AFC South: Pat McAfee

Who triggered 2012 incentives?

February, 9, 2012
Feb 9
12:13
PM ET
Brian McIntyre of Mac’s Football Blog has done a tremendous job tracking base salary increases for 2012 triggered by things that happened in 2011. (Hat tip to Alan Burge of the Houston Examiner.)

McIntyre's updated list currently includes 10 players from the AFC South:

Here they are, with their base salary increases:
Brown did good work establishing himself as a premier left tackle and is now slated to earn $2,081,500 -- still quite a reasonable price. Nwaneri is not quite at that level, but he set the tone for a line that produced the league's leading rusher. Nwaneri will now make $2.775 million.

On the other end of the spectrum, Dillard is now scheduled to make $1,260,000. He’s going to have to have a big offseason and camp to prove he’s worth that.
Johnathan JosephAP Photo/Stephen MortonSigning cornerback Johnathan Joseph proved to pay off for the Houston defense.
Monday we presented the All AFC-South offense. Today we move to defense and special teams.

I felt like there was a worthy candidate at every spot, and beyond wrestling with choosing between Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis for a defensive end spot, I didn’t have any gigantic struggles.

To accommodate the personnel of the 3-4 Texans along with the 4-3 Colts, Texans and Titans, we created a 12-man defense with four linemen and four linebackers. It seemed like a fair approach to me that stops short of bastardizing the team.

DEs: Houston rookie J.J. Watt was a giant presence from the start, serving as a key piece of the team’s revamped front. He was easily the division’s rookie of the year. Mathis gets the nod over Freeney but it could have gone either way. They both had fewer chances because teams threw less against them, but remained quite effective.

DTs: Antonio Smith of the Texans played end in base and tackle in nickel and his versatility was really highlighted in the 3-4 system. Casey was not at a similar level, but the Titans rookie was a stout and reliable run-stopper.

OLBs: The Jaguars were stacked at linebacker thanks to their free-agent shopping. On an upgraded defense, Daryl Smith really got to show himself a fine player. In Houston, Connor Barwin blossomed into an 11.5-sack guy who was constantly around the quarterback.

ILBs: Brian Cushing was a terror for the Texans, proving an excellent fit as an inside backer for Wade Phillips. At his best, he was something to behold. The same can be said for Jacksonville’s Paul Posluszny. He gave the Jaguars everything they were looking for in terms of production and leadership as a free-agent acquisition.

CBs: Houston’s Johnathan Joseph was the AFC South MVP in my eyes. The Texans hit a home run by adding Joseph, a settling force in the secondary who played sticky coverage all season. Tennessee’s Cortland Finnegan didn’t produce on the same level, but his willingness and ability to shift inside and play a physical brand of nickel was a positive factor for the Titans' defense.

S: The Texans' move of Glover Quin from nickel corner to strong safety worked out beautifully and they are trend-setters in terms of having guys with corner skills playing in the middle of the field. He was steady and productive. Dwight Lowery showed good smarts and awareness for the Jaguars at a spot that was a huge hole the previous season. Signing him will be a priority.

K: Rob Bironas of the Titans missed just three field goals all season. While Jacksonville’s Josh Scobee missed only two, he tried fewer. And Bironas had a division-high 44 touchbacks

P: The Colts' Pat McAfee gets the edge over the Titans' Brett Kern in a very close race. Punting out of trouble was more important more often for Indianapolis, and McAfee’s net average was hurt by less than stellar coverage but shouldn’t offset his slightly bigger leg.

PR, KR: There was no outstanding work done in these spots for anyone in the division, so we pretty much go chalk. Tennessee punt returner Marc Mariani led in punt return average and Jacksonville kick returner Deji Karim led the division in kick return average.

ST: Kassim Osgood of the Jaguars continued to be a top guy in coverage work.
There are two ways to look at Bill and Chris Polian as we learn that Jim Irsay is parting ways with the Colts' vice chairman and general manager.
    [+] Enlarge
    Bill Polian
    AP Photo/Michael ConroyVice chairman Bill Polian, left, and GM Chris Polian will not return to the Indianapolis Colts next season.
  1. They suffered for one terrible season that was largely about the absence of one player, their Hall of Fame quarterback.
  2. The stitching was coming apart on their team and it was time to make a change.

