The Indianapolis Colts (7-6) snapped their four-game winning streak, falling 34-14 to the Cincinnati Bengals (7-6) on Sunday.
It wasn’t pretty throughout the game in all three phrases, especially in the second half. Indianapolis tied the game at 14-14 at the half but was outscored by 20 points in the second half.
The offense failed to muster up any points in the second half and the defense allowed 20 points in the second half.
Here’s a look at the studs and duds from the Week 14 loss:
STUD: WR Michael Pittman Jr.
It wasn’t a pretty day for Indianapolis’ offense, but Pittman continues to be reliable for Indianapolis.
Pittman recorded 95 receiving yards on eight receptions and also caught the two-point conversion in the first half.
With his performance, Pittman now draws very close to 100 catches (95) and 1,000 receiving yards (984) which already surpasses his 2022 totals.
DUD: Offensive line
I really could put the entire offense (outside of a few) on this list if I wanted to.
However, I want to point to a unit that has been getting a lot of love this year, yet let the team down against Cincinnati. The offensive line.
Whether it was another horrendous day on the ground, failure to protect Gardner Minshew or untimely penalties, the offensive line struggled to take advantage of a poor Bengals defense.
Bernhard Raimann easily had by far his worst performance of the season and was routinely whipped by Trey Hendrickson all day.
To put it simply, this unit was way beyond par and was a big reason for the team’s lack of success offensively.
STUD: LB Ronnie Harrison Jr.
With E.J. Speed out of the game, Ronnie Harrison Jr. was presented with an opportunity on the field.
Harrison Jr. responded with the defense’s one impact play, a 36-yard pick-six to tie the game before halftime.
With so much going wrong for Indianapolis, Harrison deserves to be a stud for one of the few good things that came from the defensive unit all day.
DUD: Defensive line
Talk about a hard fall from grace.
The Colts defensive line had been on a tear the last few weeks, recording 42 sacks through 12 games.
The bad news? They still have 42 sacks.
Jake Browning was barely touched all day long and routinely had a clean pocket all day long.
The pass rush was non-existent, which has been an issue with this unit in the past.
It’s becoming very clear that Indianapolis needs an alpha pass rusher in the room desperately and Sunday’s no-show for the unit reinforces the need.
DUD: K Matt Gay
What in the world was wrong with Matt Gay on Sunday?
Gay has been one of the most consistent and best kickers in the NFL, yet cost the Colts four points by shanking a 38-yard field goal that would’ve given Indianapolis the lead at halftime as well as an extra point.
This isn’t typical of Gay so it is most likely an off day, not a trend. However, Gay absolutely deserves to be on the duds list for his forgettable performance.
