Jan 6, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens coach Chuck Pagano reacts against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Wild Card playoff game (Copyright US Presswire)

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Colts 9 - Ravens 24

Sunday’s AFC Wild Card playoff game between the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens abounded with compelling story lines. After missing 12 weeks to receive treatment for leukemia, Colts head coach Chuck Pagano was facing his former team in just his second game back on the sidelines. The Colts were also facing their own former coach, Jim Caldwell, who is now the offensive coordinator for the Ravens. Further affecting player emotions, Ravens linebacker and future Hall of Fame-r Ray Lewis, who announced his pending retirement earlier this week, returned from a triceps injury to contest his final home game, while on the Colts’ side, offensive coordinator Bruce Arians was hospitalized with an undisclosed illness (He is said to be doing ‘fine’). Lastly, few Baltimore fans can forget that the Colts were once their home team before leaving in the middle of the night to relocate in Indianapolis.

The Colts played with full hearts, but in the end, they could not withstand the force of the playoff hungry Ravens. However, the defeat cannot hide the fact that the Colts have had a phenomenal season. Few thought the team would win more than 5 games, let alone make the playoffs and win 11. Several players deserve recognition for their strong play on Sunday afternoon.

Offense

Although Andrew Luck had a bad pick and did not throw a single touchdown pass, he did complete more than 50% of his passes for the first time in several weeks. He also threw for 288 yards. But as Tom James of the Terre Haute Tribune-Star will say, “Too many people look purely at stats and don’t watch how a player impacts a game.” Luck does far more for the Colts than his numbers – even as staggeringly impressive as they are for a rookie –  suggest. What hurt Luck in Baltimore were a very weak offensive line and 10 inexcusable drops by receivers. The O-Line took two big hits early when Jeff Linkenbach and Winston Justice were injured and replaced by Seth Olsen and Bradley Sowell, respectively. The two blockers’ inexperience had Luck under pressure all afternoon. Too add, Donnie Avery could not seem to get a grip on the ball, and even the usually reliable T.Y. Hilton struggled bringing the ball in. Thus, no one in blue and white reached the end zone.

However, Reggie Wayne and Vick Ballard provided sparks to the offense. Wayne was on fire, catching 9 passes for 114 yards, and in the process he moved to second all time, behind only the great Jerry Rice, on the postseason receptions list. The rookie Ballard, meanwhile, rushed for 91 yards on 22 carries, which, by the way, was more than the Ravens’ best back Ray Rice could do.

Defense

The defense started out strong, playing some impressive red zone defense in a scoreless first quarter, but as the game progressed, the unit gradually gave way. Cassius Vaughn and Darius Butler (Vaughn’s replacement when he was benched) seemed to be the thorns in the Colts’ side. The corners struggled to cover Ravens receiver Anquan Boldin, who racked up 145 yards and a touchdown on just 5 receptions.

However, the Colts did an admirable job of containing Ray Rice. Rice was held to just 70 yards on the ground, and the Colts forced him to fumble twice, his first fumbles of the entire season. Cory Redding and Joe Jefeged were each credited with forced fumbles, which were recovered by Lawrence Guy and Pat Angerer, repsectively.

Special Teams

Adam Vinatieri added to his own postseason records on Sunday. He was responsible for all 9 of the Colts’ points, kicking field goals of 47, 52, and 26 yards, the 52-yarder being the longest of his playoff career. Vinatieri did miss a 40-yard attempt in the fourth quarter, but nobody is perfect, even a future Hall of Fame-r. Vinatieri is a perfect 12 for 12 when kicking further than 40 yards in the postseason as a Colt. He has also only missed 2 postseason field goals of any distance while playing for Indianapolis. Pat McAfee also played well, but he could have benefitted from some better punt protection.

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Had the Colts won, they would have traveled to Denver next week to face their former beloved quarterback Peyton Manning and his new family in Denver. What a matchup that would be. Although fans won’t get it now, they won’t have to wait too long to see it happen. The Broncos are scheduled to play the Colts in Indianapolis – Peyton’s homecoming – next season.

