Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts blow another double-digit lead in 38-31 loss to Bucs

Episode Date: November 30, 2021

On today's episode, Evan and Stampede Blue's Stephen Reed recap the Indianapolis Colts' 38-31 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. How did Indy blow yet again another double-digit lead? We dive into the game from all angles.Closing out the show, we go over the roadmap for the Colts to make it in as an AFC wildcard team. What needs to break their way? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello, everyone. Welcome to your latest episode of Locked On Colts, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. I am your host, Evan Sidery, and thanks again for making us your first listen here on Locked On Colts. We are today talking with Stephen Reed of Stampede Blue, a frequent guest on the show. Stephen, I wish we were talking about a more joyous occasion here again, but this Colts team once again blew a double-digit lead to the Tom Brady Latambe Buccaneers. I was at the game on Sunday.

The atmosphere was incredible there at Luke's Hall Stadium. But unfortunately, we were just talking about off the air. The Colts left Tom Brady too much time at the end. They had too many mental mistakes, five turnovers in this one. We'll dive into all of it here in a few minutes. But that script at the end of that game, it was a roller coaster throughout. But the Colts had that one. They've had a lot of games this year, and they just gave it away.

Yeah, yeah, it was frustrating to watch it was you know similar to like watch the Baltimore game or the the Tennessee game the second Tennessee game um where it was just kind of felt like death by a thousand paper cuts and it was just really frustrating because they they did enough to win um in terms of like they had a great game plan going both offense and defense um but the turnovers are what really cost them that's and it's really really that simple is you can't turn the ball over five times you know four really four times in a game because that last interception was a, you know, it's a game-ending interception on a Hail Mary pass. So you can't turn it over four times during the normal course of the game and expect to beat Tom Brady, especially with the weapons that they have

in Tampa Bay and the defense that they have. So the fact that the Colts put up 31 points is really promising. The fact that they had an opportunity to tie and win that game, to tie that game late, even though they had four turnovers leading up to that point, is also kind of a – it's still a really good sign for the Colts moving forward. And what we need to do is, you know, kind of recalibrate ourselves and recognize that going into these

last six games of the season we all said our last seven games of the season we all said that the Colts needed to split Buffalo and Tampa Bay and ideally win at Buffalo to get that AFC that that conference win and get that head-to-head tiebreaker over the Bills. That's what they did. So ultimately, if they would have won this game, it would have been nice icing on the cake. They lost it. It sucks because it basically puts the division out of reach,

even though that was kind of out of reach anyway, but definitely out of reach now. But it wasn't detrimental to them in terms of the wild card because realistically, the Colts still control their own destiny. They get games against new England, Las Vegas coming up. They can knock those guys out of the playoffs with wins there. And they get both of those teams at home, which is huge for the Colts. You,

the other teams that the Colts are probably going to be looking to go for the, those last two playoff spots are the Bengals and the Chargers, and they play each other, I believe, this week. So they play each other this week. The Bengals also have – they both have games against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals have games against the 49ers and Ravens. There's a whole lot of stuff looking upwards for the Colts.

But ultimately, this game, it sucks that they lost, but it's not going to be just an absolute shell shocker for them. It's not going to cripple them necessarily trying to get into the playoffs. Yeah, totally there with you. We said before the Buffalo game, five and two is what you need to do the last seven games to make it. And so far, they're right on track to do that you need to go four and one probably preferably lose if they do lose a game in Arizona on Christmas because if you have the Colts are five and three the AFC this year that's

the best amongst any wildcard contenders so far so if they just hold stay in the AFC Steve I think they're in good shape if they go 10 and 7 to make the playoffs but let's dive into this game a little because if I would have told you before the game started, Stephen, Tom Brady threw us for under 230 passing yards. Mike Evans and Chris got one combined for 40 combined receiving yards. They're both shut down in this game. Tom Brady sacked a couple times. He turns it over once as well.

Carson Wentz throws for 300 yards. John Taylor runs for over five yards per carry again. You would think the Colts run away with this game, but unfortunately the turnovers really bit them. I'm not going to count the last turn at the end of that game there, but four turnovers in the game, like you mentioned, Steven, just really bad mental mistakes on the part of the Colts. Naeem Hines' muff punt, Eric Fisher's whiff assignment on Shaq Barrett when they were driving to make it 31-17 at the start of their quarter. I think that strip-bumble really changed the game in favor of Tampa Bay the rest of that one.

