After an extremely disappointing loss at home to the New York Jets it has become very apparent that the Colts aren’t who we thought they were. They aren’t the superstar team that is going to light up the scoreboard and make the opposition play catch up. They aren’t the team that is going to break any offensive records this year. Hell, they aren’t even a team that looks interested in playing the game they are overpaid to play.
Coby Fleener had a quote in the Indy Star today that what we are seeing is how the team feels and it’s just as frustrating to them when he said, “I did not see any of this coming.”. I’m sure this is about the truest statement Fleener has made to date. This Colts team has been made to look like chumps. They look like the junior high football team challenged the Fighting Irish to a pick-up game and got their heads smashed in.
Now I would be willing to bet the majority of you are thinking that I’m a “ledge jumper” and feel this season is gone already. You would be wrong. This is only the second week and I refuse to think that this talented team is going in the crapper already. There is a long way to go until January comes and I feel this team has the majority of the right parts to get the job done.
Monday’s loss didn’t have many bright spots. We still saw Andre Johnson dropping passes that hit him in the hands. We saw the offensive line 
get man-handled all night long and they were constantly holding because they couldn’t handle the rush and the blitzing the Jets were bringing. Andrew Luck is at fault just as much as anyone. He fumbled the ball when he went to scramble and it still seems he refuses to throw a ball away when he is under duress. He is still trying to make the play when there isn’t one to be made. I commend him on that, but eventually he will have to learn that some plays are just broken and instead of chucking up a pass that is bound to get picked off, he should just throw it out of bounds and live to see another play. Don’t even get me started on that mind blowing fumble by Frank Gore at the goal line. The handoff was just fine. Gore was switching arms like he was taught, but wasn’t paying attention to what he was doing. It was possibly the most frustrating play of the game. Gore did, however, look really good outside of that disaster.
The secondary was terrible, but how much can you really blame them? When there are 5th and 6th string guys out there covering Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker what would anyone really expect from them? They have a spot on this roster for one thing, special teams. Jaili Brown may have had a good preseason, but he isn’t a starting caliber cornerback. Sheldon Price is in that same boat. When Vontae Davis went out because of mandatory concussion protocols, we knew the team was in for a lengthy night.
There were a few highlights. A FEW! The defense stuffed the run all night long. There were a few breakout runs, but nothing that was 
out of hand. There wasn’t much pass rush, but the biggest problem was stopping the run and they showed last night that they can do it. Chris Ivory isn’t a slouch by any means and the Colts showed him the turf most of the night. Henry Anderson has proven to be, so far at least, a monster on the defensive line. We were worried about what was going to happen when Art Jones went down and Anderson has silenced those fears. David Parry has also performed well above his draft position.
The biggest bright spot on the offense, surprisingly there is one, was Donte Moncrief. What to say? AMAZING GAME!! He did exactly what we were all waiting for the others to do which was win his match-up. He did an amazing job stepping up all game and has really shoved it in the teams face as to why they signed Johnson or drafted the lackluster Phillip Dorsett. At this point, Moncrief is the second best receiver on this team and he is nipping at the heels of T.Y. Hilton for best outright. That is great news for the team and the fans. Not so much for Johnson. Speaking of T.Y., he did have a pretty great stiff arm right into the face of defensive player of the week Darrelle Revis that made him look foolish.
This isn’t the end of the world. The season is young and they started 0-2 last year and we know what happened. Yes, this year does feel different and is much harder to take. Two double digit losses in a row is hard to swallow for any fan base. Don’t lose faith in this team. If you have already then I can honestly say that you’re not a true Colts fan. There has to be a lot fixed between now and next Sunday when they face off against divisional rival the Tennessee Titans. If guys like Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Fitzpatrick can lead their teams to a win then what do you think rookie Marcus Mariota is going to do? Mariota is showing that he can play in this league and against a banged up defensive backfield and no real pass rush, he could have a big day. So please stop looking forward to what is “going” to happen in week six. We know the Pats game is looming and there is a ton wrong right now, but the team has to figure things out and I have faith that they will. A couple of wins will help boost their confidence and hopefully will bring back that fire in their eyes that is sorely missing right now.
