Dopey Report Card (Colts vs. Jaguars)

It was fun and inspiring to watch Philip Rivers, but his addition was a long-long-longshot at best. Six losses in a row. And counting.

RUN OFFENSE

Jonathan Taylor hasn’t sniffed a 100-yard rushing game since Nov. 11 in Berlin, and there’s a very good reason for it: He’s playing in a phone booth. It’s no coincidence that his production began to dip once Daniel Jones was injured initially against the Falcons and then suffered the torn Achilles in Jacksonville. With nobody to attack the length and width of the field, Taylor has found himself running into loaded boxes time and again. Sunday, he had a now all-too-typical game, rushing 21 times for 70 yards, a 3.3 yards-per-carry average. He’s failed to reach 100 rushing yards in six consecutive games. The Colts have lost all those games. Also worth noting: The Colts’ 28 rushing touchdowns this season is the most in Indianapolis-era history.

Grade: D

RUN DEFENSE

Nick Cross, who is a free agent at year’s end and needs to be re-signed, finished with a team-high 12 tackles (nine solo) and a tackle for loss. Kenny Moore II had 10 tackles (eight solo) and two tackles for loss. In the process, Moore passed Bob Sanders for most career games with at least two tackles for loss by a Colts defensive back in team history. All of that said, the Colts were ordinary against the Jacksonville rushing attack, surrendering 121 yards on 29 carries, a 4.2 yard average.

Grade: C

PASS OFFENSE

Let’s be honest: There’s only so much production you’re going to get out of a 44-year-old grandpa at quarterback. Philip Rivers said Sunday was the worst of his three performances, completing 17-of-30 passes for 147 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Good enough to be competitive, not quite good enough to win. It was a fun, inspiring story while it lasted, but given the circumstances, it’s no surprise the Colts lost all three games that Rivers started. Nice game from Tyler Warren with five catches for 43 yards. Mo Alie-Cox, known more for his blocking, had three catches for 20 yards and one touchdown. In the end, we’ll remember the Rivers comeback fondly; he acquitted himself exceedingly well, but his limitations were on weekly display – as you’d expect from somebody who hasn’t played in five years.

Grade: D+

PASS DEFENSE

Where’s that pass rush been all season? The Colts had two sacks of Trevor Lawrence and seven quarterback hits. They also amassed eight passes defensed. Think having Sauce Gardner makes a difference across the board defensively? I’m aware that the Gardner trade looks like a small disaster given Jones’ injury and the team’s second-half decline, but Gardner’s addition was never meant to be solely a short-term fix. “The trade, even though it could look like It was an all-in thing, it wasn’t just for this year,” Gardner said. “They want me to be here and they want me to be here not just for this year, but it’s a legacy thing…” Gardner also produced my favorite quote of the day when asked why he returned to the field after an injury despite the fact the Colts were eliminated from the playoffs when the Texans beat the Chargers Saturday. “Man, that ain’t how I operate,” he said. “I’ve got so much gratitude for this game. It’s a blessing to just be able to go out there and play. It’s not just about the playoffs. I don’t play this game solely for the playoffs. I play this game because this is my dream. I’ve got a passion for this game. Anytime I’ve got a chance to play, that’s what I want to do. Because there are a lot of people in this world who wish they could be here.” Also worth noting, a strong game from Germaine Pratt, who made a marvelous interception in the end zone.

Grade: C-

SPECIAL TEAMS

If the Colts had 53 guys like do-everything player Ashton Dulin, they wouldn’t be in this predicament. Whenever he plays, wherever he plays, Dulin produces. He had three kickoffs returns for a career-high 129 yards (43-yard average), including a career-high 55 yarder. He was the first Colt to have two 50-plus-yard returns in the same game since Jordan Todman (who?) did it in 2016. His 43-yard return average was the highest since Josh Cribbs in 2014. Late in the game, Jacksonville purposely kicked the ball out of the back of the end zone, avoiding Dulin altogether.

Grade: A-

COACHING

On the one hand, Shane Steichen looked like the ultimate quarterback whisperer as he helped Daniel Jones return to the form he showed in the Giants playoff season. On the other hand, Steichen signed off on Anthony Richardson and never got him to develop in any meaningful way. I’d be shocked if Richardson is still on the team next season. Anyway, I’m not completely sure what to make of Steichen, who is a .500 coach through three quarterback-challenged seasons. I could make an argument to retain him and I could make an argument to let him walk, but for me, it comes down to what Carlie Irsay-Gordon chooses to do with Ballard. If Ballard is jettisoned, I hate the idea of a new GM being stuck with the former coach. It certainly didn’t work when Ballard was stuck with Chuck Pagano for one lost year.

Grade: B

INTANGIBLES

Yeah, they played hard, they played to win, they showed a lot of grit, and all of that means nothing. They’re paid a lot of money to play hard and play to win. No participation trophies here. Six losses in a row. And counting.

Grade: C