Horseshoe Huddle

Colts: 3 Good, 3 Bad in Win Over Ravens

The Indianapolis Colts pulled off a close and gritty win against the Baltimore Ravens with an all-around solid performance from the entire team.

Drake Wally

In this story:

The Indianapolis Colts were able to travel to M&T Bank Stadium and grab a hard-fought 22-19 win against the Baltimore Ravens, who were favored to get the victory.

There were many credits to go around for the Colts to get their second win of the 2023 campaign. This also puts them atop the AFC South currently (2-1), as the Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, and Jacksonville Jaguars all sit at 1-2.

With a great road win under Shane Steichen and Indy’s belt, it’s time to go over the good and the bad from the AFC showdown.

The Good – The Defensive Front

Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Yet again, the defensive front from the Colts impresses.

On the season, the Colts have 12 total sacks, which puts them in top company for league rankings. Against the elusive Lamar Jackson, they would grab four more. Defensive ends Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam would each get one. As well as linebacker Zaire Franklin and rotational defensive tackle Taven Bryan.

Also, Ebukam would rank number one on the team in defensive pass-rush grade per Pro Football Focus for the contest at a blistering 87.4. Following behind is Bryan at 77.5, who is slowly proving his worth as a depth pass-rusher on the interior.

While DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart were somewhat held in check, they still had enough push and good rotation from Bryan to keep the pressure on Jackson. This defensive front will continue to be an issue for any QB if they aren’t planned for properly.

The Bad – Reading Safety Kyle Hamilton

Mandatory Credit: Brent Skeen-USA TODAY Sports

It’s a high accolade to grab three sacks in a single NFL game. If this happens, it’s generally reserved for defensive front members or great pass-rushing linebackers. However, it was safety Kyle Hamilton who destroyed Colts QB Gardner Minshew on as many occasions.

Hamilton had three separate sacks where he would slowly approach a side of the line of scrimmage and hunch behind the end to disguise. The issue is that it was repeated with nothing but resounding success.

While the Colts got the win, Minshew must address the lack of audible or hot route call for a blitzer like that. Hamilton was able to lay some big hits on Minshew, this has to be avoided from now on if he plans to stay healthy.

The Good – Zack Moss

Mandatory Credit: Brent Skeen-USA TODAY Sports

The Colts are beginning to gain confidence in their new number-one running back, Zack Moss. This showed immensely in his solid performance against a good Ravens run defense.

Moss would dominate the share on the day, carrying the pigskin 30 times for 122 yards. He would also throw in a beautiful touchdown catch off of a wheel route from Minshew to add up to 2 catches for 23 yards.

The offensive line also deserves its due for good blocking up front and opening up opportunities for the ground game to get rolling for the second consecutive week. Not to mention, Wesley French filled in for former Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly well.

But, Moss has taken full advantage of his immense workload. The only question is, can he slowly become the bell cow runner that Indy’s been missing and keep up this hot start?

What happens next for the Colts? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!

The Bad – Containing the Mobile QB

Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

It’s not a strength for the Colts when accounting for mobile quarterbacks. On Sunday, despite a great win, Jackson ran rampant on Indianapolis.

Jackson would find room to the outside, but most dangerously up the middle. On the day, Jackson had 14 carries for 101 yards and 2 scores. This wouldn’t drastically affect the pass defense, which limited Jackson to 202 passing yards.

But, if Indy wants to be a serious defense, they must remedy their knack of allowing mobile passers to utilize their legs to open up weak spots. Look for defensive coordinator Gus Bradley to do his best to make sure the Colts are ready for the next mobile QB they face.

The Good – Matt Gay

© Brent Skeen-USA TODAY Sports

When the Colts signed kicker Matt Gay to a record-breaking four-year, $22.5 million contract, many sneered at the gesture.

However, after multiple seasons of kicking disappointments, the Ravens game may have shown the league that the Gay signing makes perfect sense.

Gay has been electric from the toe, putting together a masterclass performance with 6-of-6 on field goals (5-of-5 on Sunday) and 8-of-8 on extra points for the season. Not to mention, he became the first kicker in NFL history with four kicks made past 50 yards in a single game.

Without Gay’s accuracy and poise, the Colts simply don’t win. While Minshew was safe, he wasn’t going to take over the Ravens’ defense. After all, it’s a team win, but Gay was arguably one the biggest factors in the victory.

The Bad – Gardner Minshew’s Field Awareness

Mandatory Credit: Brent Skeen-USA TODAY Sports

This may be a nitpicky entry, but it looked as if it was to cost the Colts the game when it happened.

In the third quarter, while on their own goal line and down 17-16, the Colts had to escape danger to avoid getting tackled in their endzone. On 3rd-and-11, Minshew would drop back and step out of the back of the end zone, resulting in a back-breaking safety (at the time).

This would put the Colts down 19-16 and looked to cripple the chances of a win. While it’s known now that it didn’t affect the outcome, it’s still something for Minshew to monitor. While he’s not the first QB to do this in the NFL, it’s also true that it’s a rare occurrence.

Minshew has to address his field awareness going forward so it doesn’t happen again.

Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and Twitter.

Published
Drake Wally
DRAKE WALLY

Drake Wally covers the Indianapolis Colts at Horseshoe Huddle and co-hosts the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast.  

Home/News