Frustrating start has winless Colts seeking jump-start

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts are frustrated astir being 0-3 for the archetypal clip successful a decade.

They’re mystified by the repeated inability to person short-yardage situations and people touchdowns successful the reddish zone. And they’re upset astir an underperforming defense.

Now, alternatively of assigning blame, those wrong the locker country are motivated by proving this uncharacteristically mediocre commencement is simply an early-season mirage.

“This is simply a sick sensation successful my mouth,” 2020 All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard said aft Indy’s 25-16 nonaccomplishment astatine Tennessee. “When you speech astir 1-0, 1-0, but damn, we’ve got to get 1-0 and we’ve got to get determination soon. We’ve got to find a mode to get the occupation done.”

The urgency of winning a crippled intelligibly was evident successful astir each connection Leonard uttered during the postgame quality conference. He made nary excuses and spoke passionately astir uncovering corrections, particularly with the unit that mounts with each successive loss.

Schedule makers didn’t springiness the winless Colts an contiguous respite, either.

Next weekend, Indy volition apt look its erstwhile starting backmost Jacoby Brissett successful Miami. Then there’s a travel to the Colts’ aged hometown, Baltimore, and a day against 2019 league MVP Lamar Jackson. After those two, the docket may, finally, easiness up.

But if immoderate squad tin rebound from this troubled start, it whitethorn beryllium the Colts.

Three years ago, they started 1-5 and inactive made the playoffs. This year, they’ll person 17 games to marque it. And cipher has been amended astatine orchestrating comebacks than manager Frank Reich.

As a player, helium rallied the Buffalo Bills from a 32-point shortage to bushed Houston successful January 1993 and it inactive ranks arsenic the largest comeback successful NFL history. Nine years earlier successful college, Reich engineered different record-breaking infinitesimal by starring Maryland backmost from a 31-point shortage astatine Miami. That 1 is tied for the fourth-largest comeback successful FBS history.

Can helium bash it again? The Colts judge helium tin and they will.

“I’m angry, and I’m upset,” running backmost Nyheim Hines said aft scoring Indy’s lone touchdown Sunday. “A batch of teams whitethorn not beryllium capable to travel backmost from this, but I deliberation we can. We’re going to look astatine the film, bust our butts connected Wednesday and effort to acceptable the code to triumph this game.”

WHAT’S WORKING

Turnovers. Leonard and the antiaircraft leaders made this season’s extremity clear: 40-plus takeaways. Through 2 weeks, the Colts had three. But with apical cornerback Xavier Rhodes returning, they forced 3 against Tennessee.

WHAT NEEDS HELP

Ground game. Reich continues to speech astir a run-first attack adjacent arsenic the Colts person struggled mightily against 3 beardown defenses. Indy picked up 4.8 yards per transportation Sunday, but threw much than doubly arsenic often arsenic it ran (37-18).

STOCK UP

Carson Wentz. Indy’s quarterback, was a coagulated 19 of 37 with 194 yards and was sacked doubly contempt constricted mobility due to the fact that of 2 sprained ankles. Still, helium showed his caller teammates however pugnacious helium is — and however overmuch helium wants to win.

STOCK DOWN

Parris Campbell. The oft-injured receiver returned aft missing Week 2 due to the fact that of an abdomen injury, but lone had 2 passes thrown his way. He caught 1 for 9 yards. The different was incomplete due to the fact that helium didn’t drawback it cleanly.

INJURIES

The Colts mislaid 4 starters astatine Tennessee, including three-time All-Pro near defender Quenton Nelson with a sprained close ankle. He’s considered time to time and if helium doesn’t play Sunday, the Colts would again beryllium missing astatine slightest 1 of the 5 projected starters connected the violative line. Defensive extremity Kwity Paye (hamstring), information Khari Willis (groin) and cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (ankle) besides near early. Four-time Pro Bowl receiver T.Y. Hilton (neck surgery) isn’t acceptable to commencement practicing yet, Reich said Monday.

KEY NUMBER

36.4 — When it seemed the Colts’ woes successful the reddish portion couldn’t get worse, they did. Indy had 1 TD successful 3 trips wrong Tennessee’s 20-yard line. The Colts are 4 of 11 this season, giving them a 36.4% touchdown conversion rate.

NEXT STEPS

Reich volition walk different week intimately monitoring the wounded study with Wentz, Nelson, Paye, Willis and Ya-Sin joining the list. Right tackle Braden Smith has missed the past 2 games with a strained foot. Hilton is present eligible to beryllium activated from injured reserve. And yet, amid each that work, the Colts request to devise a crippled program that tin pb to a victory.