Colts Completely Fall Apart in Costly Loss to Packers | Jake's Takes

The Indianapolis Colts performed poorly on offense, defense, and special teams, and lost key players to injuries along the way in their 16-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Sep 15, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) rushes with the football during the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts (0-2) appeared to enter Sunday's game with the Green Bay Packers (1-1) at Lambeau Field with an advantage in facing the host's backup quarterback, but that hardly mattered as the Packers controlled the vast majority of the contest.

Green Bay ultimately came out on top, 16-10, after weathering a brief comeback attempt by the Colts late in the game, but it felt more lopsided than that. The Packer racked up 261 yards on the ground, including 237 in the first half, which marks the second straight week that the Colts have surrendered north of 200 yards rushing.

Here are my main takeaways from Sunday's Colts loss.

— Of the most significance, the Colts lost defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (ankle) and defensive end Laiatu Latu (hip) to injuries in the second half. That's after they went into the game without starting strong safety Julian Blackmon (shoulder) and starting cornerback JuJu Brents (IR-knee). We'll see what the prognosis for these injuries is in the next day or so, but the Colts' defensive depth has been severely compromised.

— This was not one of Anthony Richardson's strongest performances, going 17-of-34 (50%) passing for 204 yards (6.0 YPA), with 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions (the third one was on a last-second hail mary). However, the offense has been almost completely reliant on him through two games, as Richardson has received little help. One of the biggest issues on Sunday was drops, as there were at least three or four that should have been caught and would have extended drives. There was also a throw by Richardson deep down the right side on their final drive of the game where AD Mitchell ratcheted down after getting great separation, and the ball sailed by, as Richardson threw it where Mitchell should've been rather than where he was. Lack of execution in the passing game has been a problem through two weeks.

— While the offense as a whole was disappointing, receivers Alec Pierce and Ashton Dulin did stand out. Dulin had a key 13-yard catch that created a first down shortly before providing a block that allowed Jonathan Taylor to get downfield for a big run. Pierce has been far and away the Colts' most productive receiver through two games. On Sunday, he caught 5-of-7 targets for 56 yards (11.2 avg.) and a touchdown, his second of the season.

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 Colts needed the run game to step up in this matchup to complement Richardson and give the offense a chance of having a successful game. Taylor was on his way to doing just that, racking up 135 yards of offense before being inexplicably removed from the game and not playing in the fourth quarter when he was needed most.

— The Colts' run defense was a huge concern after last week's 213-yard gashing against the Houston Texans, and it didn't take long for them to get punched in the mouth on Sunday. Green Bay got the ball to start and promptly marched down the field with an 8-play, 42-yard drive that resulted in a field goal. Six of those plays were runs, which accrued 57 yards (9.5 avg.), including a 34-yard run by Josh Jacobs. Players in the Colts' front seven struggled to get off of blocks, and those who were often failed to make tackles. The Packers carried the ball 34 times for an eye-popping 237 yards (7.0 avg.) in the first half. To their credit, the Colts did settle in and figure things out starting in the second quarter, but Green Bay had already built what turned out to be an insurmountable lead. Also, it wouldn't be fair to omit that the Colts were without Blackmon, and Buckner was on a pitch count before exiting with his separate injury. However, that's a depth and team-building issue. The players who are on the field still have to perform.

You can struggle against the pass and still be a good overall team by season's end, but if you can't stop the run then that equals a loooooooong season.

I know guys are banged-up, but Anthony Richardson and the offense are gonna have to be unreal to make up for this defense.

— Jake Arthur (@JakeArthurNFL) September 15, 2024

— Packers head coach Matt LaFleur had an awesome gameplan for quarterback Malik Willis in this one, totally catering the offense to him and supporting him with a strong run game and several exotic looks to throw the Colts' defense off guard. Will was able to make enough plays to secure the Packers' win.

There will be much more coming from Horseshoe Huddle after Sunday's let down; stay tuned!

---

Need your fill on daily Colts' content? Head over to the Locked On Colts' YouTube channel where Jake Arthur and Zach Hicks hit on all the major topics surrounding this team. Hit that subscribe button while you are there!

Become a Locked On Colts insider! Ask your burning questions and get prompt answers from someone who's around the team every day! Get special access from the locker room, practice field, and press box!

Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and X, and subscribe on YouTube for multiple Colts live-stream podcasts per week.