December 26, 2021 at 3:55 AM EST
Colts needed Carson Wentz to step up and he delivered
Carson Wentz had to step up Saturday against the Cardinals in a game the Colts absolutely needed. Down nine starters, O-line hurting, tight game — that’s when teams need the quarterbacks to carry them.
“You don’t want to go through a rut, no player wants to go through a rut, but it happens all the time,” head coach Frank Reich said. “Just turn it around, just watch the games tomorrow. Quarterbacks get in ruts for a couple throws. I don’t want to overplay that because it’s a 60-minute game, and what counts is, ‘Do you make the plays necessary to win?’
“And he did.”
It was an ugly win but a reaffirming one, for a team that needed it and a quarterback that met the moment. From 0-3 in September to 9-6 on Christmas.
“It makes you think,” owner Jim Irsay said, “what can’t we do?”
GO FURTHER
‘Today, he led us’: Carson Wentz steps up when the Colts needed him most
December 26, 2021 at 3:27 AM EST
Colts' confidence shows despite so much stacked against them
The Colts went to Buffalo and blew out the Bills. They beat the Patriots at their own game, with physical defense and tough running. They took the defending champion Buccaneers to the brink before their mistakes did them in.
And yet, Saturday night’s slugfest of a win against the Arizona Cardinals arguably told us more about the 2021 Colts than any previous game.
This was not only the most unlikely of the Colts’ nine victories this season. It also was the most revealing.
GO FURTHER
Battered Colts show how far confidence can take a team with win over Arizona
December 26, 2021 at 1:00 AM EST
The Colts are thinking big
There are sky high expectations for the Colts now.
Jim Irsay: “This (win) makes you think … what can’t we do?”
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) December 26, 2021
December 26, 2021 at 12:59 AM EST
Jonathan Taylor isn't the only Colt contending for national award
Signature wins like this do tend to result in postseason honors.
December 26, 2021 at 12:58 AM EST
Colts scratch out a 22-16 upset win
The Indianapolis Colts overcame a slew of missing players at the start of the game and injuries during the contest to post a 22-16 upset win over Arizona in the Christmas night Week 16 matchup.
NFL MVP candidate Jonathan Taylor led the way with 108 yards on 27 carries despite Indianapolis being down as many as four starting offensive linemen at times, but Carson Wentz stole the show by directing the Colts to a seven-play, 69-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that was capped by a tremendous throw to second year wideout Dezmon Patmon in the back of the Cardinals end zone. It was Patmon’s first NFL touchdown and only his eighth catch of the season.
The Indianapolis defense was shorthanded due to Darius Leonard and Khari Willis being placed on the COVID-19 list a few hours before the game, but it used creative pass rush pressure to limit Kyler Murray to only 5.7 yards per pass attempt.
The Cardinals were also beset with mistakes, as kicker Matt Prater missed one extra point and two field goals, and a bad shotgun snap deep in Arizona territory led to a safety. Those lost points forced Arizona to eschew what could have been a game-winning drive near the end of the fourth quarter to allow Prater to kick a field goal to close the score to within six points, but their comeback effort was stopped when Michael Pittman, Jr. recovered the Cardinals onside kick attempt.
Arizona’s loss gives the Rams a one-half game lead in the NFC West and drops the Cardinals down to the No. 5 seed. Indianapolis now has a one-half game lead on the other AFC wild-card contenders headed into the Sunday and Monday contests.
Indianapolis (9-6) hosts the Raiders in Week 17. Arizona (10-5) travels to Dallas to face the Cowboys next week.
December 25, 2021 at 11:34 PM EST
Colts win
The Cardinals drove 81 yards in 16 plays and had to go for a field goal on third down in order to preserve time in the event of a successful onside kick. Prater finally connects by putting a 28-yarder through the uprights to make the score 22-16. Michael Pittman recovers the onside kick, so the comeback comes to an end, as the Colts win 22-16.
December 25, 2021 at 10:33 PM EST
Moving up
JT is moving up the Colts all-time charts and led Indianapolis to a 37-yard field goal by Badgley to put the Colts back up by a 15-13 score at the end of the third quarter.
Jonathan Taylor has tied Edgerrin James (2000 and 2005) for the second-most 100-yard games (nine) in single-season Colts history.
— Hayden Clark (@HaydenClark81) December 26, 2021
December 25, 2021 at 10:29 PM EST
Trick play
Here is the original version of that trick play punt that the Cardinals used earlier in the third quarter.
December 25, 2021 at 10:24 PM EST
Momentum shift
Arizona’s momentum shift seemed to falter badly on its second drive of the second half, as they gained zero yards on three plays and had to punt. Colts take over at their own 25.
December 25, 2021 at 10:20 PM EST
Deeper issues
The Colts offensive woes go further than their offensive line issues tonight.
Wentz's accuracy this season has been one of the more pleasant surprises. But his lack of accuracy tonight is AWFUL. He's not even giving his WRs a chance on some of these throws. I don't get it.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) December 26, 2021
December 25, 2021 at 10:15 PM EST
Tough pass
It doesn’t get much tougher to complete a pass than this.
December 25, 2021 at 9:56 PM EST
Colts’ ball
Colts get the ball to start the second half and will aim to extend their six-point lead.
December 25, 2021 at 9:44 PM EST
Colts lead at the half
The Colts convert the free kick after the safety into a 41-yard Michael Badgley field goal to take a 12-6 lead at the half.
Badgley is good from 41 yards, and the Colts will take a 12-6 lead into halftime.Questions the rest of the way:— give then o-line is down 4 starters, can they move the ball in the second half?
— without Leonard/Rock/Willis can the D keep Kyler from taking over?
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) December 26, 2021
December 25, 2021 at 9:36 PM EST
Prior experience needed
Excellent point by Mike Sando. A lot of defensive linemen started their careers as offensive linemen.
We are almost to point where Colts need to know who on their defense played OL in high schoolI was looking thru DeForest Buckner's maxpreps profile to see ...
This is the sort of thing that cannot happen w/o something extraordinary like the sudden covid designations
— Mike Sando (@SandoNFL) December 26, 2021
December 25, 2021 at 9:25 PM EST
It’s getting bad
The Colts are almost to the point where they won’t have any backup linemen left to play in this game.
When it rains, it pours: Chris Reed now hurt. Will Fries is in. If someone else goes down on the line, they might have to give Anthony Castonzo a call at halftime.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) December 26, 2021