Philip G. Pavely/USA TODAY Sports
Mistake-Prone Colts Remind Margin For Error Slim In Loss To Steelers
The NFL likes to remind on a weekly basis that the margin for error can be slight, which in the case of the Indianapolis Colts means never thinking this team is that much better than another.
Good, but not great enabled the Colts to win five of seven games to move into first place in the AFC South Division.
But far from good got them beat in yet another winnable game on Sunday, a 26-24 road loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that was an all-too-familiar head scratcher in several ways.
Oh, let’s count the ways. What? Not enough time to read the reminders?
OK, let’s summarize instead why the Colts (5-3) fall into that “good, but not great” team tier in this topsy turvy league.
Great teams don’t let these kind of games slip away. They don’t have to give excuses afterward about how the quarterback (Jacoby Brissett) got hurt, the kicker (Adam Vinatieri) failed in the clutch and one of the NFL’s best tacklers (Darius Leonard) made one too many bone-headed plays. They also don’t have to lament not having their best weapon (injured wide receiver T.Y. Hilton) or how such a smart, aggressive playcaller (head coach Frank Reich) gets too conservative with the game on the line.
If that sounds overwhelmingly negative and a bit harsh, well, it’s difficult to accentuate positives after the Colts found a way to lose their sixth consecutive game to the Steelers (4-4), who oh by the way didn’t have injured quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Brissett suffered what Reich said looked like a left knee sprain when the quarterback got hit by All-Pro offensive guard Quenton Nelson in the second quarter. The game was tied at 3 at that point, but backup quarterback Brian Hoyer immediately instilled hope two plays later with an 11-yard TD pass to tight end Jack Doyle.
But as is so often the case, the game can be about minimizing mistakes, especially when ahead. While Hoyer ended up with a career-high three TD passes to give his team a chance, he also threw a costly interception that changed this game dramatically. That’s the stuff which can’t happen, especially on the road when dealing with injuries and other mistakes.
Hoyer evidently didn’t see Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick when he tried to find Doyle for another touchdown on a pass down the right seam. Doyle was covered, first of all, so eating the ball and settling for a field goal would have been the smart play. The Colts could have been ahead 13-3, but instead the game was tied at 10 as Fitzpatrick took that pick 96 yards for a touchdown.
That brings us to the next obvious, ongoing issue. Hoyer collected himself and drove the Colts to a go-ahead touchdown with a nifty 14-yard TD pass to Zach Pascal to make it 16-10. But then kicker Adam Vinatieri didn’t get enough of a foot into the extra point and the low line drive was blocked. He’s now missed five extra points this season, and it was a precursor to late-game drama that ended a late Colts comeback bid.
But sticking with chronological order, the Colts should have been ahead 16-10 at halftime, but Leonard gifted the Steelers another untimed down when he drilled tight end Vance McDonald on the first half’s final play. He didn’t need to hit McDonald, who was wrapped up and stopped. The personal foul penalty allowed Chris Boswell to kick a 51-yard field goal.
Admit it, at the time, it was worth a heavy sigh. “The Maniac” has to be better than that, but he had a rough day all the way around, from being out of position on some runs to not reacting well to a seemingly endless series of dump-off throws to Steelers running backs that for some reason the Colts struggled to cover.
The Colts offensive line wasn’t at its best, missing its anchor in center Ryan Kelly, who exited early with a neck stinger. So protection was spotty at times as the Steelers had five sacks.
Down 23-18, the Colts rallied as Hoyer threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chester Rogers. If anyone summed up the Colts effort this day, it was Rogers, who also fumbled away a free kick after Justin Houston forced a fumble in the end zone to give the visitors a safety and cut the deficit to 20-18. That turnover allowed the Steelers to kick a field goal. Rogers also had a bad drop in this game.
But, alas, the Colts still could have won despite all of that. They drove into position for a last-minute field goal. Reich has always been about taking chances, going for it on fourth down, and having faith in his players.
Just like last week, though, he settled for a long Vinatieri field goal attempt in the end. It worked last week, when the Colts ran the ball repeatedly and didn’t improve field position much before Vinatieri nailed a 51-yard field goal for a 15-13 home win over Denver.
This time, that conservatism of running three times and not trying to get a closer field goal attempt bit the Colts in the butt. Vinatieri’s 43-yard field goal attempt was flat out ugly. Blame it on whatever you want, be it that the laces were facing the kicker or that Vinatieri scuffed the sod about one foot in front of the ball, but it fluttered like a knuckleball wide left. Game over.
Vinatieri has now missed 10 kicks this season, which again calls into question how much faith the Colts should have in the future Hall of Famer who is looking like the NFL’s oldest player at 46.
The Colts return home to host the lowly Miami Dolphins (1-7), who won for the first time on Sunday. It should be an easy win, but as we were reminded this day, nothing comes easy for the Colts. They’re the first team since the 1970 merger to have each of their first eight games decided by one score.
Maybe Brissett will be able to return, but maybe not. Maybe the Colts will be having tryouts for kickers during the week for a second time this season, and maybe not.
What we’re reminded after this loss is that the Colts’ margin for error isn’t much when they make mistakes. We’re halfway through this rollercoaster ride and the Colts have to be better than this.
