The Indianapolis Colts fell to the Detroit Lions in Week 12 and are now 5-7 this season.
With the game just over, let's dive into my immediate takeaways from the Colts' performance.
-Obviously not the outcome the Colts wanted and the stats don't reflect it, but I thought Anthony Richardson did more good. He was often on time, in rhythm, again mastered the offense well and was able to push the ball down the field. With the team falling behind at the start of the second half, the Colts were forced to throw more passes, which was not conducive to the offense, and he also had to endure quite a bit of pressure, plus there were penalties that negated several positive plays.
– Sledding in the run game was tough for Jonathan Taylor, especially running between the tackles wasn't easy, but again I liked the commitment to the run as well as the variety of running plays, from designed runs for Richardson to Josh Downs being involved and attacking on the edges.
– Putting pressure on Jared Goff is a must, but you can see why it’s so difficult. The Lions' use of misdirection, play-actions and screens make this even more difficult, as these concepts take the bite out of the pass rush.
– Goff and the Lions’ offense was so good in the middle of the field. All in all, it's hard to say from game to game what this Detroit offense will do. They have such a balanced offense and mix things up so well.
– It was a poor performance from the Colts offensive line. There were a number of throws where Ricahrdson had a defender on his lap, and the unit had to call several penalties.
– Far too many penalties. Against a team the Lions' caliber, flawless play is a must, and the Colts had too many penalties that negated positive plays.
– Unsurprisingly, the Colts’ early struggles in the red zone also carried weight. They moved the ball well between the 20-yard lines in the first half, but had to settle for field goals on their first two possessions in the red zone. On the first drive into the red zone, a penalty inside the five-yard line put the Colts behind the sticks, and on the second possession, Drew Ogletree dropped a touchdown. Similar to penalties, you can't make mistakes like that against Detroit.
Overall, the Colts were able to hold the Lions to nearly 10 points below their season average against the NFL's highest scoring offense. However, Detroit scored at least three 3rd-and-7 conversions to move the chains – two of which came into the red zone and ended in touchdowns, and then a 3rd-and-goal also scored. While the Colts limited the Lions' scoring compared to what they normally put up for many of the reasons mentioned, we saw why this offense is a well-oiled machine as they totaled nearly 400 yards and controlled the game.
– Speaking of third downs, the Lions were efficient on third downs and efficient in the red zone, as they have been all season. That alone is a difficult task for almost any team. For many of the reasons mentioned in this article, we've seen why these Lions' offense is such a well-oiled machine.
– Running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs didn't run wild, averaging a combined 4.4 yards per carry, but the Lions moved the ball efficiently and got into the running game, rushing the ball 33 times for 137 yards. This contributed to the huge possession differential, as the Lions held the ball 14 minutes longer than the Colts and played 72 plays while the Colts played 49.
(This article has been updated to provide additional information.)