With 1:37 left in the game, the Indianapolis Colts had a 23-20 lead and looked like they would pull off the upset against the Dallas Cowboys. In fact, according to ESPN analytics, the Colts had an 81.5 percent chance of winning after Spencer Shrader’s 50-yard field goal to take the lead.
However, Indianapolis blew those chances in short order. It only took Dallas 29 seconds to score a touchdown to take the lead with 1:08 left in the game. There was still enough time for the Colts to score a touchdown of their own and reclaim the lead. But the game ended when Daniel Jones threw an interception right to Caleb Downs to seal the win for the Cowboys.
Here is a look at the good, bad, and ugly from the Indianapolis Colts’ 27-23 loss to Dallas for their
fifth straight loss of the season.
The Good
Ashton Dulin TD: There was not much that went right for the Indianapolis Colts in this game. But Dulin’s touchdown was clearly the highlight of the game. Dulin only had three receptions all year until this touchdown, which also happened to be his first touchdown since 2024. As the Colts look to evaluate the talent they have left, it would be a good idea to keep getting Dulin involved in the offense and see what he can do in the receiving game.
Hunter Wohler: Another underrated player who stepped up in this game was safety Hunter Wohler, who had a team-leading 16 tackles, including six solo tackles, in this game. He was particularly good in the run game. Before Sunday, he had only 16 tackles in his NFL career. Wohler is another player to keep an eye on throughout the season to see if he could develop into something more for the Colts.
Spencer Shrader: Shrader made two big kicks late to tie the game and then one to give the Colts the lead. He was 3-for-3 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points.
The Bad
Jonathan Taylor fumble: Taylor's fumble against the Cowboys was his fourth fumble of the season, which ties his career high. While Dallas did not score off the turnover, it cost Indianapolis points as they were already in the red zone.
Josh Downs: Since making a trade request, it's been a quiet two games for Downs. On Sunday, he caught 3-of-6 passes for just 24 yards and was credited with two drops, including one on third down late.
The downfield passing game: This element is non-existent for the Colts. Whether there's not enough speed on the field, Daniel Jones struggles, or pass catchers aren't winning their one-on-ones, Indianapolis can't push the ball down the field. This then makes moving the ball on short to intermediate routes more challenging, with the defense often shrinking the field.
The Ugly
Defense on final drive: The defense actually had some takeaways, but their performance on the final drive of the game for Dallas’ defense was terrible. It only took the Cowboys 29 seconds to get a touchdown, set up by a 46-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott to Ryan Flournoy. All they had to do was keep the Cowboys out of field goal range, and it took them one play to fail in that endeavor. There is a lot to clean up on this Indianapolis defense.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts vs Cowboys: Good, bad and ugly from fifth straight loss
