Colts vs. Browns: Full Report Card Grades for Indianapolis
Never count out the Indianapolis Colts, even when they play their worst game of the season.
Despite turnovers, penalties and bad play from the offense for almost the entire game, the Colts came away with a dramatic 25-24 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
It was a very ugly start for both teams, as their offenses continued to stall out before they could put up any points. The Browns were able to take an early lead, however, thanks to a sack on Andrew Luck that resulted in a fumble, which was recovered by Craig Robertson in the end zone for a touchdown.
Both offenses continued to struggle, but Luck was finally able to lead his team on a 70-yard drive after a missed Billy Cundiff field-goal attempt, capping it off with an 11-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7. Just before halftime, the Browns were also able to get a drive going, setting up an easy nine-yard touchdown run from Isaiah Crowell.
Things looked even darker for the Colts when Luck threw an interception to Justin Gilbert in the third quarter, with the rookie taking it all the way for Cleveland's second defensive touchdown of the game. An Adam Vinatieri field goal followed by a 42-yard bomb to T.Y. Hilton gave the Colts hope heading into the fourth quarter, pulling them to within two points.
After trading a couple of field goals in the final 15 minutes, Luck led the team down the field on a 90-yard game-winning drive, finding Hilton again for the go-ahead touchdown with just over 30 seconds left. An interception from Josh Gordy sealed the win.
Although Indianapolis got the win, there was a lot to be concerned about, so let's take a look at the game grades from the Week 14 win.
Quarterback
1 of 10
The numbers were not pretty for Luck in the first half, going just 9-for-22 through the air with 86 yards in the first two quarters. Some throws weren't pretty, but the main reason for his early struggles was the lack of protection, which led to a sack-fumble that was recovered for a Browns touchdown.
Luck was able to make a couple of plays with his legs to lead the Colts on a touchdown drive in the second quarter, however, finishing it with an 11-yard touchdown run.
Although Colts fans are used to seeing Luck turn things around, he didn't look any better to start the second half, throwing an early interception in the third quarter. He threw another to Jim Leonhard later in the half.
If it wasn't for a huge performance from Hilton, Luck's numbers would have been quite bad. He finished going 24-for-53 through the air for 294 yards, three total touchdowns and two interceptions. He missed a handful of throws throughout the game, and while he did find the end zone a few times this was arguably one of Luck's worst games of the season.
Grade: C+
Running Back
2 of 10
The Colts only ran 15 designed running plays with Trent Richardson and Daniel Herron this week, despite playing against a poor run defense. The two didn't get a lot of work on the ground, with Richardson putting up 30 yards on seven carries and Herron finishing with 26 yards on eight attempts.
Herron was able to make some plays in the passing game, however, finishing with 45 yards on four receptions. He also avoided fumbling the ball away this week and might have come up with the biggest play of the game, staying focused and spinning for a first down on 4th-and-1 on the Colts' final drive.
Both players struggled in pass protection. Richardson didn't block anyone on a third-down sack from Jim Leonhard that killed a drive, then Herron was unable to slow down Barkevious Mingo on another crucial sack in the fourth quarter.
They didn't get a lot of work in, but the effort from Herron and the more decisive running from Richardson deserve some recognition.
Grade: B
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
Reggie Wayne did not get off to the best start, dropping two passes in the first quarter. At halftime, he had been targeted four times but hadn't caught a single pass. The drops continued to haunt him throughout the game, and he finished with just one catch for five yards despite being targeted eight times. The future Hall of Famer might have had the worst game of his career, as he just looked lost.
Fortunately, Hilton was able to make up for Wayne's struggles with an electric second-half performance. He only had one reception in the first half and fumbled on the opening drive of the second half, but he came alive despite being guarded by cornerback Joe Haden. Along with the game-winning touchdown, Hilton finished with 150 yards and two scores on 10 receptions.
Coby Fleener continued to get some work in the passing game, catching five passes for 56 yards. Fellow tight end Dwayne Allen didn't do nearly as much, catching just one pass for five yards.
Rookie receiver Donte Moncrief only had three catches, but his 27-yard catch on third down on the final drive kept his team alive. With Wayne nearing the end of his career, Moncrief looks like an exciting potential No. 2 receiver behind Hilton.
Had it not been for a big game from Hilton, the receiver grades would have been much worse. Still, it's hard to give them too good of a grade because of one player. The Browns secondary shut them down for almost the entire game, and that will have to change if the Colts are going to avoid these kinds of close games.
Grade: C+
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
Jonotthan Harrison continues to struggle at center, and that was apparent early. A bad snap followed by a terrible block that led to the Luck sack-fumble TD made things very difficult for the Colts early on. The coaching staff has praised Harrison for his upside, but A.Q. Shipley was at least a much more reliable center.
Shipley eventually came in to replace Harrison, who left the game with a burner. Once he came in, the offensive line seemed to be much better in pass protection, giving Luck some more time in the pocket. Fans were worried even more when Joe Reitz went down, but the offensive line looked a lot better with Shipley at center and Khaled Holmes at right guard.
Gosder Cherilus also continues to struggle, and his worst play came in the third quarter, allowing Paul Kruger to blow by him and destroy Luck for a sack, although it was called roughing the passer after Kruger led with his helmet.
Luck was sacked three times, but the protection was significantly better by the end of the game once guys like Shipley and Holmes came in. Cherilus and Harrison still look like liabilities on the line, but who knows if the stubborn coaching staff is going to consider making any changes.
Grade: C+
Defensive Line
5 of 10
The defensive line looked good going against a very underrated Browns offensive line. The Browns were unable to find consistency in the run game, and although they put up 111 rushing yards as a team, they averaged just 3.6 yards per carry.
