For the Indianapolis Colts, the 13-13 final score of the preseason opener does not reflect the numerous missed opportunities to step on the neck of the reining AFC-champions, punch the ball into the end zone, or claim the job.
The Colts turned the ball over four times through the first three quarters, or five if you count turnovers on downs. There were two drives that started past their own 45-yard-line, and another that started inside the Patriots 30-yard-line, that ultimately came away with zero
points. The Colts leaned on their young second-year quarterback and a pair of long field goals to settle for a tie with the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Indianapolis’ offense struggled to find any rhythm after three turnovers in 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 passing 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 Nick Westbrook-Ikhene for nearly 20 yards to end 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 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 the drive with a 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. He punctuated the 12-play drive throwing a fade to receiver Kyle Williams, who burst past Edwards for a 12-yard touchdown to extend the 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 and got lucky with just enough touch on the final play before the two-minute warning as his underthrown pass was barely tipped by cornerback Channing Canada, but somehow still fell into the lap of Mallory for 19 more yards.
After Richardson dumped off a brilliant screen pass on an all out blitz to running back Ulysses Bentley IV, which set up shop at the goal line, the 250-pound dual threat QB 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 front made its presence felt throughout the first half. Adetomiwa Adebawore helped force a sack that was finished by George Gumbs, while 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 also added three solid tackles. 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 three plays apiece. He was flooded with heavy pressure from the first snap and his second throw felt fungoed into centerfield and ultimately got intercepted by John Saunders Jr, which set up New England inside Colts territory for their final scoring drive.
Leonard led a pair of methodical late drives in the fourth quarter, feeding Raydon Sharpe on multiple short completions while adding an 11-yard scramble of his own. An illegal hands-to-the-face penalty against New England extended the possession and gave Indianapolis new life past midfield.
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.
