On the national stage of Sunday Night Football over the weekend our Indianapolis Colts produced perhaps the biggest upset of the season by beating the Kansas City Chiefs 19-13. This was a huge victory for the Colts and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, who was able to contain KC quarterback Patrick Mahomes without key defenders Darius Leonard, Malik Hooker, and Clayton Geathers. It was also a night in which the Horseshoe offensive line, led by All World Guard Quenton Nelson and left tackle Anthony Costanzo terrorized the Chiefs’ defense. The Colts plan was to run, run, RUN! The best way to contain Mahomes and the KC air attack was to keep it on the sidelines. They ran the ball 45 times for 189 yards. Running back Marlon Mack accounted for 139 of those yards. Jacoby Brissett scored on an option play for the Colts’ only touchdown.
The Chiefs were without left tackle Eric Fisher and the defensive front seven was banged up, but they certainly didn’t expect to see the dominance in the trenches that the Colts displayed. Quenton Nelson was brutal in pancaking KC defenders and opening lanes for Colts runners. Defensive end Justin Houston celebrated his homecoming with 4 tackles and a sack. He was in Mahome’s face all night long. Mahome was further hampered when one of his own linemen rolled over his already injured left foot which left him limping badly for the rest of the game.
Whatever the issue was with Adam Vinatieri has been corrected. Automatic Adam banged home 3 field goals. Brissett was cool and calm in leading the Colts offense. There is no question that he is in charge. So the team heads into their bye week. This gives them a chance to heal up and regroup. At 3-2 they are tied with the Houston Texans for the AFC South lead. The Texans are their next opponent coming off their bye at home at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Redskins Fire Jay Gruden
The first third of the NFL regular season is in the books and the teams have pretty much displayed their power and potential. At the top, the New England Patriots reign supreme as usual. Next are the New Orleans Saints who are certainly the NFC’s best team right now. At the bottom are the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals and the Washington Redskins who are playing for the number one pick in the 2020 draft right now. After being pounded 33-7 by New England, and falling to 0-5 the “Skins” parted ways with head coach Jay Gruden. Gruden seemed almost relieved when he made his goodbyes to the media. The team will probably name an interim head coach to get them through the season but it is obvious that they have written off this season. Gruden will not be the last to be fired. But it’s a long season.
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