Okay, we all know the Jets are…not as advertised this year, perhaps even worse than we thought going into tonight’s Monday Night Football matchup, but this is what we’ve been waiting to see against an inferior opponent…And we’ve been waiting for a long time. This is what’s supposed to happen when you play the Jacksonvilles and other hapless teams of the world.
I don’t care how bad the Jets are (they are astoundingly bad). This was a feel-good win for a team that should’ve effectively been out of their division race a week or so ago. Instead, they’re sitting in a three way tie for the AFC South lead (Indy has the tie breaker over Tennessee but not Houston) and riding the momentum of a blowout win. So go ahead and feel good about this one.
You know there was that nagging feeling in the back of your mind that Chuck Pagano’s Colts would make Ryan Fitzpatrick look like a pro bowler (How do the Colts manage to play Fitzpatrick every year, no matter where he plays?). Not tonight. We were treated to a delightful shellacking of the home team.
The Colts special teams opened the night with some great kick coverage, and a surprising arm tackle by rookie corner Chris Milton helped bury the Jets at their own 11, setting up the first of two straight three and outs. Not a bad start to a night game for this group. It only got better from there.
Indy’s offense took advantage right away, with Andrew Luck seemingly picking on Derelle Revis of all people, on a 7-play, 51-yard drive culminating in a touchdown to Dwayne Allen on a tricky screen play that left Allen jogging all alone across the middle after releasing from a block. 7-0 Colts. For what it’s worth, I’ve always liked screen plays in which the guy with all the blockers is just at decoy, or at least not the only option.
The Jets answered back by punting a little bit better, so that’s something for them. Then they decided to try to ignore T.Y. Hilton and hope he would go away – to their credit, I play that same defense against door to door salesmen, but it didn’t go well for the Jets (34 yard completion) – and then Dwayne Allen, who caught his second touchdown, a 21-yarder on a lonely out route near the right pylon. 14-0, Colts. Blown coverage? Maybe. We’ll take it.
3rd and short, quick hand off to Matt Forte, and he was throttled by an unblocked Edwin Jackson, who, we learned from John Gruden, is nicknamed Pound Cake, “because he will POUND you” (thanks for clearing that part up, Coach). There was also something about his mom making a bunch of pound cakes for him to give to all the staff when Jackson was trying out for the Cardinals, probably the actual origin of the nickname, but I still like Gruden’s version.
– Quick game note: Andrew Luck’s decision to try to throw a completion while falling backward with two defenders in his grille was dangerous and bad…but he completed it for a first down out of sheer will and arm strength…and probably some grit too. Donte Moncrief’s catch on the play was about as impressive as you’ll see for a guy who’s just standing and waiting to be hit.
The Jets, like many Colts opponents, came to life as the 2nd quarter began, and a 40-yard catch and run by CJ Spiller…made worse by a roughing the passer call against Zach Kerr, eventually set up a short field goal. It took a penalty on tackle Breno Giacomini (cool sounding name) to kill the drive, but that was it for the Jets in the first half.
– Game note: Revis Island is starting to look more like Greg Toler Island. Colts fans know what I mean.
– Game note again: on a quick pass to Jack Doyle, Gruden called it a banana route because of course. SPIDER 2 Y BANANA
Indianapolis had a spell as the 1st quarter ended and the 2nd began where they looked like they could’ve been losing steam. Then they managed to squeak in a 53-yard field goal from Vinatieri in (I say squeak because it was wide right until the last possible moment), and after another fantastic defensive stop, they put together a beauty of a drive – 9 plays, 70 yards and some tough runs from Frank Gore (8th all-time now), culminating in a 23-yard pass to Allen, his third TD of the night, and his most impressive, fighting through tough one-on-one coverage.
Just like that, after it seemed they might take their foot off the gas, it’s 24-3 Colts. It could’ve been 31-3 if not for Doyle’s diving fumble at the goal line with 29 seconds left set up a touchback and a quick kneel-down for Fitzpatrick, who had just thrown a pick to Darius Butler.
Typing this as the game happened, I can’t help but to wonder, as most people are wondering, if New Jersey will start a different quarterback in the second half.
