on 18 carries (2.6 ypc). Zack Moss struggled to get anything going as he finished with 28 yards on 12 carries. The offensive line hardly got any push, putting all the pressure on Minshew to lead the offense.

– Offensive line punched in the mouth. The Colts offensive line has performed well for most of the season, getting back to top 10 in the league. But the Bengals dominated up front, pushing back against the run and pressuring Minshew throughout the afternoon. Bernhard Raimann had his worst game of the season against Trey Hendrickson, allowing two sacks and multiple pressures on the day.

– Michael Pittman Jr. the lone bright spot. Pittman continued to be the best player for the Colts offense. The Colts WR1 finished with eight catches for 95 yards in the loss, doing everything he could to carry the load. It was Pittman's sixth straight game with eight or more catches, tying the franchise record for most such games in a row with Marvin Harrison. Unfortunately for the Colts, Pittman was the only offensive player to have a big game.

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DEFENSE

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– Browning continues to roll. After throwing for over 300 yards on Monday Night Football, Browning continued his impressive play against the Colts. He finished 18-of-24 (75%) for 275 yards, two touchdowns, an interception, and a QB rating of 122.7. Browning also rushed for a touchdown in the Bengals win. He looked calm in the pocket as he routinely found the open man. The Colts had no answer for the Bengals' backup quarterback.

– Nonexistent pass rush. The Colts came into Sunday's game only four sacks away from tying the franchise record for sacks in a season. They ended the game still four sacks away, as the team failed to record a sack all afternoon. Browning had way too much time to throw, as pressure was rare from the Colts. After recording six sacks a week ago, the defensive line was dominated even after the return of Grover Stewart.

– Ronnie Harrison Jr. grabs another turnover. The Colts did force a turnover in their 18th straight game when Harrison secured his second interception of the season. The former safety-turned-linebacker grabbed the interception off an errant throw from Browning to Tanner Hudson, returning it 36 yards for the pick-six. It was the lone highlight for a defense that spent the majority of the afternoon on its heels.

– Screens lead to big plays. The Colts had a hard time containing the screen passes of the Bengals. The first screen play led to a 54-yard touchdown by Chase Brown, as the Colts missed multiple tackles on the play. Joe Mixon also got in on the fun, taking a screen 45 yards that set up the Bengals inside the red zone. Mixon would later score on the drive. Allowing those types of big plays was deflating to the defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS

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– Matt Gay's worst game as a Colt. Gay has been fantastic for the Colts all season. However, he had his worst game of the 2023 season on Sunday. Gay missed both of his attempts against the Bengals. The first was a 38-yard attempt that bounced off the left upright. His second attempt was on an extra-point attempt that sailed wide. Gay has been so consistent for the Colts, but Sunday is a day he'll want to forget.

– Punt return blunder. The Colts' punt coverage was fantastic against the Titans, blocking a punt for a touchdown and forcing a fumble. The opposite was true against the Bengals. After forcing a punt, Ameer Speed backed into Isaiah McKenzie as McKenzie was trying to fair catch the punt. The result was a muff that was recovered by the Bengals, ending any chance the Colts had to make a late comeback. The play was a perfect encapsulation of the Colts' entire performance, as the team could not overcome their self-inflicted wounds.

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