There’s no easy way to describe the performance the Indianapolis Colts (0-1-1) put on the field Sunday during the 24-0 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1) in Week 2 at TIAA Bank Field.
Not only did the Colts fail to end the losing streak down in Duval County—extending it to eight games now—but they also failed to show any improvement from their Week 1 tie against the Houston Texans to open the season.
The team is heading in the wrong direction despite an offseason of changes both on the roster and the coaching staff. There weren’t many bright spots from the game. The only player who truly impressed was defensive tackle Grover Stewart, who was constantly in the Jaguars backfield.
Other than that, it was nothing short of rock bottom for a Colts team that doesn’t look ready to compete for a playoff spot.
Here are seven duds from the putrid 24-0 loss in Week 2:
1
QB Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan didn’t have much of a supporting cast to work with. That’s not on him. What is on him is the way he started the game and then continued to spiral as the game progressed. The first offensive drive ended in an awful interception in which he didn’t see the safety driving down from over top, easily snagging a lob toward the sideline. Ryan also was constantly under pressure, finishing with 16-of-30 completed passes for 195 yards, no touchdowns, three interceptions and a 34.0 passer rating. That passer rating is the third-lowest mark of his career.
2
LT Matt Pryor
Jaguars edge rusher Josh Allen is one of the more underrated players at his position. He had an absolute field day against Pryor, who struggled for nearly all 35 snaps he saw. Pryor was the human version of a revolving door for the Jaguars defensive line, constantly putting Matt Ryan under pressure and failing to generate any push in the run game. It shouldn’t be long until rookie Bernhard Raimann is given the chance to be the starter and quite frankly, it should begin in Week 3.
3
WR Parris Campbell
I’m a firm believer in the notion that targets are earned. There are times when coaches scheme plays specifically for a certain player or against a certain defensive look. But for the most part, players who see high target shares do so because they are talented at getting open. Despite the fact that Campbell was the only regular starting wide receiver healthy Sunday, he only saw two targets. It was a disastrous day for the entire passing game, but Campbell failed to be the difference-maker the Colts believe him to be despite playing more snaps than any other skill player.
4
DE Yannick Ngakoue
Through two games, one of the new shiny acquisitions of the offseason would make you forget he’s even there. Ngakoue’s role as a pass rusher has led to just one quarterback hit and one tackle for loss to open the season. In fairness, the Jaguars did a good job working the quick passing game to help neutralize the Colts pass rush. But it didn’t matter all that much. Ngakoue and the rest of the edge rushers rarely pressured Trevor Lawrence on drops more than three steps, and it led to the lowest pressure rate of his career.
Per ESPN Stats & Info, the Colts defense pressured Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence on just 3 of his 30 total dropbacks (10%), the lowest pressure rate Lawrence has faced in his career.
— Michael DiRocco (@ESPNdirocco) September 18, 2022
5
CB Kenny Moore II
From the final month of the 2021 season through the first two weeks of this new campaign, Moore hasn’t been the same player. Typically a consistent open-field tackler, that part of Moore’s game has been absent. Maybe it was the wet field conditions, but Moore struggled to stop ball carriers in the open field. He also struggled in coverage against Christian Kirk, who finished the day catching all six of his targets for 72 yards and two touchdowns. He wasn’t in coverage over Kirk for every target, but it was enough to be noticeable.
6
HC Frank Reich
Reich is a strong leader and offensive mind. No one wants to see a good person fail like this. But we also have to be objective. The shine and allure that Reich once brought simply aren’t there anymore. Getting Jonathan Taylor just 10 touches despite playing 75% of the snaps is inexcusable. Taylor doesn’t always have to run the ball, but getting your best player the ball in space should be the priority. After an offseason of touting Nyheim Hines, he played just 15 snaps. The injuries to the wide receiver corps alone should have been enough to see more playing time, but the negative game script also called for more snaps for Hines. No one wants to see a good person get fired, but Reich’s seat is getting hot.
7
GM Chris Ballard
Ballard wasn’t on the field to play any snaps, but he’s the one who built this roster. The neglect he’s had for the wide receiver room continues to be apparent. Meanwhile, the tight end room is a complete disaster, and the left tackle position is one of the biggest question marks on the entire roster. To invest the money and draft capital they have in the trenches, only to be utterly dominated each week, is a major red flag. I believe Ballard to be a good general manager, but his process of neglecting valued positions is coming back to bite him.
