Cheers & Jeers: Colts-Jets

Reviewing mostly positives as opposed to negatives in the Indianapolis Colts’ Sunday home rout of the New York Jets.

INDIANAPOLIS — There were far more cheers than jeers for a second consecutive week after the Indianapolis Colts drubbed the New York Jets 36-7 on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Colts (2-1) started the cheers on defense against the Jets (0-3).

Cheers

— On the game’s opening offensive series, Colts cornerback Xavier Rhodes jumped in front of wide receiver Lawrence Cager to intercept Sam Darnold’s sideline pass, then returned it 44 yards for a touchdown. It’s the second pick-six of Rhodes’ career.

XAVIER RHODES PICK SIX!!

📺 @CBS | #NYJvsIND pic.twitter.com/luHlRQHT6f

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) September 27, 2020

— On the final play of the third quarter, cornerback T.J. Carrie returned an interception 47 yards for a TD. It’s the first pick-six of his career. And it’s the first time since 1970 that the Colts have returned two interceptions for TDs in a game. The other time was also against the Jets.

— Tight end Mo Alie-Cox, who was solid in starting for the injured Jack Doyle last week, continued his stellar play with Doyle on the field with a 1-yard TD catch to make it 14-7 Colts early in the second quarter. Alie-Cox also hauled in a career-long 45-yard pass to set up a field goal in the same quarter. He finished with three receptions for 50 yards.

— The Colts have limited opponents to 11 or fewer points in back-to-back games for the first time since Weeks 16 and 17 of 2013.

— Cornerback Kenny Moore II had the Colts’ first sack on a blitz.

— Rhodes put a stop to a Jets red-zone possession with an end-zone interception for a touchback in the second quarter. The Jets were looking at a first-and-goal play at the 7. It’s the second time in Rhodes’ career that he’s had two interceptions in one game, the other in 2016 vs. Arizona.

— The Colts scored a passing TD, rushing TD, two INT return TDs, two field goals, four PATs, and a safety. It’s just the second time in franchise history the team has produced each of these scores in a game. The other was on Nov. 17, 1996, against the Jets.

— Rigoberto Sanchez averaged 43.8 yards on three punts. Each time, he pinned the Jets inside the 10.

— Quarterback Philip Rivers reached several career milestones — 60,000 passing yards, 400 TD passes, passed Dan Marino (4,967) for No. 5 on the all-time completions list, passed Fran Tarkenton (124) for No. 8 in wins, and passed Terrell Suggs (226) for 11th-most games started in NFL history.

— Rookie kicker Rodrigo Blankenship hit a 42-yard field goal for a 17-7 lead and a 41-yard field goal to make it 36-7.

— Rookie running back Jonathan Taylor was a workhorse for much of the game as he finished with 59 yards on 13 carries. He also converted a fourth-and-goal rush from the 1 as he side-stepped a tackler to score for a 24-7 lead.

— Taylor has scored rushing TDs in back-to-back games, the first Colts rookie to do so since Javarris James in 2010.

— The Jets were looking at a third-and-7 pass play in the third quarter, but Darnold never had a chance to survey the field. Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner was almost instantly in the quarterback’s face to force an incomplete throw out of bounds.

— Linebacker Darius Leonard had a game-high 11 total tackles, including one for loss. It’s the third-year pro’s 16th career game with at least 10 tackles.

— Safety Khari Willis had eight tackles.

— For the second time in three games, Buckner had six total tackles, which is noteworthy when considering how often he draws double teams.

— The Colts had seven quarterback hurries and six tackles for losses.

— Defensive end Justin Houston sacked Darnold for a safety in the final quarter. It’s the second consecutive week the Colts had a safety off a sack — Buckner got Kirk Cousins. That last time the Colts have scored on a safety in back-to-back games was 1960.

— Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton caught all three passes in which he was targeted for a team-high 52 yards (17.3 yards per catch).

— Wide receiver Daurice Fountain had his first two NFL receptions for 23 yards.

— After not being used much last week, running back Nyheim Hines had a team-high four receptions, which gained 40 yards.

— The Colts had three interceptions for a second consecutive game. The last time that happened was in 1992.

— The Colts scored touchdowns on both red-zone possessions.

— The Jets converted just 3-of-12 third downs (25 percent) and did not convert their only fourth-down play against the Colts defense.

— The Colts had just four penalties for 40 yards.

Jeers

— The Colts offense was just 3-of-10 in third-down efficiency.

— After the Colts defense provided an early lead, it couldn’t get a stop on the ensuing series. Moore was flagged for pass interference. Grover Stewart and Denico Autry couldn’t finish sacks as Darnold shook free and threw a tying TD pass in the opening quarter.

— The Colts didn’t get an offensive snap until 5:12 remained in the first quarter.

— The Colts were looking at a third-and-3 play at the Jets’ 25 when head coach Frank Reich played it too safe by running Taylor up the gut behind center Ryan Kelly. Taylor went nowhere. It’s the kind of predictable play call that Reich mistakenly made a couple of times in the Week 1 loss at Jacksonville. The Colts settled for a field goal.

— It doesn’t happen often, but two-time All-Pro left guard Quenton Nelson was flagged for holding in the second quarter.

— Blankenship bounced a 41-yard field goal attempt off the right upright. His other miss this season, in Week 1 at Jacksonville, was a 30-yard attempt that bounced off the left upright. He’s eight-of-10 on FG attempts.

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(Phillip B. Wilson has covered the Indianapolis Colts for more than two decades and authored the 2013 book 100 Things Colts Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. He’s on Twitter @pwilson24, on Facebook at @allcoltswithphilb and @100thingscoltsfans, and his email is phillipbwilson24@yahoo.com.)