The Indianapolis Colts (4-5) ended their three-game losing streak with a 27-13 win over the Carolina Panthers (1-7) on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.
In a game the Colts were dominating going into halftime, the Panthers didn’t go away quietly until they made some crucial mistakes in the fourth quarter that allowed the Colts to put the game away.
With this win, the Colts ended their three-game skid and now will focus on getting healthy for the trip to Germany where they’ll face the New England Patriots.
But first, here’s our instant analysis from the Week 9 win:
What went right
- CB Kenny Moore II had a historic day, becoming the first player in franchise history to return two interceptions for touchdowns in a single game.
- DT DeForest Buckner was a game-wrecker, recording four tackles (all solo), one sack, two quarterback hits, two tackles for loss and two batted passes.
- The defense won the turnover battle 3-1.
- The defense held the Panthers to 275 total yards, 3.9 yards per play and didn’t give them a first down via penalty.
- The pass rush as a whole recorded four sacks and seven quarterback hits.
What went wrong
- QB Gardner Minshew struggled under pressure. He averaged just 4.9 yards per attempt and seemed to be off the mark on several money-down throws.
- The offense gained a season-low 198 total yards and 3.5 yards per play.
- Though RB Jonathan Taylor found the end zone on a screen pass, he and Zack Moss struggled on the ground, combining 25 carries for 73 rushing yards (2.9 average).
- The offense scored just one total touchdown and gained just 50 total yards on 18 plays during the second half.
- WR Isaiah McKenzie muffed a punt during the first quarter that could have shifted the momentum.
The Bottom Line
The Colts were rightfully favored in this game as they were the better team. While the offense struggled to find its identity both on the ground and through the air, the defense came through with some big stops. The touchdowns off turnovers always help keep the momentum on their side, but the performance from DeForest Buckner helps immensely. The defense needed this game badly after their recent stretches, and they’ll need to build off it when they travel to Germany next week.
