Stampede Blue
The Indianapolis Colts imploded with five turnovers in Sunday’s 31-13 blowout loss to the Denver Broncos.
The Indianapolis Colts imploded with five turnovers in Sunday’s 31-13 blowout loss to the Denver Broncos. A catastrophic performance in the second half diminished any aspirations of snapping Indy’s playoff drought, which is on pace to extend to four consecutive seasons.
Colts running back Jonathan Taylor had silenced the opposing crowd as he seemingly scored his longest touchdown of the season from 41 yards out and gave his team a two-score lead. After initially ruling a touchdown, the referees reviewed the play and discovered Taylor relinquished the football just before he crossed the goal line. The fumble rolled out of bounds, which resulted in a touchback and gave the Broncos possession.
The Colts never recovered as the Broncos scored 24 unanswered points following the most inexcusable, unforced error in football. Taylor’s egregious mistake erased six points off the scoreboard. Indianapolis’ nine drives in the second half featured three punts, three fumbles lost, two turnovers on downs and an interception.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen later called an indefensible double-reverse screen pass that gifted the Broncos seven points. Rookie receiver Adonai Mitchell, who has yet to reach the end zone this season, intended to throw a reverse back to Richardson with blockers ahead. Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto sniffed out the trick play, hijacked Mitchell’s lateral and returned it 50 yards to the house to increase the lead to 24-13.
Steichen’s opening script worked to perfection as Indianapolis dominated the first quarter. Richardson engineered a 10-play, 70-yard opening drive by converting a pair of first downs despite facing third-and-long. Richardson ignited the longest play from scrimmage on a zone read, then kept it and dashed right for a 23-yard touchdown to take an early 7-0 lead. Indianapolis’ 22-year-old signal caller completed 17-of-38 passes for 172 passing yards and scored his fifth rushing touchdown this season.
There was no doubt Steichen felt comfortable leaving his offense on the field facing fourth-&-inches inside Broncos territory and his toss play designed for Taylor managed to move the chains. The Colts continued to stay true to their game plan and fed Taylor for nine yards and set up kicker Matt Gay for a 37-yard field goal to begin the second quarter with a 10-0 lead.
Indianapolis held Denver to 193 total offensive yards and picked off rookie quarterback Bo Nix three times. Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin caught an interception on Denver’s opening drive, then defensive tackle DeForest Buckner rushed inside and sacked Nix to terminate the Broncos second series. The Colts defense forced consecutive three-and-outs at the end of the first half, then cornerback Samuel Womack III secured his first interception as a Colt just three plays into the second half.
Midway through the third quarter, Colts safety Nick Cross picked off Nix for his third interception of the season and Nix’s third interception of the game. On the very next snap, Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr. fumbled near the...
