INDIANAPOLIS — We’re only two weeks into the Indianapolis Colts’ season of high hopes, and one thing already is crystal clear.
They’re a complementary bunch to the bitter and frustrating end.
The Colts are 0-2 after Sunday’s lackluster 16-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, and there was plenty of blame to go around.
“We just got our a** whipped,’’ wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. told reporters in the locker room after the game. “That’s really it, every aspect of it.’’
The Colts en masse:
— Turned Malik Willis into a legitimate NFL quarterback. In his fourth career start and playing in place of injured Jordan Love, he cracked the 100-yard passing level for the first time (122 yards), tossed his first NFL touchdown and finished with a 126.8 rating.
Willis has been with the Packers since they acquired him in an Aug. 27 trade with Tennessee.
“I don’t think you guys can appreciate, or even comprehend, the task that Malik Willis (had),’’ Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “I mean, this guy got here three weeks ago.’’
— Allowed the Packers to run for their most yards in the first quarter (164) since 1991. They piled up 237 in the first half and finished with 261, which came on the heels of the Houston Texans gouging Gus Bradley’s defense for 213.
— Saw Matt Gay return from hernia surgery in late August and pull a 50-yard field-goal attempt wide left. He converted a 34-yarder in the third quarter, but the long-distance miss on the second play of the fourth quarter would have narrowed the deficit to 13-6 with plenty of time remaining to do … something.
— Endured a second straight erratic outing by quarterback Anthony Richardson and the offense. The Colts finished with 338 total yards and 19 first downs, but their lack of efficiency in the first half was glaring — 80 yards on 15 plays.
It was remarkable they only trailed 10-0 at the break. The Colts were 0-of-7 on third and fourth-down conversions before Richardson and Alec Pierce moved the chains with an 11-yard completion with just over 2 minutes remaining.
The offense was more productive in the second half — 258 yards on 38 plays — but the second of Richardson’s three interceptions, this one with 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter and the Colts trailing, 16-3, was too much to overcome. He forced a pass to Pittman that linebacker Eric Wilson snared.
“You can’t win any game with multiple turnovers,’’ Richardson said. “That’s on me.’’
The confluence of inefficiency left the Colts with just their second 0-2 start since 2017 heading into next Sunday’s meeting with the Chicago Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium. It should be small consolation AFC South rivals Tennessee and Jacksonville also are 0-for-2024.
This is about the Colts finding answers in so many problem areas.
“It’s highly frustrating because we know we’re a better team than we’re presenting right now,’’ Richardson said after completing 17-of-34 passes for 204 yards with a late touchdown to Pierce.
“As a whole, we’ve just got to play better.’’
Added Steichen: “I think the biggest thing is we’ve got to do a great job of starting fast, and we’ve all gotta look ourselves in the mirror. We really do.
“I know it’s early. I’m not feeling panic mode by any means. We’ve got so much football left.’’
Moving forward, the run defense is the most troubling issue. It has allowed at least 200 yards in consecutive games for the first time since 2017 and only the third time in the Indy era. The 474 total rushing yards is the most the Colts have allowed in the first two weeks since at least 2000, according to ESPN, and the third-most in any two-game stretch since 1984.
Steichen was asked if he still had confidence in Bradley.
“Absolutely. 100 percent,’’ he said.
Getting the run defense fixed might be problematic moving forward.
Perennial Pro Bowl tackle DeForest Buckner, who played despite a back injury, exited the game in the third quarter with what appeared to be a significant injury to his right ankle. Two trainers had to help him to the bench and Buckner, in obvious pain, eventually was taken to the locker room on a cart.
In the fourth quarter, rookie end Laiatu Latu was ruled out with a hip injury.
According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Buckner suffered a sprain. X-rays were negative and an MRI on Monday will determine the severity.
“The biggest thing is we’ve gotta get (the run defense) fixed,’’ Steichen said. “It starts with myself. I’m the head coach and we have to get in our meeting room on Monday, on Tuesday, Wednesday and get it fixed. That’s the bottom line.
“We’ve got the guys in that locker room to do it. I have no doubt about that. I’m not losing any faith in that, but we’ve got to get it fixed.’’
The Colts tightened things up considerably in the second half, limiting the Packers to 24 yards on 14 attempts. Josh Jacobs finished with 151 yards on 32 carries.
But the damage was done, and the impact undeniable.
For a second straight week, the time of possession was ridiculously lopsided. After having the football for 20 minutes in the opening loss to Houston, the Colts had it for just 19 minutes, 49 seconds against Green Bay.
The inability of the defense to handle the run, especially early. The inability of the offense to generate anything resembling continuity.
The latter was the case even though running back Jonathan Taylor was selectively brilliant — 103 yards on 12 carries. He added 32 yards on two receptions, but didn’t play in the fourth quarter.
On a critical third-and-1 at the Green Bay 28-yard line on the first play of the fourth quarter, Trey Sermon joined Richardson in the backfield and was smothered for a 4-yard loss on an option.
Taylor told reporters in the locker room he wasn’t dealing with an injury.
The offense’s culpability can’t be overstated.
As much as Willis and Jacobs did whatever they wanted when it really mattered, the Colts’ defense still limited the Packers to 16 points — Willis’ 14-yard TD pass to Dontayvion Wicks and three Brayden Narveson field goals.
Here’s a damning stat — the Colts had won 15 straight and 22 of their last 24 when holding the opposition to 16 points or fewer.
Growing pains are to be expected with Richardson. He made his sixth career start Sunday, and just the second on the road.
Steichen insisted he was generally pleased with Richardson.
“Overall, I thought it was OK,’’ he said. “There’s some things probably he would want back. But again, I have to do a better job week-in and week-out.
“I have to be better for him every single time we step on that field.’’
Richardson’s frustrations were evident.
“We started off slow as a group, especially as an offense,’’ he said. “We definitely can’t do that. We know we’re better than that.
“It just hurts losing, bro. Nobody wants to lose. I know we’ve got 15 more, but man, losing the first two definitely hurt. We’ve got a lot to look forward to, but we’ve got a lot to correct in these upcoming weeks.’’
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter/X at @mchappell51.
