Indianapolis Colts Give Reasons for Optimism with 2nd-Half Performance

Going into their season-opening matchup in Denver, nobody expected the Indianapolis Colts to win. It was one of the few unanimous picks around the league despite the fact that the Colts beat Denver, won the AFC South and won a playoff game last season. 

Usually, such a situation would be enough for somebody to take a flier on Indianapolis. But, no, if you talked to the national media last week, the Colts were as much of a lock for a loss as anybody in the league. 

During the first 28 minutes and 13 seconds of the the game Sunday night, it seemed that the experts were right. The Colts dug themselves into a 24-0 hole, with little reason for optimism. Silly mistakes killed drives for Indianapolis on offense, and Peyton Manning was having his way with the defense, as Julius Thomas killed the Colts for 90 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone. 

But, as is the case with great quarterbacks, Luck refused to go down without a fight. 

The third-year pro directed the Colts down the field in under 90 seconds, utilizing underneath routes and running back screens to take advantage of the Broncos' deep safeties. After hitting Reggie Wayne with a beautiful touch pass on the left sideline, the Colts were set up on the Denver 11, leading to another iconic Luck touchdown run.

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VINE - Andrew Luck diving for the pylon and after review its a TD. #Colts https://t.co/XrY49WERG6

— FanSided GIF (@FanSidedGIF) September 8, 2014"

That kick-started the comeback, which would eventually fall short as the Colts lost 31-24 on Sunday. 

Nobody likes a loss, and there was justified griping about the Colts on Sunday night. The coaching decisions, at times, were baffling, the run game was nonexistent and the defense still has as many questions as it ever has. 

In the end, the team still looks like one that needs Luck to be brilliant in order to pull his teammates into contention, and it isn't giving him much help. But that's not because of anything new we learned Sunday night. In fact, I'd argue that the Colts looked better than expected, overall, against the defending AFC champion Broncos. 

Most of that optimism comes from the offense, which had its struggles but still managed to gain over 400 yards and score 24 points. Once the pass protection shored up, the Colts had little trouble moving the ball: 

Time Started	Time Ended	Yard Line Ended	Result
13:43 Third	10:16 Third	Denver 1	Downs
7:29 Third	5:59 Third	Denver 7	Field Goal
14:42 Fourth	13:25 Fourth	Indianapolis 7	Punt
9:54 Fourth	7:46 Fourth	Denver 41	Touchdown
7:46 Fourth	5:25 Fourth	Denver 32	Interception
4:18 Fourth	3:26 Fourth	Denver 9	Touchdown
2:58 Fourth	1:51 Fourth	Denver 39	Downs

Sure, there were issues in the red zone (you can't have two separate drives that get inside the Broncos' 5-yard line that end in just three combined points), and the run game has yet to find its footing (35 yards from the two running backs). The team also needs to do a better job of finding ways to feed T.Y. Hilton the ball when he's being doubled up over the top.

But the offense and Luck continued to show how dynamic they can be when they open up the throttle.

The return of Wayne shone bright, as Luck's security blanket finished with nine catches for 98 yards. Dwayne Allen's presence as a possession receiver was huge as well, and he finished with four catches for 64 yards and a touchdown. As touched on earlier, the pass protection was the biggest reason for optimism in that second half, as Luck had time to pick the Broncos apart.

Then there's the defense, which looked abysmal in the first half before limiting the Broncos to just seven points in the second half. Denver had seven drives in the second half; just one reached Indianapolis' side of the field, and that was a drive that actually started on the Indianapolis 48. 

For the most part, the Colts defense didn't do much to keep the Broncos from moving the ball. Instead, it was self-inflicted wounds that took down Denver. Whether it was drops, Manning's overthrows or penalties, the Broncos continuously gifted the Colts with quick drives that allowed the Colts to get back into it. 

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

But give the Colts some credit. The blitzes schemed up by defensive coordinator Greg Manusky were landy, even if Manning only was sacked once. That pressure made him uncomfortable and may have helped force some of those overthrows.

And the run game, while not all that important to Denver's offense, was completely stopped. Montee Ball averaged 2.9 yards per carry, and the Broncos averaged just 3.2 as a team. That lack of a run game in the second half helped keep the Broncos from chewing up too much of the clock. 

Sure, there are major holes in coverage at safety and inside linebacker. We knew that before this game. But the Colts did limit Julius Thomas to just one catch for eight yards in the second half, and the weaknesses that Manning found in the first half could not be exploited during the last 30 minutes of the game.

Sure, there is a pass-rush void left by Robert Mathis that can't be filled with Bjoern Werner and Erik Walden. We also knew that before this game. But the Colts were able to generate some pressure with blitzes in the second half without getting burned over the top. 

All the questions about the Colts are questions we had before this game. There's no reason to pack things up and jump off the bandwagon just yet. They faced the defending AFC champions and one of the best offenses in history on the road. 

If anything, Colts fans can find optimism in the fact that Andrew Luck is still brilliant, or that the team has the mental resolve to stay in games despite the lack of high-end talent. Luck's knack for keeping the team in games isn't going anywhere, and the team will win a high number of games this season. 

And really, isn't that what it's all about?