Colts Have Plenty To Evaluate After Preseason Opener Tie With Patriots

For the Indianapolis Colts, the 13-13 preseason opener stalemate does not reflect the numerous missed opportunities to step on the necks of the reining AFC-champions, punch the ball into the end zone, or for either quarterback to claim their job on the depth chart.

The Colts turned the ball over four times through the first three quarters, or five counting turnovers on downs. There were two drives that started past their own 45-yard-line, plus another that started inside the Patriots’ 30-yard-line, that Indy ultimately came away with zero points. The Colts leaned on their young quarterbacks and a pair of late field goals to settle for a tie with the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.

Indianapolis’ offense struggled to find any early rhythm as three turnovers ended the Colts’ first four possessions. Quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. commnaded the second unit throughout the entire first half. He spiked his first pass attempt at the line of scrimmage, but ultimately finished a solid 11-of-14 passing for 145 yards and rushed for 53 yards on just six carries. Richardson did throw an interception on a tipped pass intended for receiver Coleman Owen and later lost a fumble after Patriots linebacker K.J. Britt punched the ball loose on a 12-yard scramble. 

It looked bleak before the final play of the first quarter as the 24-year-old had completed just two screen passes. Richardson then fired a dart on a deep comeback route to receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhene for nearly 20 yards to close the first frame with an explosive play and some momentum. He broke loose for a 22-yard run on a read-option to start the second quarter, then later added a 7-yard scramble before stepping out of bounds just shy of the goal line. The Colts lost another fumble on a rookie mistake as seventh-round running back Seth McGowan coughed it up just short of the goal line to terminate their second possession. 

The Patriots made it necessary to target cornerback Jonathan Edwards. Quarterback Tommy DeVito ignited their fourth drive executing the run-pass-option and hit receiver Mack Hollins on a slant against Edwards for 17 yards. Faced with third-and-short from midfield, he hit receiver Efton Chism III on a crosser for a 20-yard gain against Edwards. DeVito punctuated the 12-play drive by throwing a fade to receiver Kyle Williams, who burst past Edwards for a 12-yard touchdown to extend the Patriots’ lead to 10-0 with four minutes left in the first half. 

It seemed that the final two drives would be the most important for Richardson and the second-unit to finish strong and figure out how to get some points on the scoreboard. Richardson thrived off the play action fakes for three consecutive plays as he hit receiver D.J. Montgomery over the middle for 13 yards. He found tight end Will Mallory on a crosser for 18 yards, then caught a break with just enough touch on the final play before the two-minute warning. His underthrown pass was barely tipped by cornerback Channing Canada, but luckily still fell into the lap of Mallory for 19 more yards. Mallory led with a game-high six catches on seven targets for 80 receiving yards, proving he deserves some looks in the pass game this season.

Richardson dumped off a brilliant screen pass to running back Ulysses Bentley IV while facing an all out blitz, which allowed the offense to set up shop near the goal line. The 250-pound dual threat QB then plunged into the end zone for the first touchdown of the preseason as the Colts cut the deficit to 10-7 with one minute left in the opening half. 

The Colts collected a dozen combined defensive stops, including seven tackles for loss and five pass breakups. The defensive front made its presence felt throughout the first half as Adetomiwa Adebawore pounced into the backfield to help force a sack that was finished by rookie George Gumbs Jr. Rookie Cayden Curry stood out with a team-high six tackles, three QB hits, two tackles for loss, two pass deflections, and one sack. Rookie linebacker Bryce Boettcher and safety AJ Haulcy also added three solid tackles in their first NFL action. Indianapolis was able to limit New England’s rushing attack, holding the Patriots to just 83 rushing yards on 32 carries, just 2.6 yards per rush. 

The third stringers continued to struggle to get into any sort of flow as Riley Leonard’s first two possessions lasted just three plays apiece. He was flooded with heavy pressure from the first snap and his second throw felt more like it was fungoed into centerfield before it was intercepted by Patriots safety John Saunders Jr, which set up the Patriots inside Colts territory for their final scoring drive. 

Leonard led a pair of methodical late drives in the fourth quarter, feeding receiver Raylen Sharpe on multiple short completions while adding an 11-yard scramble of his own. The sixth-rounder finished 10-for-21 passing for just 89 passing yards and one interception. Colts kicker Spencer Shrader connected on a 46-yard field goal to cut the deficit in half midway through the fourth, then later drilled a 61-yard field goal to tie it with just 1:16 remaining. Both teams had one final possession and moved the ball to their own 45-yard line, but neither team could find the winning points. Four turnovers, a turnover on downs and inconsistency remains from the ongoing quarterback and kicking battle. Richardson still was able to showcase his explosive running ability, coming just two yards shy of the game-high and Leonard engineered a late rally to level the score in the clutch. 

The Colts head back to Droplight Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, Ind. to host a pair of light weekend practices at 4 p.m.