Irsay apparently lines up more with the latter thinking than the former, and will now restart his franchise with a new management team and the No. 1 draft pick. Coach Jim Caldwell’s fate remains undetermined, but it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t be part of such a large sweep.

Bill Polian is a fine football architect. He’s a smart man, who knows he’s a smart man and who tends to talk down to people he doesn’t respect or doesn't believe are as smart. Those qualities could make him somewhat of a tyrant -- especially to some branches of the media, but not to them exclusively -- which is hardly the worst thing you can say about a football executive.

Still, as the season frayed, Polian flailed in defending some moves rather than admitting errors. If a couple of decent showings by Curtis Painter vindicated the franchise’s belief in him, then why exactly did said franchise run out to sign Kerry Collins? Couldn't he find someone more deserving of arrows on his weekly radio show than high-quality punter Pat McAfee?

There were more rifts in the franchise and less unity. A bigger split between the front office and the coaches. An incredibly awkward, low-power spot for Caldwell with regard to speaking for the team. The Polians' circle was a smaller and smaller one.

All that combined to give the organization a little bit of Al Davis Raiders flavor -- super secrecy, odd decisions and revelations, insistence on the rationale being used being unquestionable. Maybe you could make the case for borderline dysfunction once you added the nepotism issue.

Watching Bill Polian throw post-practice passes to a grandson was as good a snapshot memory as I have of training camp 2011. I don’t know Chris Polian well. He seemed like a fine guy when I spent time with him at training camp. But the younger Polian brings questions about just how equipped he is to run a franchise beyond having been brought up under a father who was very good at it.

If Bill Polian decides to retire, what sort of job will Chris Polian land? Some have told me he'd be a candidate to be a scout, not a GM.

I suspect his next post won’t be especially high-ranking, unless Bill Polian is tied in at least as a consultant.

So here is the end. It was an impressive era. While some fans might be relieved, it should qualify as a sad day.

Beyond Jerome Bettis and Tony Dungy, beyond Ernie Accorsi and Ron Wolf, not a lot of people in the league go out on their terms.

Jeff Fisher’s long stint as coach in Tennessee came to an awkward ending last year. It had just run its course and both sides decided a divorce was in order.

This would appear more one-sided -- but it feels the same in a lot of ways. It's been judged to be time for a fresh start. With a decision on Peyton Manning and the first pick and a bunch of aging veterans ahead, it might be the right time for it.

The Colts have a news conference scheduled for 5 p.m. ET. We’ll find out more then.

video
A Twitter timeline of my Colts feed made for odd reading this morning and afternoon.

Early on, receiver Pierre Garcon tweeted: “BLACK MONDAY : (“

It turned out to be more of a question than a statement.

Caldwell
Caldwell
Jim Caldwell was scheduled to talk to reporters at 12:30 ET and no news came as that time neared. He spoke from the podium just like a regular Monday and said things were business as usual.

"We're going through the evaluation process for coaches and players," Caldwell said.

Phillip B. Wilson of the Indianapolis Star tweeted: “Jeff Saturday said a while ago that owner Jim Irsay has assured there will be change. Saturday curious what that will be” And “#Colts coach said he met with owner Jim Irsay after Sunday's game and with execs Bill and Chris Polian this morning.”

Later, around 1:40, punter Pat McAfee tweeted: “Just got out of year end meeting... Coach Caldwell & Chris Polian spoke. Gonna be interesting to see what happens in the next couple days”

The Colts can be methodical and meticulous. I don’t think this necessarily means Caldwell stays in place. But I could also see a scenario where, if the Colts keep him, they won’t announce they are doing so. They’ll just merely continue with their business.

I know owners and executives like to let the season play out before making big decisions or moves.

But I tend to agree with the assessment of Colts devotee and blogger Laura Callaway, who tweeted that Irsay’s decision should have been made a good while ago with a formula.

If X happens or doesn’t happen, then I will do Y.

Apparently, instead, Caldwell will flap in the breeze for a time and we’ll continue to monitor an awkward situation.
Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

Playoff positioning and a potential bye offer the Texans continued incentive to keep winning, says John McClain of the Chronicle.

