After 10 weeks and 10 tries the Colts were still unable to turn a half into a whole remaining winless losing to Jacksonville 17-3 Sunday.
“We’ve yet to play a complete game, all three phases 60 minutes. One week the special teams are playing well and it might be the offense or defense,” said safety Antoine Bethea. “Like we always say, Colts ball is three phases playing well and we’ve yet to put that together.”
For the first 30 minutes of play the Colts played fairly well and went in at halftime knotted at 3-3. Statistically, things were just about even. Offensively neither team could get much going while both defenses performed at a high level.
The second half began where the first half ended with both defenses forcing three-and-outs. On the Jags second possession they scored the game’s first touchdown on a short 11-yard pass from Blaine Gabbert to receiver Jarett Dillard on third down with 1:53 left to play in the third quarter. The drive ate up 9:40 and went 86 yards on 16 plays.
Quarterback Curtis Painter and the Colts offense attempted to respond on their next possession. However, after moving into Jacksonville territory the drive was cut short when Painter’s pass to Reggie Wayne was intercepted for the second time by Jags middle linebacker Paul Posluszny at the Jacksonville 21 yard line.
Down 10-3 with just under six minutes left to play in regulation, the Colts made the switch to backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky for an ineffective Painter. Orlovsky was sacked and fumbled on his third play from scrimmage on third down from the Colts 20 yard line by Jeremy Mincey. The ball was recovered at the Indy 15 yard line as was returned seven yards to the eight.
Three plays later Jags running back Maurice Jones-Drew ran up the middle three yards for a touchdown. It was the final score of the afternoon.
When asked about Painters performance, the quarterback change and moving forward, coach Jim Caldwell continued to show confidence in the third year quarterback.
“Curtis probably didn’t get as settled as he would like. They had some pressure on him here and there,” Caldwell said. “He’s been practicing very well, he’s been making progress in terms of practice. He’s working at it.”
Painter finished the game 13-of-19 for 94 yards. Orlovsky had seven completions on 10 attempts for 67 yards. Donald Brown led the Colts in rushing yards with 53 on 14 carries and Jacob Tamme was the leading receiver with six receptions for 75 yards.
The defense played solid most of the game. Safety David Caldwell led the Colts with 10 total tackles and Bethea had nine. Defensive back Jerraud Powers who forced Indy’s only turnover of the day with an early first half interception is waiting for everything to come together at one time offensively and defensively.
“One week the offense is doing a tremendous job and the defense is not. The next week the defense is doing a decent job and the offense is not or special teams are not,” Powers said. “I’m still just waiting for that game where we put it together in all three phases because we just keep shooting ourselves in the foot.”
The loss sends the Colts into a much need bye week licking their wounds and giving them time to regroup for the final six games of the season.
“Every time you lose you want to get right back on the field to get that bad taste out of your mouth. Obviously you always want to go into a bye week with a win,” said linebacker Pat Angerer. “You can either walk around mad or you can keep on fighting and that’s what we’re going to do.”