I think those two critical errors, and I think most definitely the Fisher one really swung things in Tampa's favor. But if you would have said before the game Wentz outplays Brady, Taylor does this thing in the second half, Evans and Godwin are shut down. I mean, you think the Colts win this game relatively easily and they were on track to do that until they kind of shot themselves in the foot a little bit in

the second half. Yeah. And honestly, that's, that's, that's's the story right there that's the story of the game is the Colts had four turnovers during gameplay they they were able to get a uh they're able to get a field goal off of an early uh fumble for Tampa Bay they were able to to get some point I think they got some points off the the Tom Brady interception but regardless they kept Tampa Bay. They were able to get some points. I think they got some points off the Tom Brady interception, but regardless, they kept Tampa Bay from getting points on interception. They just had really, really unfortunate turnovers in that third quarter.

That's where it really got away from them. That strip sack, Eric Fisher, it was in that string of pass plays where I think they ran 26 straight passes. And I have said before that I was frustrated about that. Frank Reich was not upset by it and felt comfortable with how they played the game, even though he did say that maybe they needed to give one or two carries in that that stretch to jonathan taylor which is what i've been saying for the past day and a half um trying to explain to people that there is some nuance to this it's not saying that this loss is on frank rake or anything like that

um because it's not it's on the players the players had four turnovers um but that strip sack on eric fisher that the strip sack against Carson Wentz, that turned the tide right there because instead of the Colts, like you said, going up 31 to 14, it became a 14-point swing. And Tampa Bay went down, drove down, scored a touchdown. There's only so long you can expect to hold Tom Brady and Tampa Bay at bay with the offensive weapons that they have because they've got a legitimate runner back in Leonard Fournette. They've got the greatest tight end in all of NFL history in Rob Gronkowski.

Even though he's been hobbled this past year, he still comes up big for Tom Brady. You've got Godwin. You've got Evans. Scotty Miller is a deceptively fast wide receiver and is really effective at throwing his hands up in the air and getting defensive pass interference calls. They've got camp rate. They've got really, really strong weapons along that in that Tampa Bay skill positions. And the fact that the Colts were able to hold them to 14 points, you know, going into halftime is pretty good. Like when you say you're going to go into halftime up 24-14 on Tampa Bay,

you feel really confident about how the team's played thus far. And that's where the Colts were. And the fact that they tied it late in the game in the late in the fourth quarter and tied it up 31-31, you just really needed the defense to make a stop or get a turnover. They couldn't. Or at least hold them to, you know, have them kick a last-second field goal because Ryan Suckup is not a consistent kicker from beyond 45 yards.

It's just a tough loss overall. I thought that they played, like I said, I thought they played well. Um, the lack of running plays in there bothered me because it didn't keep like here. Let me, let me break this down because I'm getting ridiculed on social media for saying, for saying, I wish they would have run Taylor more, which is exactly what Frank Reich said. But, you know, regardless, my issue with the way that Carson Wentz was doing the run pass option on there, he was making the correct read on it. But the correct read on those run pass options was pass.

I understand that. However, Tampa Bay, in putting their defense the way they did, manipulated the Colts into basically neutralizing their own best weapon and Jonathan Taylor. So it's really hard to give that nuanced approach to it because Tampa Bay doesn't want Jonathan Taylor to touch the ball. They don't want anything to do with Jonathan Taylor because he is the best offensive player on that field in terms of just pure skill. It's Jonathan Taylor and then everybody else Tampa Bay side included. He's the best offensive

skill position player outside of quarterbacks on the field. And Tampa Bay was able to get Carson Wentz and Frank Reich to neutralize him by putting those guys in the box my issue was always you have to give Jonathan Taylor a couple carries in there you had Frank Reich talked about his six RPOs and they averaged seven yards of a play that's awesome. In the fourth quarter, when they were still running seven and eight man boxes, Jonathan Taylor had two runs for 20 yards. That's pretty good too. So I, it, it frustrates me that they didn't give him a shot because as the game goes on, the defense wears down. That's when Jonathan Taylor really breaks those big runs and the fact that they allowed Tampa Bay to manipulate them to go away from Jonathan Taylor is what frustrated me