The Colts’ season is over, but there is plenty to reflect on in the offseason. Remember, only 17 of the 53 men on the Colts’ current active roster were members of the team last year. I look forward to seeing what another offseason and set of OTAs do for the team’s chemistry. I also look forward to seeing how the rookies improve next season after getting so much playing time and experience in their first year. These Colts are really only just getting started.

Horseshoe Hero is done for the season, but you can bet I will still be sharing any offseason news with you right here on Naptown’s Finest.

Stay CHUCKSTRONG – and COLTSTRONG – Colts fans!

Dec 23, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne (87) catches the winning touchdown pass against the Kansas City Chiefs in the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. The Colts won the game 20-13. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

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Colts 20 - Chiefs 13

The Colts did not win the game of statistics on Sunday afternoon in Kansas City, but they did win the scoring contest, and that not only earned them their 10th victory of the season, but it also clinched them a place in the playoffs. The Colts have clinched the 5th seed in the AFC, and they will be a Wild Card team when the postseason begins in 2 weeks. Postseason appearances have become all but expected of the Colts over the years – this is the 12th time the Colts will contest the playoffs in the past 14 seasons – but few imagined the winning tradition would continue after the Colts cut most of their roster after last season’s 2-14 debacle. The Colts are just the 4th team in NFL history to win 10 games after recording a season of 2 or fewer victories.

Offense

With one week of regular season play remaining, quarterback Andrew Luck surpassed Cam Newton’s rookie passing record, throwing for 205 yards to bring his season total to 4,183 passing yards. The previous record was 4,051 yards. However, while Luck’s passing yards have skyrocketed, his accuracy has waned. Luck completed less than 50% of his throws, and at one point in the second half he had 9 consecutive incompletions. Luck may not be the most accurate passer yet – proof that he is indeed a rookie – but his strength continues to be his unflappable psyche, his ability to not let bad plays get to him. Luck played his best when the pressure was the greatest, when he was needed most. He led the Colts to yet another 4th quarter winning touchdown drive that culminated with a beautiful 7-yard catch in the end zone by Reggie Wayne. He also did not throw an interception for the second straight week.

After having an off week of his own, Wayne returned to his team-leading ways, topping the Colts’ charts in receptions (5) and receiving yards (81). He had an especially productive 4th-quarter, again playing his best football when it mattered most.

The Colts’ rushing game regressed a bit Sunday. Vick Ballard only managed 69 yards on 20 carries after rushing for 105 yards in Houston last week with two fewer carries.

Defense

The Colts defense of late has done a very good job of stopping the run but has struggled with containing receivers. In Kansas City, however, that trend was reversed. The Colts allowed a whopping 352 yards on the ground, 226 of which belonged to Jamaal Charles. However, linebacker Pat Angerer arguably had the play of the day when he forced Charles to fumble late in the first half, which the Colts turned into a field goal.

Darius Butler, who was signed as a free agent by the Colts in late September, has turned out to be a great addition to the team. Butler had a pick-six of Chiefs QB Brady Quinn early in the game. The interception was his 4th of the year, which ties the franchise record. Cornerback Vontae Davis, whom the Colts picked up in a mid-season trade with the Miami Dolphins, also had an interception. Dwight Freeney recorded the team’s only sack, and Jerrell Freeman led the team in tackles with 8 tackles and 2 assists.

Special Teams

Adam Vinatieri had another perfect game, contributing 8 points to the Colts scoreboard with his 2 field goals and 2 extra point kicks.

Punter Pat McAfee was also solid. His 7 punts averaged 45.5 yards, a number that would be higher had the punt protection been a bit better.