Gary Kubiak credits general manager Rick Smith for building the roster, says McClain.

Houston fans are basking in the team’s division title, say David Barron and Ronnie Crocker of the Chronicle.

What this division title means to Texans fans, from Lance Zierlein of the Chronicle blog.

Indianapolis Colts

No opponent wants to be the one who loses to the Colts, says Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.

Joe Lefeged made a couple plays in the loss at Baltimore, says Phil Richards of the Star.

Phillip B. Wilson of the Star swings at Bill Polian for negative comments about punter Pat McAfee.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars' injured-reserve count is up to 27, says Tania Ganguli of the Times-Union.

Mel Tucker has little time to mull his future while he tries to oversee a solid finish, says Vito Stellino of the T-U.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans will start Matt Hasselbeck if he’s healthy, writes Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean.

Cornerback Jason McCourty is cleared to return from the concussion that kept him out of the New Orleans game, says Wyatt.
The Stampede Blue web site tracks Bill Polian’s weekly radio show, which is unreasonably not streamed on the Internet.

Last night’s edition produced this nugget in the recap:
As part of the 'what needs to improve,' Polian singled out punter Pat McAfee and said he must get better as a directional and strategic punter.

And this direct quote from Polian was in a follow-up post.
"Pat McAfee needs to take the next step. He needs to become a better directional and strategic punter."

It’s ridiculous to be critical of McAfee considering the Colts under Polian have generally been terrible on special teams and McAfee has a great leg that’s been an asset. Applause to McAfee for standing up for himself in a graceful way.


Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

The Texans are ready to move forward without Matt Schaub, who’s out of the lineup for the first time since 2008, writes John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. “[Matt] Leinart, who hasn’t started a game since 2009 when he still played for Arizona, inherits a team with a 7-3 record, a four-game winning streak and a two-game lead in the AFC South. They also are tied for the best record in the AFC going into Sunday’s game at Jacksonville.”

On the remaining schedule, the Texans could face four rookie quarterbacks, says McClain. That lines up nicely for the NFL’s No. 1 defense.

Indianapolis Colts

Pat McAfee’s been one of the Colts’ few bright spots. The punter and kickoff man refined a lot of techniques working with his personal kicking coach during the lockout, writes Phil Richards of the Indianapolis Star.

Rebuilding doesn’t take long in the NFL, and it’s all about the quarterback, says Nate Dunleavy of 18to88.com.

Jim Irsay tweeted about the quarterbacks at the top of the 2012 draft class.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Blaine Gabbert let his big moment flutter away, says Gene Frenette of the Times-Union. “Quarterbacks young and old are judged mostly on one thing: Did they make plays to win with games on the line? Gabbert is still learning how to do that.” I can appreciate trying to get Gabbert his moment. But I still feel Maurice Jones-Drew has to get the ball on the last play of the game.

The game story from Vito Stellino of the T-U includes comments from offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter on the play selection on the final series.

The Browns gained too many yards, says Tania Ganguli of the T-U. Jack Del Rio said the tackling and execution was not as crisp as it needed to be.

Frenette’s report card.

Tennessee Titans

Jake Locker provided a spark in the loss in Atlanta, but the Titans will be sticking with Matt Hasselbeck provided his elbow is OK, writes Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. I think it's too soon to make a change, and Hasselbeck has earned the job security the Titans are giving him.

The Titans needed one stop at the end to get a chance to win it, but like most of the game, they just couldn’t get it writes John Glennon of The Tennessean.

Mike Munchak isn’t changing quarterbacks, but David Climer of The Tennessean wonders if it wouldn’t be the right move to change course at 5-5.

The receivers liked what they saw from Locker, but hardly endorsed a controversy, says Glennon.

A week after a big game, Chris Johnson was back to being a non-factor, says Wyatt.

Wyatt’s report card.
Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

Matt Schaub’s completion percentage is one of the things affected by the hits he’s been taking, says Jeffrey Martin of The Houston Chronicle.

A game breakdown from John McClain of the Chronicle.

Indianapolis Colts

A year removed from an embarrassing arrest, Pat McAfee shares a lot of perspective with Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star.

