Biggest Takeaways from Indianapolis Colts' Week 5 Win
Somehow, some way, the Indianapolis Colts did it again.
Without quarterback Andrew Luck, the team pulled off its second consecutive win on Thursday, this time a 27-20 road victory over the Houston Texans. It's the second divisional win for the Colts since Luck went down with a shoulder injury, a critical one after starting the season 0-2.
With some help from the old, wily veterans and a few key blunders by the Texans, the Colts came home victorious, just in time to look ahead to the New England Patriots coming to town in Week 6.
But before we look ahead too far, let's look back at this significant win, a significant one, and take away a few key things as the Colts head back to Indianapolis.
The Old Guys Still Have It
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The Colts' veteran free-agency signings haven't exactly been home runs to start 2015. The Colts spent millions of dollars to sign guys like Andre Johnson, Frank Gore, Todd Herremans and Trent Cole in the offseason, further adding years to the Colts' already aging roster.
Through the first four weeks, Johnson had disappeared from the offense, Gore fumbled on the goal line twice, Herremans was benched and Cole had yet to even register a sack. Adam Vinatieri, the 42-year-old kicker who leads the seniors on the team, had gone 0-2 in the first three weeks.
But on Thursday night, it was the elder members of the roster who carried the Colts home.
It started with 40-year-old Matt Hasselbeck, who led the Colts' offense to 27 points, including two passing touchdowns and a 107.4 passer rating. The Colts offense looked more consistent and quicker than it had all season, and the Colts kept the Texans at bay all night.
Johnson made up for his lack of performance over the first four weeks with two touchdowns, along with 77 receiving yards, and Gore was just two yards away from the Colts' first 100-yard game in years, scoring a touchdown on the ground. Vinatieri was 2-for-2 on the day, hitting 48- and 42-yard field goals.
The Colts desperately need their elder statesmen to step up if they are to reach their potential this season, and performances like this are exactly what they had in mind.
Offensive Balance Is the Key for Indianapolis
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For the first time all season, we saw the Colts offense consistently move the ball on Thursday.
The key? Balance.
Traditionally, when one says offensive balance, they mean a balance between running and passing.
That was certainly a part of the success on Sunday, as the Colts gave Frank Gore more than 20 carries for the first time all season. He responded with 98 rushing yards and a touchdown, and he gave the Texans fits all night. Matt Hasselbeck threw just 29 times, the least a Colts quarterback (who played the whole game) has thrown since Andrew Luck threw just 27 times in a 49-27 win over the Washington Redskins last November.
But it's not just about running/passing balance.
The Colts are a passing team—that won't change any time soon. But the Colts have to have balance between their passing styles, correctly picking their deep shots instead of trying to force big plays all the time. With Hasselbeck at the helm, the team has done that.
Now, the Colts just have to see if they can do the same with Luck at the helm, against better defenses. The Jaguars and Texans have been much easier opponents than those of the first two weeks, and they won't compare to what the Colts will see against the New England Patriots in Week 6.
Pass Rush Is Still a Problem
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While the Colts have seen some positive signs on offense over the last two weeks, the defense has yet to instill much confidence.
Don't get me wrong, it's been nice to see the run defense be rather stout, as the Colts' new defensive linemen have made their presence felt. But run defense is not the most important part of a defense, not in today's day and age.
That would be pass rush, and it's an area where the Colts have had very little to be excited about.
Trent Cole was supposed to be a boost, but he has barely registered in pass rush, getting just one quarterback hit in five games, per Pro Football Focus. Erik Walden was the preseason pass-rush king, but he's reverted back to his normal levels as the regular season has gotten underway. That is, non-existent. Second-year outside linebacker Jonathan Newsome was supposed to take a big step this year but has yet to make any sort of an impact in pass rush.
Robert Mathis remains the only hope, but he's 34 and just one man. He can't do it alone, and right now, he's being forced to.
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Vontae Davis Must Get Healthy
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With the pass rush struggling, the Colts' secondary has a lot of pressure.
This is only going to increase when the team goes up against better quarterbacks. The team has faced Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Marcus Mariota, Blake Bortles and an unholy combination of Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett in the first five weeks.
Over the next five weeks, the Colts will face Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Peyton Manning and Matt Ryan. Quite the wake-up call.
That being said, the Colts desperately need Vontae Davis to get healthy. Outside of Davis, the Colts' secondary is filled with journeymen, so if Davis isn't playing at full strength, the secondary is extremely vulnerable.
Take Thursday, for example. With Davis hampered, the team opted not to have him follow Texans wide receiver Nuk Hopkins. Hopkins racked up 11 catches for 169 yards in response.
Meanwhile, Davis still was clearly struggling, and miscommunication between him and the Colts safeties allowed for several big plays throughout the game.
The Colts will have their hands full throughout the next five weeks. If they want to escape the stretch with a winning record, they'll need their best defensive player to play like it.
The AFC South Still Runs Through Indianapolis
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Over the last three weeks, the AFC South has had a golden opportunity: a chance to take the Colts down.
The Titans were up two scores at home with under seven minutes remaining, but they allowed the Colts to come back and get a 35-33 win.
The Jaguars and Texans both faced a Colts squad without Andrew Luck. The Jaguars had a fourth-quarter lead and two separate chances to win the game via field goals, but they lost 16-13 in overtime. The Texans were facing Matt Hasselbeck, who had been sick for the previous five days, yet managed to lose 27-20 on their home field.
If you can't beat the Colts without Andrew Luck, when can you beat them?
This division has belonged to the Colts whenever they've had a healthy starting quarterback. This season, it's been theirs despite not having a healthy starter. The rest of the AFC South has just been abysmal, especially the Jaguars and Texans.
The Titans could pose a threat as quarterback Marcus Mariota develops, but for now, Indianapolis remains in control.
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