INDIANAPOLIS — A Colts group that hasactually been clinging frantically to playoff hopes now has to face the truth that those hopes are on life assistance.
Indianapolis requires a wonder after a 24-17 loss to the lowly Pittsburgh Steelers on “Monday Night Football” that drops the Colts to 4-7-1 with 4 videogames versus playoff competitors left on the schedule.
And the formula for the loss looked extremely familiar.
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Horrible start dooms Colts onceagain
The Indianapolis offense hasactually been awful in the veryfirst half for most of the season.
And although the Colts defense has fared muchbetter, like they have general, it hasn’t been immune to the group’s unsightly begins, most especially on the roadway versus Jacksonville and in its house match versus the Tennessee Titans.
Both sides of the ball fell into the trap versus a Pittsburgh group that has hadahardtime throughout the season.
The Indianapolis offense had 0 lawns in the veryfirst quarter, turned it over once and got simply 71 backyards.
On the other side of the ball, the Colts offered up 232 backyards of overall offense and 16 points in the veryfirst half, and the just thing that kept it from being evenworse was Pittsburgh’s propensity to kick field objectives in the red zone.
Indianapolis discovered life in the 3rd quarter however when they came up brief on a prospective game-tying drive — afflicted onceagain by a blind-side sack offered up by novice Bernhard Raimann — the failure of the veryfirst half was felt acutely.
Turnover problems back awful head onceagain
Two Colts have coughed up the ball more than anyone anticipated them to this season.
Quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Jonathan Taylor.
Indianapolis turned it over twotimes versus the Steelers on Monday night, and both gamers were accountable. Ryan turned it over veryfirst, attempting to slip a brief toss into Michael Pittman Jr. that Pittsburgh protective back James Pierre chose off, although a sack by Yannick Ngakoue avoided the turnover from costing the Colts any points.
Ryan was credited with the 2nd fumble however it looked like Taylor bore the obligation, and this time the freegift expense Indianapolis verymuch. The Colts were knocking on the door of the consent goal, and Taylor’s failure to safe the ball on a handoff provided it away when hulking Pittsburgh protective lineman Chris Wormley ripped the ball out of Ryan’s hands in the scramble for the healing, leaving the door open fo