Nov 14, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) passes against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at LP Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Every time the Colts stumble out of the gate and face a double-digit deficit at halftime, you seem to believe they will find another remarkable way to come back and win with Andrew Luck.
Thursday night in Nashville was no exception.
After yet another disappointing first half in which the Colts were mauled in every single way, they came back like the flip of a light switch to win 30-27 and seize full control of the AFC South at 7-3.
The second-half and fourth-quarter comebacks have become more and more ridiculous each week as the Colts keep digging themselves into bigger holes to start. And yet, for whatever reason, they continue to climb out of them.
It doesn’t matter if they have been outscored 35-0 in the first quarter–and 66-9 in the first half–of the past three games. Falling behind seems to grab their attention and gets them going.
Along the way, the Colts have topped three elite teams, but as strange as it sounds, they likely aren’t in that elite group yet themselves. They’re too flawed, and they clearly miss the five offensive starters lost for the season to injury.
But the fact that the Colts are winning is really the most important thing right now. After all, we must remember that the team is supposed to be “rebuilding”. It was never supposed to be in the driver’s seat to win the division this quickly, and especially not have the kind of season it did last year. Talk about perspective.
Things could be a lot worse. Imagine the last two seasons going the way last week did: Falling behind 38-0–at home–to struggling St. Louis, a team without its starting quarterback, former No. 1 pick Sam Bradford, who is supposed to be as good as Luck. Be thankful, Colts fans.
This was never a Super Bowl-or-bust year for the Colts. I hate to get into this topic for about the 100th time now, but would they be any better off now with Peyton Manning still under center? I’m just as tired of answering it as you are of reading and talking about it–NO!
He would’ve been dead a long time ago behind that porous offensive line, and even now with a decent offensive line in Denver (albeit without its Pro-Bowl left tackle) he is getting hobbled up.
I give Jim Irsay, Ryan Grigson and Chuck Pagano all the credit. Say what you want about them. Say that Pagano can’t coach or that Grigson’s deal for Trent Richardson has become a bust. They have a superstar quarterback in-the-making, and they will be fine for many, many years.
The Colts have the potential to be scary next season, just three seasons removed from when they had the look of an expansion team. The five offensive starters they’ve lost will all be 100% and good to go, and the beleaguered defense will have another year of invaluable experience.
But for now, the Comeback (and Cardiac) Colts keep winning, no matter how decimated they are or how poorly they play, and that’s what matters right now.