because I still feel like you have to give Jonathan Taylor a couple carries in there even if it's throw away carries and even if it's only get one or two yards it still makes the defense play on and say okay well even if we show them this then they still might run so we have to be aware of that the fact is from midway to the second quarter to the beginning of the fourth quarter they would show them that and then they knew that they were going to get a pass call from Carson Wentz and so then they knew they could pin their ears back and just rush the passer and go after that and play very aggressive because they knew Carson Wentz wasn't going to hand the

ball off because he hadn't that entire time. Yes, Carson Wentz made the correct call on the run pass option. And yes, he did exactly what he was supposed to do exactly what he was coached to do. Sometimes you still have to give the ball to Jonathan Taylor to try to the defense on it so they don't manipulate you into taking out your best player and that's what tampa bay effectively did does this sound familiar you've got one device that lets you catch the game live another lets you stream your favorite shows you're watching sports huts on your phone and you get our neighbor's best friends logging for the good stuff well i want to tell you about a simple way to get all the entertainment you love without the hassle and grow to find your tv together it's's called Direct TV Stream, and it brings your

live TV and on-demand favorites together than ever before. So you can watch your favorite sports, movies, and shows all in one place. That means no more juggling remotes and no need to buy another device ever again. And the best part, there's no annual contract. So get rid of the clutter and the confusion and get your TV together with Direct TV Stream. You can learn more at directtv.com. That's directtv.com. device required content varies by package. Yeah, I'm right there with you. You covered the bases there. Cause I was going to ask about the John Taylor situation. And I tweet this during the game live from the stadium where I'm watching the

game flow, right. It happened right in front of me. I'm just like, obviously this guy's a four, three weapon, MVP candidate, a guy that you need to get the ball in the hands at least 25 times a game, in my opinion. He got 20 touches in this game. But it just surprises me, Stephen, because obviously, like you mentioned, the 26 consecutive dropbacks, they're playing really to the Buccaneers game.

And obviously Frank Gregg mentioned he wants to run a lot of passive plays against this Buccaneers secondary. That's what he mentioned today during his press conference. But at some point, you have to let Jonathan Taylor get going. And I know Zach Kiefer, I think, tweeted out after the game that Jonathan Taylor, on that drive that he had to tie the game up, was facing a lot of short boxes. But I don't think –

That's not true. Yeah, looking back on it myself, that's not true either. I mean, there was a lot of – No, if you go through the YouTube clips, he never faced a box of less than seven in the of them were eight and you can go back through the youth somebody broke it down on youtube and showed the play and showed the box um and listed it out but what zach said on that was not true and zach keifer is a fantastic reporter don't get me wrong it's just he that just wasn't. And that goes to the point too.

Like I understand trying to conserve John Taylor to like bludgeon the Buccaneers later on the game, but Steven, just imagine if they would have just mixed it up a little bit. I'm a fan of exploiting the Buccaneers secondary. I'm a fan of Carson Wentz airing it out, but 26 consecutive plays. I know Frank Greg mentioned Carson Wentz was on some of those plays. He actually audibled out of some runs. But at some point, you just have to trust your offensive line.

You have to trust Jonathan Taylor to go out there and win your one-on-one situations. I know Vita Vea and that Bucs defensive line really bludgeoned the Colts in the first quarter of that game where they couldn't get anything going in the run game. But, I mean, Steve, this guy's an MVP candidate for a reason right now. I mean, get him the ball, trust Quentin Nelson, the offensive offensive line and go out there and make a couple blocks to spring him free we saw on that drive where they went tight again I mean he had runs I believe 15 12 8 on that drive just carrying that Colts offense down the field and I just have to imagine they would have also ran the ball a bit more Steven to keep the ball out of Tom Brady's hands the time of possession

battle I think that would have made a huge difference too. But obviously you can't go back and change the past now. But I just think – I was a fan with the Colts yesterday, Stephen, but I think they sort of mixed up just a little bit. Given John Taylor like five or six carries in between those 26 consecutive dropbacks, I think it would have made a difference. Well, even just a couple. Like even three.

And that's what gets me is don't get me wrong Carson Wentz had a fantastic day yesterday he threw even though he threw those two interceptions one of them again questionable uh and because it was the the game ending technically interception but I mean it really didn't matter in terms of the game um the the first interception I still think was defensive pass interference because Winfield definitely tugged Michael Pittman Jr. And even if he's going for the ball, you can't grab the receiver and hold him down.