Cory Redding stood out multiple times, making some big hits at the line of scrimmage. As the defense's veteran leader, he made key stops when needed and kept the unit motivated throughout the game.
Now that he's healthy, Arthur Jones looks like he's been a big lift to the defensive line. As long as he can stay healthy, the Colts should start improving on their run defense numbers. Having him in the starting lineup also gives the team more depth, allowing guys like Ricky Jean Francois, Zach Kerr and Montori Hughes to come in when needed.
The defense as a whole played well today, and the defensive line was a big reason for that.
Grade: B+
Linebacker
6 of 10
Erik Walden got off to a nice start early, sacking Brian Hoyer on the opening drive of the game. He continued to collapse the pocket in the first half, even challenging Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas with a nice bull rush to put pressure on Hoyer early in the game. He only finished with that one sack, but Walden consistently put pressure on Hoyer.
On the other side, Bjoern Werner didn't do much against the pass. He hasn't gotten a sack since the Colts played Cincinnati in October, and while he's improved from his rookie year, he still hasn't made the leap that Colts fans were hoping he would this season.
The inside linebackers continue to be a mixed bag. Both Jerrell Freeman and D'Qwell Jackson are able to make plays in the run game or as blitzers, but they both struggle in pass coverage. Despite a very bad game from Hoyer, Jordan Cameron still caught four passes for 41 yards, having no trouble getting open whenever the linebackers were on him.
That will continue to be an issue for this defense, but overall, the linebackers played pretty well and were disruptive like they needed to be.
Grade: B
Secondary
7 of 10
Heading into Sunday, Colts fans were nervous about how the secondary would contain Josh Gordon without Vontae Davis. But the secondary answered the call once the game began, holding him to just two receptions for 15 yards.
Josh Gordy has struggled when having to replace an injured Davis, but he played better than expected on Sunday. His best play came in the third quarter, breaking up a pass on third down to give the Colts the ball back and giving the team some hope when down 21-10. Gordy also sealed the win on the final Browns drive, intercepting Hoyer to end the game.
Darius Butler also made some clutch plays late in the fourth quarter, making a nice open-field tackle before forcing an incompletion on third down to hold the Browns to a field goal. Injuries slowed him down earlier in the season, but it looks like he's starting to play well once again.
Safety Mike Adams continues to be the most productive free-agent signing from this past offseason. Along with a pass deflection, he also got his fifth interception of the season, picking off Hoyer early.
It was an ugly game for Hoyer, who went just 14-for-31 with 140 yards and two interceptions. A lot of that was on him, but the secondary did a great job holding its own without Davis, forcing turnovers and making key plays to keep the Colts in the game. And they deserve a ton of credit for the win because of that.
Grade: A
Special Teams
8 of 10
For the first time all season, I just can't give the special teams an A.
Adam Vinatieri wasn't at fault, making both of his field-goal attempts to stay perfect on the year. One of them was even a 51-yard try, showing that the soon-to-be 42-year-old still has plenty left in the tank.
It was an ugly start for Pat McAfee, who had a couple of bad punts in the first half. However, he eventually turned it around, averaging 47 yards per punt with two inside the 20-yard line and a long of 59 yards. However, the punt coverage was pretty poor, with Travis Benjamin averaging 16.3 yards per return.
Josh Cribbs also had a very bad day returning, specifically when fielding punts. He tried returning three, picking up four total yards. One return was nearly disastrous, with Cribbs getting hit and fumbling as soon as he caught the ball. Even when he didn't return punts, they ended up rolling closer and closer to the end zone.
If it weren't for the coverage and return play, the special teams probably would have gotten an A, but those two aspects didn't help the Colts come back and get a win.
Grade: B-
Coaching
9 of 10
Defensive coordinator Greg Manusky gets some love again because of his great blitz schemes that bothered Hoyer all game. He was only sacked once, but the pocket collapsed on him a number of times and you could tell that he was jumpy throughout the day.
Pep Hamilton doesn't get the same kind of love. Despite playing a defense with a strong secondary but a questionable front seven, Hamilton was determined to keep passing, running just five times in the first half. They finished with just 15 total run plays, making you wonder why they didn't try to expose Cleveland's weakness on defense, especially with how much they talked up Richardson all week.
Chuck Pagano didn't coach a great game either, but I do want to point out something crucial he did in the fourth quarter. On a Cleveland drive, he nearly challenged a completed pass after the Browns receiver caught the pass but coughed up the ball after running out of bounds. Pagano held off to not lose a timeout, but he then had a successful challenge just a few plays later, negating a third-down conversion and forcing the Browns to punt.
I still have a problem with the coaching staff continuing to feed Richardson, but not as much when Herron is at least splitting carries. After Sunday's game, they may also want to consider putting Shipley back at center, but it's their decision, not mine.
Grade: C+
Final Grades
10 of 10
| Position | Final Grades |
| QB | C+ |
| RB | B |
| WR/TE | C+ |
| OL | C+ |
| DL | B+ |
| LB | B |
| Secondary | A |
| Special Teams | B- |
| Coaching | C+ |
| Cumulative Grade | B- |
This is a game that the Colts need to erase from their memory.
Even with the win, there were a number of concerns. The offense was sloppy, turning the ball over four times and fumbling like the players had butter on their gloves. The offensive line continues to be a mystery, and the lack of depth could be a concern if injuries keep piling up.
As for the defense, it was a good day from the secondary without Davis, but Hoyer's inaccurate passes were responsible for some of that. Manusky keeps generating pressure with blitz schemes, but as we've seen before, it's a lot harder to rattle an elite quarterback.
At this point, it's hard to have much confidence in the Colts going very far in the playoffs with teams like the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots waiting. The Colts just don't have enough talent on both sides of the ball, and while Luck can lead some magical comebacks, there's only so much the third-year quarterback can do.
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