INDIANAPOLIS – Here’s our latest ‘hits and misses’ piece on 1075TheFan.com highlighting the good and bad from the previous game.
Sam Ehlinger’s debut had the Colts in position for a win over the Commanders before Indy blowing a two-score lead in the 4th quarter.
What was the good and bad from the Colts (3-4-1) losing 17-16 at home?
Hits
-Parris Campbell Potential: This is easily the best 3-game stretch of Parris Campbell’s career. As a reliable possession option for Matt Ryan in recent weeks, Campbell’s impact on Sunday was more in the big play department. He had a jet sweep for 28 yards, a screen he turned into a 38-yard gain and drew a huge pass interference penalty for 30 yards. This was the Campbell many thought would be there exiting Ohio State. A guy that didn’t need many touches to make his presence felt. He took high percentage touches on Sunday and made plays with the ball in his hands. This was one of the most impressive games of Campbell’s career, given how he created his big plays.
-Defensive Tackle Pairing: While Chris Ballard has watched his heavily invested offensive line routinely under perform this year, the opposite is happening with his defensive tackle pairing. Ballard has said he thinks DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart are the best DT pairing in the league. He might be right. Stewart backed up his 12-tackle outing last week, with 7 on Sunday and a tackle for loss. Buckner had a sack and 2 quarterback hits. These two have signed big contracts and are still delivering at a really high level.
-Matt Haack Bounce Back: What a bounce back by punter Matt Haack on Sunday. The Colts stuck with Haack this week despite his abysmal performance last week in Nashville. Haack responded to a punting competition by pinning 3 of his 4 punts inside the 20-yard line, with a net average of 51.0. In a game filled with limited scoring chances, Haack was an important weapon in helping the Colts win field position by an average of 9 yards per drive.
Misses
-Finishing: Honestly, the Colts haven’t been in these situations too much this season. And we saw that on Sunday. With a two-score lead in the fourth quarter, playing at home, against a backup quarterback, the Colts could not finish. This falls on both the offense and defense failing to make the plays the Commanders did. Terry McLaurin made the No. 1 wideout type play, while Michael Pittman dropped a ball the Colts desperately needed over the middle. Taylor Heinicke took advantage of a quiet Colts pass rush to have just two incompletions on the final two drives. It’s not like the Colts have led much this season, let alone by two scores in the fourth quarter. It showed in closing this one out.
-Tyquan Lewis Injury: It’s tough to see anyone getting carted off in a game, but especially when it’s a guy like Tyquan Lewis. Ironically, and sadly, it was Lewis suffering what appeared to be a serious knee injury for a second straight year in the home game on Halloween weekend. Lewis was carted off with a knee injury one year after he tore his patellar on a non-contact play. If Lewis is out for an extended period of time, not only does that happen in a contract year for a second straight season, but it would also mean the Colts will be without one of their more important defensive linemen. While the Colts are waiting for more from Dayo Odeyingbo, Lewis has been a consistent, versatile, productive option, playing a high number of snaps. The return of Kwity Paye should be soon, but this Lewis loss would still be notable.
-Crippling Turnovers: New quarterback didn’t stop the Colts having some massive turnovers. It was a second quarter fumble by Sam Ehlinger and then a third quarter fumble by Jonathan Taylor which ended two potential Colts scoring drives. This offense isn’t potent enough to be turning the ball over like that. Obviously, any turnover is a problem. But it seems the Colts have had the crippling ones, coming at critical moments and critical parts of the field.
