Indianapolis Colts Week 12 Stock Report
Somehow, some way, the Indianapolis Colts found a way to win once again in Week 11.
With their starting quarterback sidelined, the Colts clawed and scratched their way to a 24-21 road win over the Atlanta Falcons for a second consecutive victory. Despite one of the most disappointing starts in the league, the Colts rebounded for two consecutive upsets, and will need the same kind of perseverance to finish the season strong.
Next up on that list is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who visit Indianapolis this Sunday.
With the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars both winning last week, the AFC South has remained crowded, and the Colts desperately need to keep winning to hold serve in the division.
With that in mind, let's take a look at a few individuals that were key to the win in Atlanta and will continue to be under the microscope in the coming weeks.
Stock Up: Veteran Leadership
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Andrew Luck's injury didn't only leave a void on the field.
Though the quarterback is in just his fourth year, his on-field leadership is a key component in Indianapolis. This is especially true when the team gets in comeback situations. Because of Luck's performance late in games to start his career, his teammates have an excess of faith in him. When things go wrong, there is a sense that Luck can always bring them back.
But with Luck out on Sunday, the Colts' veteran leaders stepped up to carry the team to a victory.
Adam Vinatieri had the game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter. Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson put together his most complete game as a Colt to lead the defense to its most impressive game of the season. Matt Hasselbeck rebounded from a poor showing to make a few key plays late.
Dwight Lowery had a momentous interception to keep the Falcons from scoring points on their first drive. Frank Gore and Ahmad Bradshaw made several critical plays in the passing game after getting frustrated in the run game for most of the day.
The list could keep going on and on.
Though the Colts roster has its flaws, it is not lacking in veteran leadership, and those leaders stepped up when needed Sunday.
Stock Down: Matt Hasselbeck
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Common perception after Sunday's game was that Matt Hasselbeck had once again played well to lead the Colts to a victory, his third consecutive as Andrew Luck's replacement this season.
Unfortunately, Sunday may have been Hasselbeck's worst performance of the year, concerning given the two weeks he had to prepare for his starting role.
In Hasselbeck's last performance, he was stellar in the Colts' 27-20 win over Houston. With strong support from the run game, he threw for just 213 yards, but had two touchdowns and zero interceptions while throwing for 7.34 yards per attempt. Hasselbeck was legitimately good in this game, a big surprise considering what he'd looked like during the preseason.
But against Atlanta, we were reminded of Hasselbeck's limitations. While Hasselbeck may be one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league, he's still a backup. Failing to see open receivers, missing receivers with inaccurate throws, making a few questionable decisions in the pocket, Hasselbeck held the offense back all game on Sunday. He finished with just 6.66 yards per attempt and two picks to go along with his two touchdowns.
A big part of the issue was the Colts' inability to run the ball, as the Falcons limited the Colts to just 2.7 yards per carry. The Falcons stacked the box against the Colts' power formations and dared the team to throw deep all game, but Hasselbeck couldn't take advantage.
Teams will continue this strategy against Indianapolis unless Hasselbeck proves that he can drive the ball down the field. Hasselbeck can lead the Colts to a win if the rest of the team is performing up to par, but if the run game or the defense struggles, can the passing game pick up the slack?
Stock Up: Linebackers
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Over the last few weeks, the Colts linebackers had put together a string of consecutive impressive performances. Considering the inconsistencies of Jerrell Freeman and D'Qwell Jackson over the last two years, this was a welcome development.
But a large part of that strong play was the performance of the defensive line, as the Colts' revamped defensive front had been opening up lanes for the linebackers to make plays all season. With stud rookie Henry Anderson tearing his ACL in Week 9, there was legitimate concern that those lanes would narrow a bit, and the team's linebackers would revert to more disappointing play.
Instead, both Freeman and Jackson stepped up their game Sunday, making plays in both the passing game and run game to limit a dangerous Falcons offense.
The raw numbers are impressive: Jackson and Freeman combined for 16 tackles, a sack, two tackles for a loss, two quarterback hits, an interception, two passes defensed and a fumble recovery. Other resources told the same story; both linebackers were among Pro Football Focus' top five inside linebacker performances of the week, as the two combined for a positive-9.1 grade.
The Colts need this kind of impact play from their second-level defenders, particularly with Luck out. The Colts haven't often had a good defense, much less one that makes plays, but every part of the team has to step up down the stretch in order for the Colts to rebound from their slow start.
Having linebackers make plays is a huge step in that direction.
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Stock Down: Offensive Line
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Though the offensive line played well for most of the game against Atlanta, the unit still enters Week 12 on a depressing note.
Anthony Castonzo left the win over Atlanta in the fourth quarter and was reported to have a knee sprain. Head coach Chuck Pagano told Kevin Bowen of Colts.com that Castonzo will be week-to-week with the injury, and it could have huge implications for the the offensive line.
The Colts offensive line has been much better than its reputation this year, in large part because of the consistency it's had. The Colts made some changes going into Week 3, including moving Jack Mewhort inside to guard while moving swing tackle Joe Reitz to right tackle and replacing Todd Herremans with Hugh Thornton at left guard. Since the changes, the line has ranked 13th in Pro Football Focus' pass-blocking efficiency metrics.
But Castonzo's injury now complicates things. He is the team's best lineman and had put together a three-week stretch of strong play after a rough start to the season. Not only does Indianapolis now lose Castonzo for at least a week, but they will be forced to put players in disadvantageous situations to compensate.
In the Colts' final drive against Atlanta, Reitz played left tackle, Mewhort moved back to right tackle and Lance Louis played left guard. The Colts will be looking for options going forward, per Phillip B. Wilson of Scout.com, but no matter what happens, there will be shuffling.
Consistency is the most important thing for a line like the one in Indianapolis, and this could be a big disruption for a team attempting to make stretch run for the playoffs.
Stock Up: Chuck Pagano
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For the second consecutive game, Chuck Pagano saw his stock rise as his squad fought through adversity to get an upset win.
In Week 9, it was a coordinator change that sent shock waves through the Colts complex and forced the team to adapt on the fly. The Colts were going up against the best defense in the league on a short week and came up with a game plan that worked to perfection in a 27-24 win over Denver.
In Week 11, it was the entire roster stepping up to make up for the loss of Andrew Luck, as all three phases contributed big plays in the team's 24-21 win in Atlanta.
Pagano was one of the contributors to the team's slow starts, both with questionable lineup decisions and game plans as well as more indirect effects (such as an unprepared, undisciplined team). But his ability to motivate and keep a team united through adversity has been invaluable over the last few weeks.
As the team continues to adapt with Luck out, they will need Pagano's leadership, especially if another slump hits.
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