Cornerback Kevin Thomas will see his first action tonight in New Orleans, says Phil Richards and mike Chappell of The Star.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Vito Stellino of the Times-Union looks at the Jaguars’ last six prime-time games, all losses.

The game won’t be blacked out in Jacksonville.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans are happy with rookie linebacker Akeem Ayers, but they’d like to see more explosive plays, says John Glennon of The Tennessean.

Jim Wyatt and David Climer of The Tennessean break down Texans-Titans.

RTC: Why Kubiak can't change persona

October, 19, 2011
10/19/11
8:38
AM ET
Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle: “To those people who say Gary Kubiak must be more like Mike Ditka or Jim Harbaugh or Bill Cowher, I would say this: The fastest way for a coach to lose a team is try to be something he is not. Players will quit on a phony in a heartbeat.” I agree that Kubiak can’t and shouldn’t change. But if he’s not coaching a playoff team this season, his replacement will have a different personality.

If the Texans win Sunday, it should be the start of something big. If they lose, it’s time to push the panic button. John McClain of the Houston Chronicle assesses.

Tim Jamison isn’t satisfied after a breakout game, says Jeffrey Martin of the Chronicle.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts' fortunes have changed since the last time they played the Saints, writes Mike Chappell of The Star. "We've been to the mountaintop," defensive end Robert Mathis said. "We're at the valley low right now."

Pat McAfee looks at kickoffs and thinks, no return, no risk, writes Phil Richards of The Star.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Receiver Mike Sims-Walker is rejoining the Jaguars, writes Tania Ganguli of the Times-Union. The Jaguars told him before the lockout that they wouldn’t re-sign him as a free agent, so it’s hard to get too excited about his return. Still, he should add something to a bad group.

Injuries mean offensive tackle remains a concern, says Vito Stellino of the T-U.

Tennessee Titans

Things went south for the Titans after the bye last year and they need to avoid a repeat, says Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean.

The Titans took a hard look at receiver Brandon Lloyd, according to Mike Munchak. Now they intend to get Donnie Avery involved, says John Glennon of The Tennessean. Munchak also said the Titans would take a look at a healthy Terrell Owens. Please note that taking a look and signing are miles apart.

Hot topics on Texans-Titans from Glennon.
Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

The temptation is to suggest this is the beginning of yet another slide or, worse, collapse, the likes of which are all this franchise that has never reached the postseason has ever known. Thus writes Jeffrey Martin of the Houston Chronicle.

Was there ever a moment when you thought the Texans might win, asks Richard Justice of the Chronicle.

Jacoby Jones has been taking heat, but caught a big touchdown pass against the Ravens, says Jeffrey Martin.

If the Texans can’t run, they can’t hide their deficiencies. And they couldn’t run very well in the loss at Baltimore, says John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Former Texan Bernard Pollard made a big defensive play against his old team, say McClain and Martin.

Indianapolis Colts

It turns out the Colts are a one-man team, says Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star.

Once again, the Colts could not find a way to finish in the end, says Mike Chappell of the Star.

The defense in the fourth quarter gave the Colts a chance to win, but it was not enough, says Chappell.

Pat McAfee took the blame for a bobbled hold on a blocked field goal, say Chappell and Richards.

Jacksonville Jaguars

In the end, Sunday’s 17-13 defeat was another galling indication that Jacksonville’s get-over-the-hump year still falls short of expectations. In a season of almosts, the Jaguars found a way to match the team’s longest losing streak in a decade, says Gene Frenette of the Times-Union.

It was a familiar formula, says Vito Stellino of the T-U.

Shuffling on the offensive line hurt the Jags, says Tania Ganguli of the T-U.

Frenette’s report card.

Jack Del Rio changed his mind on a big fourth down, says Stellino.

Tennessee Titans

A bye-week assessment of the Titans so far from David Boclair of The City Paper.

It’s time for Chris Johnson to start living up to his contract, says David Climer of The Tennessean.
ColtsGetty ImagesThese three Colts take the top spot this week: Jacob Tamme, Pat McAfee and Robert Mathis.

Call me indecisive. Call me a homer.

During a week when Peyton Manning and the Colts have dominated the blog, I don't like that three Indianapolis guys happened to be among the best tweeters and had to go atop the new edition of the NFL Twindex, believe me.

