Led by Anthony Richardson, the Indianapolis Colts snapped their three-game losing streak with a road win over the New York Jets in Week 11.
Now, at 5-6 on the season, the Colts still find their playoff hopes very much alive heading into next week.
However, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s take a look back at the Colts’ performance on Sunday with the good, the bad, and the ugly of it all.
The Good
Anthony Richardson: What a performance from Richardson. He was as efficient as he’s been on the short to intermediate routes and still was able to generate some explosive downfield plays as well. He was often playing within the rhythm of the play and, overall, was decisive in his decision-making. Richardson finished the game 20-of-30 passing for 272 yards, along with 32 rushing yards and three total touchdowns.
Shane Steichen: This Colts’ offense that we saw on Sunday was the one that many expected to see this season. It was a run-centric approach, with Jonathan Taylor carrying the ball 24 times and Steichen also got Richardson involved as well, with him having 10 carries of his own. The passing game was obviously still a key part of the equation with Richardson throwing 30 times, but there was balance, and Steichen helped Richardson get into rhythm early with some easy completions along with getting him on the move.
Red zone offense: The Colts offense was efficient in the red zone, taking advantage of those opportunities. Along with making their way to the red area four times, they found the end zone on three of those visits. For some context, a success rate of 75 percent over the course of the season would be the second-highest mark in the NFL in 2024.
Matt Gay: In a game decided by just one point, Gay’s performance was pivotal. He would make all three of his field goal attempts, including one from 56 yards, and he made his one extra point attempt as well.
Kwity Paye and Laiatu Latu: It was a productive day for the Colts two defensive ends. Combined, the duo totaled eight pressures on Aaron Rodgers and three sacks, while in the run game, Paye and Latu had four total tackles for loss.
The Bad
Run defense: It was a very strong start for the Colts’ defense but as the game went on, they began to leak some oil. And a lot of that success the Jets had started with Breece Hall in the run game. Hall would finish the game rushing for 78 yards on only 16 carries, picking up the bulk of his yards on the edges. His success in the second half then had a trickle-down effect to the passing game, with Hall helping to keep the Jets’ offense ahead of the sticks.
The interior pass protection: As I highlighted before the game, rookies Tanor Bortolini and Dalton Tucker faced a very difficult matchup against Jets’ defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. Of the 11 pressures that the Colts surrendered, eight were from these two. Overall, Richardson was pressured on 43.8 percent of his dropbacks, which currently ranks among the highest rates in Week 11, according to PFF.
The Ugly
The middle eight: After the Colts controlled the game for just about the entire first half, things changed very quickly in those final minutes of the second quarter and then in those first few minutes of the third quarter. On that final first half possession, the Jets picked up their first first-down of the game and then quickly turned that into a touchdown. The Colts would begin with the ball in the third quarter, but fumbled and the Jets would recover. Two plays later, they scored a touchdown, and just like that, held a 14-13 lead–changing the dynamic of the game.
