nate kaeding: What Were the Colts Thinking in the Final Minute?

The Colts will have all off-season to review their strategy when they essentially took the ball out of Peyton Manning’s hands in the final half-minute of regulation. After Nate Kaeding’s field goal tied the score, these were the four plays they ran after the Chargers kicked off with 31 seconds left (via nfl.com):

1-10-IND 19 (:24) (Shotgun) Manning pass short middle to Addai to IND 25 for 6 yards.
2-4-IND 25 (:16) (Shotgun) Manning pass short right to Addai to IND 32 for 7 yards.
1-10-IND 32 (:08) (Shotgun) Manning pass incomplete deep left.
2-10-IND 32 (:01) Manning kneels, dead ball declared at IND 31 for -1 yards.

That’s two dumpoff passes from inside their 30, a wasted pass far over the head of the closest receiver and a kneeldown. Not what you’d expect with Manning, a three-time league M.V.P., at the controls.

Sure, the Colts hurt themselves with consecutive penalties in overtime that gave the Chargers two first downs — and moved them into field-goal range — but in hindsight it seemed as if Indianapolis was playing for overtime in the final minute, figuring they would get a chance to let Manning go to work.

It never came, and now they’re out.


Source: fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com