The Colts knew they had an opportunity coming into Oakland to beat a struggling football team. They did just that behind a powerful offense, 42-28.
It looked a little concerning early on. The Colts defense couldn’t stop anyone, and Oakland was moving the ball down the field. But then the offense stepped in and won the game. They scored on every drive except for one on their way to a great victory.
The best thing about the victory? The running game. They rushed for over 200 yards. Marlon Mack continues to shred defenses, rushing for over 100 yards for the second straight game. Nyheim Hines also ran the ball well.
Balance was always going to be the key for this offense. With Mack back, they have been able to achieve that balance. Andrew Luck only threw the ball 31 times. That seems to be the sweet spot. Having a running game who can gash a defense like that is a great weapon.
The best part about the offensive performance was the lack of turnovers. They did not have a single turnover. There was actually only one turnover in the entire game, and that was a fumble by Doug Martin late in the 4th quarter that was forced by Darius Leonard.
The defense does have some concerns. They got almost no pressure on Derek Carr all game long, and couldn’t stop the passing game. The secondary was banged up, so that was definitely part of it. But they have some things they need to straighten out in the bye week.
This win gives the Colts a big opportunity. They have the bye week to get healthy, and then they play their next three games at home. Winning those games would give the Colts a chance to take charge in the division. Hopefully they are able to take advantage.