INDIANAPOLIS – Here’s our latest ‘hits and misses’ piece on 1075TheFan.com highlighting the good and bad from the previous game.
In a game Colts fans will remember for years to come, Indianapolis built a big lead and held on for a 27-17 victory over the arch nemesis Patriots (9-5).
What was the good and bad from the Colts (8-6) beating the Patriots for the first time since 2009?
Hits
-Disciplined Football Team: The Colts made the Patriots look like how the Colts typically play in this rivalry. It was the Colts, and not the Patriots, as the far more disciplined team. Whether it was in the penalty and turnover department, or avoiding the big-time mistake on special teams, it was the Colts showing that the magnitude of Saturday wasn’t too big for them. That’s darn impressive, and something that hasn’t been there often when these two teams have met over the years.
-Committing To Taylor: One of the more astonishing notes from Saturday night is how committed the Colts were to having Jonathan Taylor on the field. Taylor played all but 1 snap against the Patriots (51-of-52, 98%). That’s a beyond eye-popping number for a running back in today’s NFL. Since the start of November (following the second loss to the Titans), the Colts have had a committed approach to playing Taylor more. While Taylor’s individual production speaks for itself, you think Ashton Dulin rips off that 37-yarder if Taylor isn’t on the field? It’s the presence of Taylor on the field that is something the Colts need so much right now.
-Colts Stars Rising: Obviously, Jonathan Taylor was a Colts star that rose to the occasion on Saturday. I’d toss Quenton Nelson, DeForest Buckner, Darius Leonard and Kenny Moore as guys that also did that against the Patriots. In games of such magnitude, you turn to your stars for their leadership. These guys, in a variety of ways, showed that the environment wasn’t too big for them and helped set the tone from a win this city will remember for years to come.
Misses
-Carson Wentz: Despite another outstanding performance by Jonathan Taylor, Carson Wentz and the passing offense didn’t sniff any sort of efficiency on Saturday. Of the 12 pass attempts by Wentz, 6 of them were defensed or picked off by the Patriots. That’s not good. The real worry for Wentz comes in projecting him into January/playoff type environments. In (by far) the two biggest games of the year for the Colts, Wentz has made some terrible decisions late. Is this the Wentz we will see in the more pressure-filled games?