That should have been called. It was given to Tampa Bay earlier in the game. Don't get me started on the frustration they have with the referees because the referees throughout the entire game, or let me rephrase, the referees after Tom Brady's interception, like all of a sudden seemed to switch. And the Tampa Bay was getting every defensive pass interference call and the Colts weren't getting anything.

Colts, you know, when Carson Wentz um he made a a dive and Levante David I think um went and whacked him in the head as Carson Wentz is running and then the announcers really quickly on the broadcast goes well that's not a personal foul because he's turned into a runner at that point that announcer is absolutely incorrect on that. When a quarterback is running outside the pocket and he dives even head first, he's giving himself up. And any contact you make with the head or neck of the opponent from that spot, especially with the forearm, shoulder, or head, that is a penalty.

That's a personal foul penalty. Carson Wentz didn't get that call. Earlier in the game. Tom Brady got that exact call on the goal line when he's pushing forward on a quarterback sneak and Sandeo comes in and whacks him in the head and really didn't even whack him in the head. He just came in and got him in the shoulder, but the official thought it was the head. So I get frustrated because the officials were incredibly inconsistent in this game again and it cost the Colts cost them an interception there at like what the 10 yard line was where that pick was it would have been Colts first and 10 at the 10 and Tampa Bay doesn't get the ball back the

Colts then get an opportunity to go up 31 to 21 again very different ball game there um but yeah i in terms of jonathan taylor and everything i i was frustrated they didn't mix him in more obviously i feel like it would have been able to keep tampa bay a little bit more honest and it would have allowed the colts to better dictate the game flow and dictate the tempo of the game because once tamp Bay started getting the ball back and got those turnovers Colts were done they like they once it got to like 28 or like 24 21 I was super worried because at that point I'm like the Colts are struggling right now on defense they're not slowing him down much at all and then they got it back and went up 28-24 and I'm going wow if if the Colts can't get a stop and at least have him kick a field goal this game is probably over and this is in the fourth quarter like early in the fourth quarter because the

defense just was kind of gassed at that point because the offense keeps giving them short fields and turning the ball over like it's it's just tough and you can't do that against Tom Brady ultimately like like we've said before the five turnovers are what cost them the game and turn the ball over. It's just tough, and you can't do that against Tom Brady. Ultimately, like we've said before, the five turnovers are what cost them the game, but the play calling cost them the ability to control the tempo and flow of the game, which I think is a nuanced point that a lot of people don't understand and don't appreciate. Frank Reich didn't lose this game.

Frank Reich called a great game in terms of his plays. It's just he lost control of the flow. He lost control of the tempo, and he threw the ball. He allowed Carson Wentz and Tampa Bay to manipulate the Colts' offense to keep the ball out of Jonathan Taylor's hands, which was my biggest issue with the game yesterday in terms of the play calling. But once again, five turnovers, hard to overcome that.

That's what lost them the game. Yeah, the turnovers was the major bugaboo for the Colts yesterday. Before we close out this talk about the Colts-Buccaneers game, obviously they dropped the game 38-31 to Tampa Bay. Just want to hit really quick on another positive from this one, and then we'll dive into the last five games in the cold schedule looking ahead to how they can make the playoffs here as a wild card team. But Carson Wentz, even though the box score won't show it

as far as completion percentage goes, Stephen, but 27-44, 306 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions. He had that strip sack fumble that was Eric Fisher all the way. Marco Winske is about to get sacked as well in that play as well. Also, the interception in the game, I'm not going to count because that was just a desperation situation for Wentz. That one interception that he threw to Pittman was underthrown, so that was a bad ball by Wentz.

But watching him up close yesterday for the first time this season, he has not only an arm, like very special arm talent, but when he gets in a rhythm, Stephen, he looks incredible. I mean, just to be quite frank, when they he gets in a rhythm steven he looks incredible i mean just to be quite frank when they were getting that rhythm there in the second quarter carson wentz was making dime after dime throw like in tough situations in small windows like super impressive game from carson wentz yesterday when the game was placed on him by tampa bay go out and beat us he would have if those turnovers didn't happen yeah Yeah. Honestly, yeah. It's wild because people have just kind of poo-pooed Wentz all season.