I can't worry as much about indecision or perceived homerism as I need to stay true to the game here: sorting through a week's worth of NFL tweets and rating the best. A chance to judge!

So the Colts have extreme representation here. Next week it may be your team. Next week it may be you.

Please point out any tweet of note. We're following 1,066 accounts, it's hard to see everything. Find me at @ESPN_AFCSouth and @PaulKuharsky.

Colts consensus pick: First

September, 1, 2011
9/01/11
11:53
AM ET
Five of us asked to pick the AFC South still have the Colts winning the division.

While Peyton Manning is the big story and his status can change things, once he’s back he will be surrounded by a team that has a lot of key pieces back and healthy. Don't fool yourself. This will be a very talented team.

Here’s my intelligence report on Indianapolis. You can find it along with the predictions, a draft element from Mel Kiper and a look inside the number from ESPN Stats & Information here.

Intelligence Report

Five things you need to know about the Colts:

1. Quarterback uncertainty: A lot of people are saying Peyton Manning will start the opener, no matter what. Really? No matter whether doctors advise against it? I don't think so. He's driven, for sure, but he's not putting himself at medical risk. I expect we may not know his status until 90 minutes before the Sept. 11 game in Houston kicks off. In the meantime, late addition Kerry Collins provides an upgrade at backup. He needs better protection and a better run game than Manning's been getting in recent years to have a chance at success.

2. Stopping the run is key: The Colts failed to stop Arian Foster in the opener a year ago. They'll face the same challenge at Reliant Stadium on Sept. 11, followed by Peyton Hillis, Rashard Mendenhall, LeGarrette Blount and Jamaal Charles. Is the front good enough to stop those types of runners? It needs to be, especially if the offense isn't primed to run out to the sort of leads that prompt opponents to stop running it. Additions like Drake Nevis, Jamaal Anderson and Tommie Harris may help the front be better overall.

3. Special teams, with benefits: The new kickoff rule won't make kickoffs obsolete the way many doomsayers are predicting, but it certainly will make them less important. This is a great thing for the Colts, who regularly underachieve on special teams. Pat McAfee will bury a high percentage of kickoffs in the end zone and the team's lack of a consistent return man won't matter as much. When Manning is in place, the offense will happily take the ball at the 20-yard line at the start of most drives in exchange for not suffering as it did on Antonio Cromartie's big return late in the playoff loss to the Jets. McAfee's used that big leg to become adequate at long-range field goals. Once they are out of Adam Vinatieri's range, they could try the punter in desperate situations.

4. Depth a concern: Indianapolis has unproven depth at both safety and corner, and injuries akin to last year's could really leave the Colts exposed. They let Kelvin Hayden go in a salary-cutting move. That leaves them with Jerraud Powers, Jacob Lacey and Justin Tryon as their top-three corners, with untested Kevin Thomas fourth. They re-signed Melvin Bullitt to play safety alongside Antoine Bethea, but all the options behind them are young and haven't done much. It could be an issue.

5. Short-yardage offense: Joseph Addai can be effective in all situations, but he'd likely benefit and be fresher later in the season if he played fewer snaps. When the Colts are moving the ball, they go no-huddle and trap opponents in personnel packages, unable to substitute. The thing is, they are also unable to substitute. The Colts might do well to pause a bit more often to get rookie Delone Carter on the field to give them their best cracks on third-and-short and near the goal line.
Scouts Inc. finishes out its position-by-position lists with quarterbacks, receivers, tight ends, kickers and punters.

Again, we’ll find some huge fodder for debate.

The AFC South representation:

Quarterbacks
2) Peyton Manning

13) Matt Schaub

20) David Garrard

31) Matt Hasselbeck

40) Kerry Collins

42) Matt Leinart

52) Dan Orlovsky

75) Todd Bouman

79) Rusty Smith

82) Luke McCown

I think: I understand not being high on Hasselbeck, but to rank him behind Matt Moore, Tim Tebow, Jon Kitna, Shaun Hill and Alex Smith is ridiculous. And how can Todd Bouman outrank Luke McCown?



