Colts Loss to Giants Reinforces Fact Team Needs Major Changes

For the final 4 video games, it has been a steady nightmare for the Indianapolis Colts.

It began with a 54-19 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the place the Colts gave up 33 factors within the fourth quarter.

After a much-needed bye week, the Colts adopted up by permitting the largest comeback in NFL historical past to the Minnesota Vikings, falling 39-36 in time beyond regulation.

Issues didn’t get a lot better the next week in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers, dropping 20-3 because the Colts failed to attain a landing in a sport for the fourth time this season.

Lastly, we get to Sunday’s crushing efficiency because the Colts have been embarrassed by the New York Giants 38-10. The offense might barely transfer the ball down the sector. The protection had no reply for the Giants’ offensive assault. The consequence was the third double-digit loss for the Colts in 4 video games as Indy strikes to 4-11-1 on the season.

“Clearly, not a superb day for us,” Jeff Saturday mentioned after the sport. “An enormous win for the Giants. On the street, didn’t make sufficient performs.”

That has been a well-liked saying from Saturday since he took over as interim head coach again in November. The Colts are 1-6 since Saturday took over, and the group has regressed in nearly each space. Indy appears to be like uninspired on all sides of the ball as they limp to the end of a depressing season.

“Once I got here in, I advised you guys earlier than I had expectations, (that) this was going to be a tricky street,” Saturday defined. “If you’re coming in after which with all the issues which have occurred since I’ve been right here. Once more, there’s not shock. You don’t change coaches in the midst of the 12 months whenever you’re profitable.”

Sadly for the Colts, they’ve been even much less profitable since Saturday changed former head coach Frank Reich. Beginning with the offensive facet of the ball, it has grow to be excruciating to observe this unit. The predictable play calling mixed with poor execution has turned the Colts into the worst offense within the league.

Nick Foles began at quarterback for the second straight sport and appeared as poorly as he did in opposition to the Chargers every week in the past. Foles was 8-of-13 (62%) for 81 yards and an interception that was returned for a landing, his fourth interception in two weeks. Foles left the sport within the second quarter with a rib harm after being sacked by Giants move rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, who classlessly celebrated subsequent to Foles because the quarterback writhed in ache on the bottom.

Sam Ehlinger took over at quarterback within the second half, but it surely was not a lot better. Ehlinger was 9-of-14 (64%) for 60 yards and his first profession landing to Michael Pittman Jr. The landing from Ehlinger to Pittman was the primary landing by the Colts’ offense in 30 possessions, one thing unparalleled in at present’s NFL.

“I believe after we begin to get just a little little bit of a rhythm, we damage ourselves on the finish of the day,” Ehlinger admitted. “We haven’t been capable of finding an identification as an offense. Whether or not that be in a single section of offensive play, we haven’t been capable of finding that. Then after we do catch just a little little bit of a rhythm in a sport, we cease ourselves and we are going to stall due to one thing that we do to ourselves with self-inflicted wounds.”

The Colts have been 3-for-12 on third down after going 0-for-10 on the cash down final week in opposition to the Chargers. Whereas Indy was in a position to run the ball pretty properly, due to Zack Moss and Jordan Wilkins, the passing sport was as soon as once more the downfall of the offense.

The Colts protection has been carrying this group for a lot of the 12 months. However because the weeks have gone on and the offense continues to not pull their weight, the protection has fallen off in direction of the top of the season.

Giants’ quarterback Daniel Jones will in all probability be haunting the Colts’ defenders of their nightmares for the subsequent few days. The Colts had no response for Jones, who was 19-of-24 (79%) for 177 yards and two touchdowns. Jones added one other 91 yards and two touchdowns on the bottom. The Colts made the controversial quarterback appear to be a bonafide famous person all afternoon.

“If you’re enjoying this soccer group and you’ve got a cell quarterback and also you get down, it’s powerful sledding,” Saturday admitted. “You’re watching these performs, a whole lot of these runs by Daniel Jones aren’t designed runs, he’s booting out the again. That’s powerful on a protection.”

The Giants put up 394 whole yards on the Colts’ protection, with 217 of these on the bottom. Not like the Colts, the Giants have been in a position to convert on third down (4-for-7) and had no hassle marching up and down the sector. It was one other dominating efficiency in opposition to the Horseshoe.

After 4 embarrassing defeats, it goes with out saying the Colts must see main organizational adjustments within the offseason. From the highest down, everybody has their fingerprints on what has transpired this season.

Proprietor Jim Irsay must take a step again as he has acted impulsively and meddled in personnel issues, intentionally going in opposition to these on the high group. Normal supervisor Chris Ballard has constructed this abysmal group, failing to handle main holes at key positions, specifically quarterback and left sort out. Saturday has not introduced something to the pinnacle coach place, and whereas he might be thought-about for the full-time position, he shouldn’t be retained.

The issues of the Colts additionally fall on the gamers. Many gamers have underperformed or have regressed this season, particularly on the offensive facet of the ball. The locker room doesn’t have a superb feeling proper now in Indy.

The Colts are at present slated to obtain a high 5 choose within the NFL Draft, the place they are going to presumably take a younger quarterback to be the face of their franchise. However drafting a quarterback won’t repair all of their issues, and if these on the high usually are not sincere with themselves, it will likely be a a lot tougher and longer street for the Colts to return to glory.

And if adjustments usually are not made, issues will solely proceed to worsen.

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