And if you, like, really look at the game, and after that long 62-yard throw to Doolin, they're, what, early in the second quarter or late in the first quarter? No, early in the second quarter or late in the first quarter um no early in the second quarter uh Carson Wentz just it just seemed like all this stress melted off of him and he was just playing again um because prior to that it seemed like he was super uptight he was missing throws he was throwing behind wide receivers he was the timing was off and again whether that is the receiver didn't get their head around or Carson Wentz was throwing a little bit earlier a little bit behind not quite sure however after that bomb to Ashton Doolin you could tell like Carson Wentz kind of

felt that swagger and felt that confidence and when he gets in a rhythm like you said he's really tough to stop um with the exception of getting whacked by on his blind side that i don't think team for bay could have slowed him down so like it's carson wentz was in a groove he was playing really really well and after this next game to the to the texans um i think at that point carson wentz will cross the threshold for the 75% of snaps. And if this is a Carson Wentz the Colts get throughout the rest of the season, and then for the foreseeable future, I'm totally fine giving up a first round pick for this version of Carson Wentz, which is the one that I think is going to be what they have for the rest of the year. So I'm excited for the Colts.

I'm excited for Carson Wentz. I think that he is a much better player than everybody's given, especially Philly media. Philly media has kind of poisoned the waterhole in terms of Carson Wentz's perception here in Indianapolis. There's a lot of people that are super supportive of Carson Wentz, but there's a very vocal minority that just hate on him no matter what, because his DVOA isn't great or because he sometimes will make a stupid

decision. But when you kind of look at the overarching, look at the umbrella and see what he really does, he's a really good quarterback, especially in this system. And especially with Frank Reich. So I'm really excited for the Colts at the quarterback position. I think this is Carson Wentz very well could be the long-term solution for the Colts at quarterback for at least the next decade if he continues this play. Just real quick before we dive into the last part of our show, going over the Colts schedule

here, Steven, he played 12 games last year in Philadelphia before he got benched. And his numbers compared to the last year with Indy now are just completely different. I mean, his completion percentage is up from 57.4 to 62.8. His touchdowns has gone from 16 to 21 over that same 12-game span. 10 less interceptions, 15 to 5. His yards per attempt is up by over a yard per game as well. I mean, just based off what we're seeing so far, because that pick is going to convey at this point, there is no way around it. I mean, paying a, I would say probably a 20s, like the 20th, 21st overall pick in this year's draft,

plus a 75th overall pick in last year's draft. If this is the way Carson Wentz plays, I think that's a very fair deal, not only for Indy, but also Philadelphia. I mean, looking back on it now a little bit, that seems like a win-win trade for both sides there yeah absolutely I mean quite honestly Philly probably it gets a short stick on that to be honest even though they get a first round pick out of it because if you you know franchise quarterback usually goes for two first round picks the fact

is Chris Ballard and the Colts got him for a first and a third. I mean, that's a great value for the Colts if Carson Wentz continues this style of play. And I don't see him slowing down, quite honestly. He's now healthy. He's really kind of got a better feel for it. You know that in the next offseason, Chris Ballard, one of his focuses is going to be on the left tackle position and then wide receiver and trying to upgrade his pass catchers. It makes total sense that Carson Wentz is going to continue to excel

as long as he doesn't get hurt. If you didn't take advantage, go ahead and do so for Cyber Monday Specials. If you missed out on Cyber Monday Specials at Built.com, go to Built.com. They have great new flavors every single time you're on the website. They release flavors that are so good. I can tell you from experience, Bilt Bar is easily the best protein bar I've ever had in my life. It really changes everything about the protein bar game, and Bilt Bar does it every single time. I get new flavors, and the taste buds just explode in your mouth when you put a Bilt Bar in your mouth.

So go ahead and get on the action here with Bilt Bar. Go to Bilt.com for these incredible tasting new bars and 20% off everything. Head to Bilt.com and enter code LOCK20 before it's too late or type in LOCK15 for 15% off at BiltBar.com. BetOnline is cared for all season props, odds, and lines than ever before as football season continues the march to the playoffs. BetOnline remains your number one spot for the sports action this season head to our new updated desktop or mobile website sign up today and receive your 50 welcome bonus in your first deposit

just use our promo code locked on to receive your bonus from basketball football nhl boxing and ufc right to your favorite vegas casino games don't take advantage of all the amazing offers available for the 2021 season bet online is the fastest and easiest way to bet on all your favorite sports, and BetOnline is always where the game starts. Totally agree with you there. Let's go ahead and dive into the last part of our show, Stephen, talking through a stretch of the last five games, Stephen, where the Colts need to go 4-1 or potentially run the table if things don't break their way to make the playoffs this year.

