INDIANAPOLIS COLTS HAS FINALLY OWNED THE RACE BY SIGNING.

The Indianapolis Colts lost 34-14 to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon after putting on what was possibly their worst performance of the 2023 campaign—getting in their own way too often. The Colts’ winning run was also ended as they finished the season at 7-6. Their crucial game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 15 proved to be the turning point.

Throughout the entire afternoon, the Cincinnati offense dictated how the Colts defense played. Bengals quarterback Jake Browning and company moved the ball at will, amassing 385 total yards of offense, including 274 passing yards from Browning, aside from linebacker Ronnie Harrison’s pick-six in the second quarter. Browning completed 18 of 24 passes for three touchdowns in all (two passing, one rushing).

The Colts had racked up 21 sacks in their previous three games going into Sunday, but they were unable to record one against Browning. As a result, the Bengals exploited Indy’s defense with screen passes that resulted in large gains and other chunk plays. The Bengals took an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter to set the tone. The Bengals led 28-14 at the end of the third quarter, despite Indianapolis tying the score at 14 points at the half. The Bengals had consecutive touchdown drives down the field. Ultimately, the Bengals scored 34 points in their resounding victory.

Additionally, the Bengals scored points in the red zone as a result of some late penalties committed by Indianapolis’ defense. The Bengals ran for 111 yards as a unit, with running back Joe Mixon accounting for 79 of those yards and scoring a touchdown. The Colts’ defense had been playing a lot better lately, but their performance on Sunday was out of character for the team. A performance like the one Indianapolis’ defense put on Sunday just cannot be repeated if you want to make the playoffs in a crowded AFC East.

The Colts’ offense also had trouble moving the ball throughout the afternoon. Cincinnati’s defense, which came into the game ranked poorly, nevertheless shut down Indianapolis’ offense, including veteran quarterback Gardner Minshew. Even when Indianapolis managed to move the ball, crucial penalties in the red zone undoubtedly made a negative impact. The Colts’ excellent kicker Matt Gay missed a field goal in the first quarter, which was crucial after the offense of the Indianapolis Colts was able to march down the field and get into scoring position.

In addition to having trouble creating running lanes for Zack Moss, the Colts offensive line gave up three sacks. Moss only managed to rush for 28 yards on 13 attempts, which was another poor showing for the second straight week. The Colts’ collective rushing average of just 2.6 yards per rush is by far the lowest of the season. Any NFL team that struggles to score points consistently will find it difficult to have a ground game as bad as Indianapolis’s on Sunday.

The Colts offense had arguably its worst game of the year overall on Sunday, scoring just seven points on the few successful drives they managed to muster. Gardner Minshew, the quarterback, completed 26 out of 39 passes for 240 yards, one touchdown, and one pick. With star back Jonathan Taylor out for the foreseeable future, the Colts will need to find a way to increase the effectiveness of their rushing attack.