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Surprisingly, the Colts will have less to play for than the AFC South-champion Texans when the teams conclude their regular seasons together at Lucas Oil Stadium next week. The Texans are in danger of losing their top seeding in the AFC, while the Colts playoff position will not change with any particular outcome. Still, the Colts will look to seek revenge of an embarrassing loss last week in Houston and will likely give their best effort, because head coach Chuck Pagano – in remission from leukemia – will be back on the sidelines for the first time since his diagnosis in the bye week. Horseshoe Hero will have the game recap for you after the score is final.

Stay #CHUCKSTRONG, Colts fans!

Dec 16, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) sets up to take a snap against the Houston Texans during the first quarter at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports

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 Colts 17 - Texans 29

The comeback pattern looked like it would continue. Down by 10 at halftime, the Colts came out in the second half a much improved team. They were driving. The running game got going, Andrew Luck threw a touchdown pass, and Houston’s play calling appeared conservative. But ultimately, the Colts could not take down the now 12-2 Houston Texans, who, with their victory, clinched the AFC South division title. Had the Colts won at Reliant Stadium today, they would have cliched their own playoff spot with a Wild Card berth. Now, things become a little more complicated.

Offense

Andrew Luck played a solid game, throwing for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns. More importantly, he did not throw an interception, the first time the quarterback did not turn the ball over since Week 9 against Miami. However, Luck was sacked a whopping 5 times, three of which came courtesy of J.J. Watt, a top candidate for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award. The offensive line struggled to give Luck time to the get rid of the football, likely due to the fact that both Samson Satele and Winston Justice were missing from the lineup with injuries.

Vick Ballard was once again the star of the run game. The rookie continues to improve and had his best outing to date, notching his first ever 100-yard rushing game behind Anthony Castonzo‘s excellent run blocking. It’s hard to believe that Ballard has only been starting for half the season. As he will tell you, a player’s name can be called at any time, and it’s amazing the opportunities that can arise from it.

Perhaps the Colts could have put more points on the board if their X-factor player Reggie Wayne had not virtually been taken out of the game plan. Wayne had only 3 receptions for 14 yards, almost unbelievable numbers for the AFC’s 4th-leading receiver. However, T.Y. Hilton did his best to pick up the slack. The rookie out of Florida International caught his team-best 6th touchdown pass of the year and led the team on the day in receiving yards (78). Dwayne Allen had the other receiving score.

What really cost the Colts on offense were some inexcusable errors. Running back Mewelde Moore, who was signed to the active roster just this week, fumbled the ball on Houston’s 1-yard line, costing the Colts a touchdown. Reggie Wayne would also have had a touchdown had it not been negated by a penalty. It did not help that the Colts were only 1-for-8 on third down.

Defense

While the defense did a remarkably good job of containing Arian Foster in the first half, they succumbed to him in the second half, and they could not stop the Matt Schaub-to-Andre Johnson passing tandem at all throughout the entire game. Foster had 165 yards on the ground, while Johnson had 151 yards and a 52-yard touchdown. Dwight Freeney provided a bright spot, recording a tackle for no gain and a sack on consecutive plays in the third quarter (The sack was his first since Week 9). Robert Mathis and Antoine Bethea also recorded sacks on Schaub, and Vontae Davis led the team with 9 tackles. The defense found themselves on the field for a good portion of the game, with the Texans dominating the time of possession.

Special Teams

Adam Vinatieri‘s 26-yard field goal and 2 PATs enabled him to surpass the 100-point mark for the 15th time, good enough for second all time. ‘Nuff said.

Pat McAfee kicked a 63-yard “Boomstick”-worthy punt, but another of his punts was blocked and returned for a Texans touchdown.

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The Colts proved on Sunday that they can indeed compete with the top teams in the AFC, but mistakes cost them a huge statement victory and a guaranteed playoff spot. Without the fumble, the blocked punt, and the touchdown-nullifying penalty, the Colts could very well have found themselves earning a 31-22 victory. Who knows? The Colts’ playoff chances are still very much alive, though. Horseshoe Hero will have the game recap of their matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium next week, and we’ll see what unfolds.

Stay #CHUCKSTRONG, Colts fans!