According to FiveThirtyEight, their percentage dropped from, I believe, 72% to 53% after that loss to Tampa Bay. They still have over a 50% chance to make the playoffs. If you go four and one, I think the Colts are in at ten and seven, Stephen. Here's their last five games. You have the Texans, and then you have the bye week. And then after that, you have a really, I would say, I mean, tough schedule. I mean, you have the Patriots, then you have also the Cardinals, then you have the Raiders and the Jaguars. I think you have to

win outside of Arizona. I think you have to win every single game the rest of the season to really hold those AFC tiebreakers 10 and seven, Steven. So Texans game, we don't have to really discuss much. I think we both agree that should be a game where the Colts come out very frustrated from their loss, kind of assert their will early on. And maybe we see Sam Ellinger in the fourth quarter of that game. But the last four games, Patriots, Cardinals, Raiders, Jaguars, that three-game stretch between New England, Arizona, and Las Vegas, you for sure have to beat New England, and I think you sure have to beat Las Vegas.

If you beat Arizona on top of that, and you go 11-6, Stephen, that's the cherry on top there. But the Colts are in a spot where they control their own destiny, so to say, but they have to get it done against the AFC the rest of the way. Yeah, and honestly, that's what it is. If the Colts can win the AFC games, they're in. If they don't and they lose to New England and or Las Vegas, they're out. It's that simple.

So the Colts – and both those games are at home. So the Colts are going to be able to have it right there for them. And they're going to have every opportunity to win. I'll be interested to see how the New England game goes, because it's going to be a really, it's going to be a tough matchup. New England's a good team. Mack Jones has proven to potentially be one of the better prepared NFL quarterbacks out of that draft class this past year, out of this draft class. The teams that the Colts are facing and competing with for those last spots, it's one of those situations where you really have to look at it and say,

all right, well, who are they going against? So you've got the Bengals right down there. You've got, let's see, where are the playoffs? I'm bringing them up as we're talking. So you've got, right now, the Colts are in the 10 spot, and they've got the Broncos,iders chargers all above them as well as the Bills and Bengals so it would have been great had the Colts won this weekend because Tennessee lost so it would have put in one game out of the one game out of the division but so

Cincinnati if you you break it down Cincinnati and Los Angeles Chargers play each other right now. And Cincinnati's schedule is really tough from here on out. They might have maybe the toughest schedule out of any team. Cincinnati, it's the Chargers, the 49ers, the Broncos, the Ravens, the Chiefs, and the Browns. Like, that's a really tough schedule. And then you break down, you look at, you know, the Broncos, the Ravens, the Raiders, and the Chargers. Like I mentioned before, the Chargers play the Bengals. Then they get the Giants, the Chiefs, the Texans, the Broncos.

And I don't want to say they get another tough game at the end. And then the Raiders at the end. So all these teams are playing each other the the Chargers Raiders and Broncos are all playing each other's and all have games against the Chiefs so like the Raiders I think played the Chiefs twice during this stretch um or no the Raiders play the Chiefs the Browns Bron, Broncos, Colts, and Chargers. So Colts control their own destiny here because the AFC West teams are going to have to beat each other. And so you're going to get an opportunity to sneak in at that seven spot

from those guys. You already have the tiebreaker over Buffalo. If you can beat New England, you then have the tiebreaker over them. So you'd have the tiebreaker over whoever's there in the AFC East and whoever falls out of that. You have the tiebreaker over all of the AFC West because you'd have a better division record and better conference record. So the Colts control their own destiny here. If they win their AFC games, they're in. 10-7, I think they're in, squeaking in at the 6th or 7th spot. If they can beat the Cardinals, even better. Cardinals,

I think, are going to be without J.J. Watt for the rest of the year. Kyler Murray is coming back from injury. DeAndre Hopkins has been hobbled. And so you've got an opportunity there to play the Cardinals and beat them. The Colts have shown they can go on the road and beat really good teams like they did at Buffalo. And so there's not a game on this at the last five games of the season that I look at and say the Colts don't have a shot here. In fact, as the Colts are good enough to compete with any team, they just have to find a way to finish games.

