The Colts took another loss in Jacksonville by the final of 37-34. This moves their losing streak in Jacksonville to 10 in a row dating back to 2014. While that statistic is embarrassing, there is one that is worse than that. With this loss, the Colts are now 4-11 in their last 15 division games. The offense played well, especially in the second half and kept them in the game. The defense is where this team was let down (yet again). The secondary continually got torched and we saw the run defense issues pop up again. The defense also gave zero pressure to Trevor Lawrence and allowed him to pick them apart with his best outing of the season.
The Defense Falls Apart (Again)
Last week, we saw the defense bend, but it never broke. You could see it building throughout the game. The big chunk plays from various broken coverages and the scheme Jacksonville brought. Dallis Flowers got caught sleeping in the first half on Brian Thomas Jr. vertical shot. We also saw the secondary get burned in the second half on a Christian Kirk reception as well.
Both Julian Blackmon and Nick Cross were seen chomping at Dallis Flowers on multiple occasions for either his coverage mistakes or miscommunications. It’s Week 5 and having these in bulk is completely inexcusable now. The Jaguars used their speed and physicality to bully this secondary and defensive line. They exposed everything that looked like Gus Bradley, and this staff had improved. The lack of blitzing and overall pass rush was concerning, especially on that final drive that set up that final game winning field goal. The Colts recorded zero sacks and only one pressure on Trevor Lawrence. Not a formula for winning football.
The Gus Bradley job status noise will increase this week, and it’s warranted. They were at the bottom of the league for points allowed the last two seasons. If they keep up the current pace, this year will be more of the same. The Colts did release cornerback Dallis Flowers on Monday morning. The same could be said for Gus Bradley if this does not improve. Not only improve but improve quickly and consistently.
What Gus Bradley’s Scheme Gave up Today:
• 85 Yard TD Pass
• 19 Yard TD Run
• 65 Yard TD Run
• 3rd and Goal TD
• 61 Yard Catch on 2nd and 24
• 3 Catches of 9+ on the Game Winning Drive in a Must Stop Situation.Horrific.
— Talkin’ Colts (@TalkinnColts) October 6, 2024
Injuries Began To Show On Both Sides Of The Ball
The Colts came in with a plethora of injuries on both sides of the ball. Most notably, we saw Anthony Richardson, Jonathan Taylor and Ryan Kelly inactive on offense. On the other side of the ball, we saw Kwity Paye and Kenny Moore II inactive this week. They also lost Tyquan Lewis to the Injured Reserve list after he suffered a calf injury in last week’s game against the Steelers.
The mantra of any franchise is “Next Man Up” but this Colts team was ill-prepared to handle the difficulty that ensued today. You could see the secondary and defensive line struggle throughout the game. The now-released Dallis Flowers had another pathetic performance as he made multiple mistakes that allowed Jacksonville points.
While this does fall on the coaching staff to have them prepared, some of this blame needs to fall on Chris Ballard. He spoke about how getting Dallis Flowers back would help this team before the season started and now, he is unemployed. Jaylon Jones is the only cornerback left on the active roster that made the Week 1 roster. He told us this secondary was ready to go with more snaps and experience. We were lied to, and Ballard and this coaching staff (mostly Gus Bradley) need to take some accountability for these poor performances.
Richardson Critics Will Continue This Week
Shane Steichen mentioned in his Monday presser that Anthony Richardson is unequivocally the starting quarterback when healthy. While many fans may disagree with this, it’s the correct decision. It’s the only way Richardson will get better is with in-game reps and experience. He must learn from his mistakes and his successes. The only way to do that is to take as many snaps this season as possible.
Joe Flacco was terrific today and he showed why this franchise signed him to mentor and fill in for Richardson when needed. He showed great poise which comes from being a veteran in this league. His connection with Josh Downs and Alec Pierce stood out this week, especially late in the game when the fireworks began. Steichen simplified the offense with Flacco, and it showed with the quick throws, which allowed them to go deep late and make some big plays to get them back into the game late.
Steichen and his offensive game plan were good enough to win this game, but the defense kept them from securing the division win. The Colts have another opportunity to get a division win next week. They will travel to Nashville to take on rival Tennessee where they hope to improve their defensive effort and stay in the hunt for the AFC South.
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