Dopey Report Card -- Colts vs. Jaguars

If you're a Colts' defensive player, don't read the following report. Ugly.

RUN OFFENSE

The Colts never truly committed to the running game, rushing just 20 times while passing 44 times, but you put the numbers altogether, Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson combined to produce 120 yards on the ground and through the air – not a bad bit of production. Rushing alone, the Colts ran for 99 yards on 20 carries, enough to keep the Jags semi-honest. Zach Moss was a tremendous backup for Jonathan Taylor last season, but Sermon and Goodson, who played so well against Pittsburgh last season, have shown they can handle a limited load. The longest Colts run of the day came courtesy of Joe Flacco, who “scampered” – OK, he ambled – 21 yards on a scramble. Reminded me of Matt Ryan’s long run last year. Like…what? Just FYI, the Colts’ 24 fourth-quarter points were the most since the epic Monday night comeback in 2003 in Tampa, when they scored 28. But they still lost Sunday. Remarkable.

Grade: B-

RUN DEFENSE

The second Tank Bigsby touchdown, in which he broke multiple tackles and looked like Marshawn Lynch in his famous Beastquake run, was an embarrassment. This is quite a group, this defensive unit. They got run over by Houston and Green Bay, gave up over 300 passing yards in victories over Chicago and Pittsburgh and then got lit up by Trevor Lawrence, loser of nine straight starts, in the passing game. True enough, the Colts were missing DeForest Buckner, Kwity Paye, Tyquan Lewis, Kenny Moore II and JuJu Brents, but excuses are for losers. The Colts allowed 126 rushing yards on 23 carries. E.J. Speed’s streak of amassing 10 or more tackles in a game ended Sunday. Of course it did.

Grade: C-