If they can figure that out, then they're going to be really dangerous teams through the end of the season and into the playoffs, and it's something that I can't wait to see on hard knocks in season with the Colts. Last point here, Stephen, just looking ahead a little bit to next year because the theme you're talking about there, if they just close games, they'd be the number one team in the AFC right now, which is crazy to think,

but that's exactly how it's played out for the Colts of our year. Some bad luck and not closing games, but let's say they go out and draft a left tackle in the second round. They draft a weapon the second round for Carson Wentz. They go out and sign a big name free agent, a wide receiver, like a Michael Gallup.

Michael Gallup. Yeah, Michael Gallup is one, or even go out and get like another guy like a Christian Kirk or something like that to pair with Michael Pittman Jr. Paris Campbell finally has a breakout season next year he stays healthy Ashton Duhon looks like he could be a nice piece to replace Zach Paschal next year as a blocking guy with more speed as well as your fourth wide receiver I mean you can probably sign another or draft another late guy as well in the draft I mean it feels like honestly if the Colts just get healthy,

if Julian Blackman comes back to 100% next year, if you add some more pieces on defense, Quiddy Paye takes another step forward. He definitely is so far over the last three weeks to three sacks in the last three games. But if you just add more weapons for Carson Wentz and you get a protege in place for Eric Fisher, maybe Fisher comes back on another one-year deal and you kind of supplant him with a rookie midseason next year. I think this Colts team, I mean, Chris Bauer,

we all talk about this after the Carson Wentz trade, but 2021 was an evaluation year. You have to imagine, Stephen, from what I've seen so far, the first three quarters of the season, I think Chris Bauer, with the way Carson Wentz has played and the way this team has played, they could be the number one seed if everything broke right for them, if they had closed those games out. I think 2022 might be the year

we finally see the Colts kind of make a big push because this team is very, very close. Yeah, it's like you said, 2021 was always an evaluation year in terms of trying to figure out what you've got at the wide receiver position, trying to figure out what you've got at the defensive end position and the secondary specifically. And you've seen these young players really step up. Brock Kassin has been fantastic all year. And he was, again, really strong this past week, despite the penalty, that random penalty call on Scottie Miller

on the defensive pass interference that set up the Tampa Bay touchdown. But beyond that, they've been good. Isaiah Rogers has been fantastic in the corner position. So I think those two, along with Kenny Moore, you're three starting cornerbacks right there. The question for me and the Colts is, like you mentioned, left tackle for the foreseeable future is a question mark. Eric Fisher, he's been okay um but there are some major lapses that he's had in games where he struggled and that's really tough to see they definitely need a second wide receiver to step up next to michael pitman um paris campbell like like mentioned got injured they i think he expects to be back at some point in december so hopefully that'll happen probably

you know hopefully before the bye week week or right around the bye week, leading into the new England camp. Cause that would be a huge, huge coup for the Colts to get Harris Campbell back. I do think that they're Chris Ballard is going to look at going out and getting a wide receiver in free agency because you're not going to find a left tackle in free agency. So you got to go get one and you got to go get the draft,

a left tackle in that set with a second round pick. And then you've got to look at the wide receiver position and try to fix that free agency. Cause you definitely need somebody on the opposite side that really can stretch the field. This is where Deshaun Jackson would have been a perfect signing for the Colts, even though they have T.Y. Hilton. But T.Y.'s just, like we said last year, he's not the same T.Y. that he was from 2012 to 2019.

He's just not the same player. And so they really need to upgrade that second wide receiver spot and left tackle spot. And then that sneaky position I think they need to look at for the future is safety because Kyrie Willis hasn't played a full season yet Julian Blackman's coming off an Achilles injury so you're gonna need to find guys that you gotta hope Blackman comes back from that and there's no lingering effects you know the Colts are lucky that it happened early in the season and so he's gonna have the opportunity to rehab and hopefully be back around may um and then you've got to find a more reliable backup for kairi willis um or somebody that could potentially supplant him because i love kairi willis i think he's a

great player um most important ability is availability and unfortunately he's a great player. Most important ability is availability, and unfortunately, he's struggled with that. So those are my three positions is wide receiver, left tackle, and safety, probably in that order. Big stretch kind of for the Colts. Next five games, you have to go four and one at least to make the playoffs. Steven, as always, enjoy having you on, man. In the meantime, Colts fans, if you haven't already, go ahead and follow Steven on Twitter, at NiceReadSteve,

and go listen to his work over on Stampede Blue. Stephen, appreciate the time tonight. Thanks, Simon. Have a great one.