2nd Half
– Game note: Early in the 3rd, Gruden said “I can’t remember the last sack” from the Jets, who are struggling with their pass rush…It was in the first quarter of this game, John.
The Colts offense, against a bad pass rush and the ghost of Darrelle Revis (poor guy is clearly nowhere near his regular form), strolled back onto the field and kept firing with everything they had. 11 plays, 75 yards, 3 yard pass to Donte Moncrief on which Luck had all night to find a receiver. I saw at least two other plays on the drive where Luck was able to look to a second or third option while standing in a clean pocket. 31-3 Colts
The Jets’ first drive with Bryce Petty under center was something a little closer to NFL football, except for the part where a couple of fans ran onto the field. Still solid defense. Still a punt.
– Okay, maybe Petty isn’t super accurate, but the kid has a cannon. Darius Butler saved the Colts from having to deal with a sudden momentum build when he knocked a long pass out of the hands of a Jets receiver, and Petty did his part by overthrowing the heck out of another receiver who had beaten Vontae Davis for a possible score.
3:00 left in the 3rd. Time to run. Time to grind. Time to…throw a 21-yard pass over the middle to Allen. Well, alright. A drop by Hilton on 3rd and 3 set up Vinatieri from 38 yards out…34-3. If not for Doyle’s fumble and Hilton’s drop, this could’ve looked like the final score of a mismatched high school game.
Petty’s deep pass over the middle for Anderson ended up in the hands of the age-defying Mike Adams, who took it back 56 yards before former Colt Ben Ijalana pushed him out of bounds at the Jets’ 6. A commercial break later, Robert Turbin ran it in around the left tackle to help make it 41-3 as the 4th quarter began.
The off tackle hand offs and tosses have been long absent from the Colts’ rushing attack. It’s been nice to see them mixing things up with their run plays, and they’ve had some nice success doing so.
Take a moment to appreciate that. 41-3. It was beginning to look as though Chuck Pagano’s Colts were incapable of or philosophically opposed to putting together such a game, even against an apparently dreadful Jets team.
– Game note: After Petty’s shovel pass nearly ended up in the hands of Mr. Pound Cake himself, the ABC cameras focused on two fans wearing “JETS” shirts with the anagram “Just Endure The Suffering.” Maybe Jim Irsay isn’t so bad.
– Game note: 11:26 remaining. New Jersey area fans are being treated to a preseason game.
Robby Anderson, after getting open over the top of the secondary around 5 times to no avail, finally brought one home for a 40-yard touchdown. *considers retracting that bit about the Jets playing like it’s the preseason…nah. Garbage time score* 41-10
Scott Tolzien, or whatever his name is, checked in after the touchdown, and you could almost hear the sound of the majority of Colts fans going to bed happy. It’s difficult not to think ahead now, though.
What is this team, anyway? They’ve been underachievers in some games, and they’ve been clearly out-manned in others. They have a coach and a general manager that everyone agreed would be gone after last season, and they’re typically over-reliant on a quarterback who sometimes carries them to unbelievable heights…and sometimes goes cold for long stretches.
Tonight, none of that mattered. It was about time the Colts landed on the right side of a beat-down, long overdue, in fact. Tonight, they looked like a playoff team, blowing the doors off of an inferior opponent. Tonight, they made us wonder what else they’re capable of doing, and it was a good thing. Set aside how you feel about the current “regime,” and enjoy this one.
Next up, the Texans at home in a game that could decide who wins the AFC South. We’ll take more of whatever happened tonight, please.
– Stats: Andrew Luck finished the night with 278 yards and 4 touchdowns on 22/28 passing and 3 runs for 26 yards. Frank Gore led all rushers with 79 yards on 20 carries. Hilton put together another Pro Bowl caliber game with 9 catches for 146 yards while Allen grabbed 4 for 72 and 3 TD’s. The defense was excellent and finished with 3 interceptions and a sack while Jets quarterbacks went a combined 16/37 for 216, 1 TD, and the 3 interceptions, and their running game averaged 2.6 yards per carry.
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