Wide receivers
1) Andre Johnson

2) Reggie Wayne

21) Austin Collie

33) Kenny Britt

36) Mike Thomas

38) Pierre Garcon

55) Kevin Walter

63) Anthony Gonzalez

76) Nate Washington

86) Jacoby Jones

103) Jason Hill

111) Justin Gage

I think: Collie is that good, Thomas is probably undervalued and this is yet another source of wondering about Gage.



Tight ends
3) Dallas Clark

6) Owen Daniels

9) Marcedes Lewis

28) Jared Cook

39) Jacob Tamme

42) Daniel Graham

51) Craig Stevens

58) Joel Dreessen

59) Zach Miller

68) Zach Potter

76 ) James Casey (now a fullback)

I think: Cook, Miller and Casey will all be risers this season.



Kickers
2) Rob Bironas

11) Neil Rackers

22) Adam Vinatieri

26) Josh Scobee

I think: Vinatieri’s probably low based on his reliability.



Punters
13) Brad Maynard

16) Brett Kern

30) Pat McAfee

31) Matt Turk

I think: Maynard is way high considering he could lose out to undrafted rookie Brett Hartmann. McAfee is far too low.
Reading the coverage …

Houston Texans

The Texans are sorting through their running backs and figuring out how to distribute the ball, says John McClain. Here’s hoping they don’t overcomplicate and stick to a simple guideline: Feed Arian Foster.

Mario Williams is unconcerned with his critics, says Jeffrey Martin.

Doug Farrar on Williams as an “endbacker.”

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts need their offensive line at its best. Instead, it is scrambling for cohesion and continuity and badly in need of playing time, says Phil Richards.

Pat McAfee’s got a purpose for that long hair, says Mike Chappell in this notebook. In receiver news, Reggie Wayne returned, Austin Collie was out with a foot injury and Anthony Gonzalez was out with a hamstring.

Jacksonville Jaguars

David Garrard can put a happy face on his last preseason performance, but it doesn’t make it good. Yes, the numbers were meaningful. Vito Stellino's story.

Eben Britton suffered a herniated disc doing explosive squats, says Tania Ganguli. Britton still intends to be in the lineup opening day.

Tyson Alualu looks like a hit to Peter King.

Say what you want about how similar or different the QB situation is from the 2007 season, but we've seen Jack Del Rio endorse a quarterback all the way up until the cut day deadline, then make the switch. It's very likely David Garrard is the Jaguars' opening-day starter, but I don't believe for a second it's set in stone at the moment. Alfie Crow’s thinking about the quarterback situation.

Tennessee Titans

Chris Johnson arrived in Nashville last night for a meeting with the team today, says Jim Wyatt. Johnson didn’t offer too much at the airport.

Kenny Britt found Roger Goodell a very likeable guy when they met on Tuesday in New York, says Wyatt. Britt expects to hear from Goodell about discipline later this week. Here’s hoping that is in fact the timetable.

The lingering questions coming out of camp, from Wyatt.

Don't pay Johnson, says Brian Burke.
The Indianapolis Colts fell to 0-2 in the preseason, dominated by the Washington Redskins 16-3 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The final numbers were ugly, as the Redskins finished ahead 415-150 in total yardage, 215-55 in rushing yardage, 22-8 in first downs and 36:29-23:31 in time of possession.

Tim Hightower gashed the Colts on a 58-yard run on the second play from scrimmage and Roy Helu had a 51-yard run early in the second quarter. Indianapolis doesn’t much care about preseason results, but it should care about struggling against the run to that degree.

Strong safety Antoine Bethea left the game after that first big run with an apparent hamstring injury, and the Colts lack of depth at safety showed.

They were without several receivers too, as Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie and Anthony Gonzalez all sat out.

The Colts shuffled the offensive line some in practice, but didn’t carry it all over to the game as Ryan Diem started at right tackle and Mike Pollak at right guard. The first team offensive line had two false starts -- back-to-back penalties against Pollak and left guard Joe Reitz. Pollak’s replacement, Kyle DeVan, got one in the first half too.

While there were spurts of good pass pressure, including three sacks of Washington starter John Beck, he threw for 140 yards and posted a 101 passer rating.

The Colts’ star of the game was Pat McAfee. The punter averaged 57.3 yards on four punts with a 46-yard net average.

BACK TO TOP