It’s not a happy Sunday for New England Patriots fans. A marquee Saturday night game in Week 15 was supposed to captivating and season-defining.
Instead, it was a disastrous setback. You could argue the Pats played their worst football of the season in all three facets of the game collectively. The 27-17 defeat at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts was also a lot worse than the box score indicated.
Bill Belichick’s side failed to execute effectively and magnified a brand of undisciplined football that’s outrageously uncharacteristic for New England. This one got away from the Patriots early and they lost wire-to-wire. They did battle and try to make it a game in the fourth quarter, but at that point it was too late.
Kyle Dugger had been ejected for fighting Michael Pittman. They were thrown off their axis too drastically to remain in sync to pull off that steep of a comeback. And even worse, the Colts talked the talk and walked the walk even after providing the Patriots with their defensive game plan.
From the couch, it really appeared as if the team was wildly unprepared, especially for one coming out of a bye week. And these three stats might tell the whole story.
The Patriots lost to the Colts because they were terrible unprepared and undisciplined.
3. Two interceptions, two fumbles, two total turnovers
Like we said, the Colts said earlier in the week that they were going to try and make this a “one-dimensional” game for the Patriots in which Mac Jones was tasked with throwing the ball often. And that’s exactly what happened.
Jones uncorked a season-high 45 pass attempts but completed just 57.7% of them for 299 yards. He did throw two late touchdowns … but he also threw two back-breaking interceptions. One came right before the half to kill a seven-play, 60 yard drive and the other came right out of the half to continue the narrative rather than flip it. The first one cost the Patriots at least three points, and the second gave the Colts three points. Instead of 17-3 with a chance to make it a one-score game, it was 20-0.
Those were the only turnovers, but they had a couple of other scares. Gunner Olszewski made a questionable decision to return a punt, and then he fumbled the ball. Luckily, it went out of bounds. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson coughed one up too, but tight end Jonnu Smith was able to recover and keep it for the Patriots. Stevenson saw a lot of the bench after that.
Sloppy.
2. Carson Wentz’s 12 pass attempts
Two weeks ago on Monday Night Football, Mac Jones threw three total passes and the Patriots rushed for 222 yards in a 14-10 win on the road against the Buffalo Bills. Belichick was daring Bills head coach Sean McDermott to do something about it, and he couldn’t. New England imposed its will and extended their lead in the division.
Two weeks later, Colts head coach Frank Reich, who has the best running back in the NFL at his disposal, did almost the exact same thing against Belichick. Carson Wentz attempted 12 total passes in this game, completing five for just 57 yards. He shovel-passed a touchdown. That was it.
On the ground, Taylor led the way with 29 carries for 170 yards and a touchdown. Ashton Dulin added two for 39 and Wentz chipped in eight for 17. That’s 39 total rushes for 226 yards. That’s 5.8 yards per carry for Indianapolis. All Reich likely did was watch the Titans’ performance against the Patriots in late November, when, despite the loss, Tennessee rushed for 270 total yards.
Coming into this one, it was almost as obvious as the Colts’ defensive game plan that Taylor would be the overwhelming focus for an offense that features a quarterback who’s known for questionable decision making. Why would Reich even dream of risking Wentz throwing the ball in JC Jackson’s direction more that he has to?
He didn’t. We knew he wouldn’t. And the result was somehow a disaster for the Patriots.
1. Eight penalties, a blocked punt and an ejection
The Patriots rarely lose their cool, but they did on Saturday. Safety Kyle Dugger was ejected in the third quarter for a brawl with Colts receiver Michael Pittman. That’s when it became evident this team was all out of sorts.
That unnecessary roughness penalty told the story of New England’s eight penalties for 50 yards. The special teams unit also went offsides on a missed field goal attempt, which gave Colts kicker Michael Badgley another, shorter attempt, which he drilled to make it 20-0. That was after the defense held the Colts to negative three yards immediately after Jones’ interception out of the half.
It was an especially bad night for the typically-stout Patriots special teams. They allowed a blocked punt touchdown in the first quarter, made the aforementioned gaffe on Indy’s field goal attempt, and nearly saw Olszewski add to the turnover total.
On the offensive side, an ineligible man down field penalty halted their drive deeper into Colts territory early in the first quarter. A false start by Jonnu Smith on 2nd and 1 from the Colts 13-yard line upended that drive, which culminated with a Jones interception. An illegal block by Kendrick Bourne ended up forcing the Patriots to punt after they were backed up 10 yards. They didn’t score a point until the fourth quarter.
On the flip side? The Colts had two penalties, fewer turnovers, and executed their game plan eons better. Bad night for the Patriots. This loss needs to be forgotten immediately.
Kyle Dugger’s ejection for Michael Pittman fight sums up Patriots’ loss to Colts
The New England Patriots played an uncharacteristic game against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday night, and Kyle Dugger's ejection proved it.