The good, the bad, and the ugly from the Colts’ Week 11 loss to the Detroit Lions

While the Colts’ 24-6 loss to Detroit was a closer game than the box score suggests, the gap between Indianapolis and a true Super Bowl contender was clear. There were some promising moments, but the Colts ultimately made too many mistakes against a far more talented team. As Indianapolis gears up for the final stretch of the season, here’s what we took away from Sunday’s defeat.

Good

Pass pressure

While Detroit won comfortably in Indianapolis, the offense didn’t produce the usual jaw-dropping numbers we’ve seen this year. The Colts held the Lions to under 25 points for just the fourth time this year — and the defensive front was the difference-maker. Against the best offensive line in the NFL, Indianapolis recorded 9 QB hits, 3 sacks (plus 1 strip), and 7 tackles for loss. DeForest Buckner, Laiatu Latu, and Dayo Odeyingbo were standouts in an otherwise rough game for the Colts’ defense. 

Michael Pittman Jr.

It’s been a challenging year for Indianapolis’ No. 1 wideout. Pittman is having a serious down year as he’s struggled to connect with Anthony Richardson or Joe Flacco, while still dealing with a lingering back injury. However, the fifth-year receiver had a vintage performance Sunday and racked up 96 yards off 6 catches. He looked like his usual self, finding pockets of space against a talented secondary and reeling in tough catches.

Bad

Pass protection

The Indianapolis offensive line is usually a strength for this team but injuries and inconsistency have crippled the unit. The makeshift group, that the team has stitched together with 3 rookies, is just not up to par. Richardson was constantly under threat (and only avoided a sack because of his sheer strength), while Jonathan Taylor had absolutely no space to run. The Colts need better health and depth in the trenches fast.

Run defense

Stopping the run has been a recurring issue for Gus Bradley’s defense all year. On Sunday, his unit faced the most dangerous two-headed ground attack in the league. The duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combined for 127 yards from 29 carries — not their best numbers on paper, but they were effective. The run game helped the Lions dominate time of possession, extend drives with multiple third-down conversions, and score 3 short-range touchdowns. Once again, Bradley had no answer.

Ugly

Pass defense

Against the Colts, Detroit’s high-powered offense did most of their damage through the air. Jared Goff sliced and diced the Indianapolis secondary to the tune of 269 yards with a 72% completion rate. The Lions attacked the Colts’ defensive backs in every way imaginable — underneath, over the top, across the middle, on the outside, and out of the backfield. While Detroit has plenty of elite playmakers (7 different guys caught a pass on Sunday), it's pretty easy to make plays when the Indianapolis defense gifts you acres of space.

Execution on offense

We can study the Colts’ offensive struggles for hours but, at the end of the day, this team couldn’t score a single touchdown and only managed 6 total points. Richardson’s accuracy issues popped up again, but this disastrous performance goes way beyond him. Taylor, the star running back, had his worst game of the year. The tight ends didn’t secure a single catch and Drew Ogletree dropped an easy touchdown. The aforementioned o-line never found its footing. Offensive-minded head coach Shane Steichen deviated too much from the winning game plan established on the opening drive. The team, in general, suffered self-inflicted wounds including countless penalties and mistakes. In other words, this was a failure across the board.