Colts choose strange time, weak opponent to go soft in blowout loss to Falcons

The Indianapolis Colts looked tough for exactly one play of their 29-10 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The tough guy was the usual suspect, guard Quenton Nelson, who was blocking through the end of the whistle as he does and smeared Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss onto the turf, an act of aggression so egregious, seven Atlanta teammates came to Elliss’ defense.

For a moment there it was one-on-eight – Big Q against the world – and I’m not saying Quenton was outnumbered.

I’m saying his teammates were soft.

Nobody on the Colts had their teammate’s back, and as far as metaphors go, you could do worse. Because the Colts were soft all day. Their defense let the Falcons running backs shove the football down their throat, getting past the line of scrimmage with ease before embarrassing a linebacker or defensive back at the next level. Their offense let the Atlanta pass rush terrorize Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew, who was sacked five times and hit 11 times.

By the end of this game Minshew was hearing footsteps that weren’t coming. The play in question was fourth down on the Colts' final possession with any chance, down 26-10, still within two scores with about five minutes left – you’re right: as if – and Minshew, who had been sacked for a 9-yard loss on the previous play, dropped into the pocket and immediately fled. The Falcons defense was focusing its efforts downfield, rushing just four players, and none of the four was doing anything. But by then Minshew was so thoroughly spooked, he took off and attempted a running toss well down the field that had no chance.

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That was the Colts on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta: no chance.

Weird, with so much at stake – and against such wimpy opposition – that this was the game where the Colts reminded us:

We’re not a playoff team.

Then again, the Colts might get there anyway. The NFL is that watered down this season. But if this is how they’re going to play, well, I’m reminded of these next two words after watching that effort from the Colts:

Don’t bother.

No Michael Pittman Jr., no heart

In fairness to the Colts, the toughest player on the team – receiver Michael Pittman Jr. – was unable to play.

That’s a weird story, but then, concussions are weird things, and here’s what happened: By Friday, Pittman had made his way through concussion protocol, which involves an independent neurologist. After the team flight Saturday to Atlanta, though, Pittman reported concussion-like symptoms. He watched the game from the sideline in sunglasses, and light sensitivity is a common symptom of concussions, though it doesn’t really matter.

Pittman couldn’t play, which is what’s important, and without him Minshew didn’t have his most reliable player – and the Colts didn’t have their most indomitable force.

For years the most fearsome Colt was Quenton Nelson, and Sunday’s smear-block against Elliss was a glimpse of his gory, I mean glory, days. But Pittman is the heart and soul of the Colts now. Without his leading receiver, Minshew was 20-for-37 for 201 yards, no touchdowns, one interception and a 58.5 passer rating that is, as the number would suggest, a failing grade.

Pittman’s absence absolutely undercut Minshew’s performance. Did it whack away at the Colts’ resolve, too?

After watching this game, can you come up with another explanation?

The Falcons ran for 177 yards on 30 carries (5.9 per carry). Before Sunday, backup running back Tyler Allgeier was averaging 3.5 yards per carry, with a long of 21. Against the Colts he had nine carries for 69 yards, with a long of 31. He would’ve gone a lot farther than 31 yards, but to paraphrase former IndyStar sports columnist Bob Kravitz, the end zone got in the way.

Allgeier’s 31-yard TD capped a drive that was disgusting, from the Colts’ perspective, though it will give rookie coach Shane Steichen something to show his team whenever it needs some humbling. Because on that drive – in the span of five plays – these four things happened:

Second-and-14 from the Atlanta 21: Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke throws a screen to Bijan Robinson, who jukes Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II for 14 yards and the first down.

First-and-10 from the 35: Robinson gets the ball, handoff this time, and in the backfield jukes another Colt – linebacker Zaire Franklin, the NFL’s leading tackler – for 7 yards.

First-and-10 from the 46: Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson beats Moore to the edge and crosses midfield for 11 yards.

First-and-10 from the Colts 43: Patterson runs up the middle for 6 yards, going down only because he tripped on Moore’s fallen body after running him over.

Two plays later, Allgeier goes 31 yards for the touchdown. He was untouched. Colts safety Rodney Thomas II could’ve touched him inside the 5, technically, but Allgeier weighs 225 pounds and was moving full speed and was going to score anyway. And to paraphrase Steelers receiver George Pickens, a guy can get hurt putting in that much effort.

Colts DL was bad, OL worse

The Colts are probably still going to the playoffs. Perhaps that should be the main takeaway from Sunday, unless you’d like me to spend more time on their soft play.

OK, good.

For starters, review that sequence from the previous section. See any Colts defensive linemen in there? Nope. They were too busy being pushed around.

As for the offensive line, review that play from the story’s very first paragraph. In addition to leaving Nelson to fend off eight Falcons by himself, the rest of the Colts’ offensive line allowed Minshew to be sacked on the play in question. He also was sacked on the play before the play in question, and for the softest of reasons: Right tackle Blake Freeland was pushed so far into the pocket by Falcons defensive end Zach Harrison, Minshew tripped over Freeland’s leg.

Alec Pierce dropped a pass on third-and-10 to end one drive. Steichen got silly with play calls to end another, choosing the one time all game that Minshew was hot – he’d completed eight of his previous nine throws, and the incompletion could’ve been caught by Josh Downs – to call consecutive runs. Jonathan Taylor (18 soft carries, 43 soft yards) lost a yard on second-and-3. Backup Trey Sermon lost a yard on third-and-4. Down 23-10, facing fourth-and-5 from the Atlanta 38, Minshew was harassed into an incompletion because his offensive line was soft.

On the next series, Minshew threw downfield into double coverage and was intercepted.

On the next series, Minshew was seeing ghosts when he threw that incompletion that sealed a loss.

In fairness to Minshew, the Colts were never going to win this game. Not after allowing Heinicke, a backup QB pressed into action after starter Desmond Ridder oversaw five losses in seven games, to go 23-for-33 for 229 yards, a touchdown and a 99.2 passer rating. Not after allowing the Falcons (7-8) to outgain them 406-262. Not even on the heels of such an egregious Atlanta loss to Carolina, Falcons owner Arthur Blank essentially said he’d wait until after the season to fire – I mean to “evaluate” – his coach, Arthur Smith.

The Colts just weren’t going to beat the Falcons on Sunday, no matter how beatable Atlanta was. But if the Colts can beat the final two beatable teams on their schedule, the Las Vegas Raiders (6-8) and Houston Texans (8-7), they’ll almost surely make it to the 2023 NFL postseason anyway.

You excited? Me neither. But let’s revisit the issue in a week.

Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Twitter at @GreggDoyelStar or at www.facebook.com/greggdoyelstar.