The Colts started this game like they have most of their others; badly. Their offense couldn’t move the ball and their defense couldn’t get off the field. Much to my surprise, they ended up putting up a pretty good fight – only being denied a chance to tie the game by a cruel interception in the endzone off a deflection that still required a brilliant catch from Panthers safety Sherrod Martin. Still, a loss is a loss and that’s now 11 of them for the Colts. The remaining five games will not only dictate whether they make history for all the wrong reasons, but could also go a long way to convincing a certain college quarterback that staying with the team that picks him won’t be so bad after all.
For the Panthers, their offense continues to grow and now has weapons aplenty, something we couldn’t say a year ago. The group that includes Steve Smith, Greg Olsen, Jeremy Shockey and even Brandon Lafell is clamoring for more national attention which it will almost certainly receive in the very near future. There’s still a long way to go on the defensive side, but injuries have decimated the unit and its still probably better than it was in 2010.
Carolina – Three Performances of Note
Newton On Point Again
Cam Newton (+5.1) put in another performance to be proud of Sunday against the Colts. With his main concern obviously being to regain first place in Khaled Elsayed’s Race for Rookie of the Year, he looks to end the inconsistency that has hampered his young career. Despite consistently coming under pressure (15 of 34 drop backs) he looked poised in the pocket and efficiently completed six of his nine attempts for 62 yards. Nothing highlights his ability more than the pass he made at 11:57 in the fourth quarter on 3rd-and-7. Unable to step into the throw with Dwight Freeney in his face, Newton put a laser on Steve Smith running a deep in for 18 yards. With Newton, it’s obviously not just about his passing ability and, though Carolina would perhaps prefer he not take off so much, his scrambling ability was on show again as he added nine carries for 53 yards and a touchdown to his already impressive season totals. He also forced another missed tackle, taking his season total up to 10 … just two fewer than running back Deangelo Williams.
Why the Hype For Byron Bell?
Aside from having a cool name, there’s really little reason to be impressed with Byron Bell (-3.1). It seems announcers mention him in a positive light every time the Panthers take the field but I simply ask why? His game against the Colts was just another disappointment to add to his already long resume. He really is playing like a rookie undrafted free agent that he is. Bell did have a tough matchup against Robert Mathis but allowing his QB to be knocked down three times (one sack and two hits) is never acceptable. He’s now 45th in our Pass Blocking Efficiency rankings at 93.0, which really tells the whole story. Having said that, his work in the run game (-2.6) stood out for all the wrong reasons; he allowed three tackles after minimal gains and graded positively on just one occasion. The “highlight” was a 3rd-and-3 play with 6:42 in Q4 where Robert Mathis was able to slant inside him and make the tackle short of the first down.
Still Struggling Across From Gamble
Its seems the Panthers have been looking for an answer at the other cornerback position for years and Captain Munnerlyn (-2.3) is just another in a long line of those who’ve failed to fill it. Munnerlyn struggled against a Colts passing attack that really isn’t very good, with his problems highlighted by a fourth down conversion with the game on the line. On 4th-and-5 from the Panthers’ 15, Austin Collie ran a simple 5-yard in route that Munnerlyn reacted too slowly to. He was lucky Sherrod Martin was able to make a shoestring tackle preventing a touchdown.
Indianapolis – Three Performances of Note
Donald Brown … Not Ready For the Bust Label
It seems running backs often take a year or two to adjust to life in the NFL and that may well be the case with Donald Brown (+2.7). He was at his best against the Panthers especially on the ground. Brown had 80 yards on 14 carries and, although he didn’t break any tackles, 42 of those 80 came after contact. The touchdown run was well blocked but Brown showed his power on the finish, carrying the safety Sherrod Martin into the endzone. Brown also added a 17-yard reception on his only target (although he’d have liked his chances considering he was matched up with DT Andre Neblett). Brown has also proved a major asset in pass protection this season for the Colts giving up zero QB disruptions on the 48 times he’s stayed in.
Sure He's The NFL’s Leading Tackler But is He Good In Run Defense?
Since taking over at middle linebacker for the injured Gary Brackett, Pat Angerer (+0.0) has put up some staggering numbers. As we know however, the tackle is perhaps the most misleading statistic available. Angerer had six (according to us) against the Panthers but only three came at or around the line of scrimmage. He also missed a further two, one when covering Jeremy Shockey and the other when trying to bring down Jonathan Stewart. Overall, it was a poor day against the run for Angerer who not only missed that tackle on Stewart, but also got stuck on the blocks of Panther tight ends and fullbacks. He didn’t stand out in a negative way but just generally found himself unable to get to the ball carrier. One example is a DeAngelo Williams run at 12:36 in the fourth quarter. Angerer did, however, make his presence felt when rushing the passer where he added a sack and two hits.
Has Powers Turned A Corner?
The Colts have been struggling in the secondary for a while now with just Jerraud Powers (+2.2) grading positively out of their starters against the Panthers. After having a tough time of it early in the season (-7.0 coverage grade in Weeks 1 to 5) he’s really come on of late (+5.4 in Weeks 9, 10 and 12). Powers who was the only cornerback to take every rep for the Colts (69), allowed five of the seven passes his way to be completed, but for just 25 yards and an average of just 3.6 per target. He graded negatively just once and positively four times showing an impressive ability to break up smoke routes and receiver screens. Despite starting a good 8 yards off, he made a great break on one play at 5:43 in the first and tackled Lafell for a loss. Powers is now the lone positively-graded defensive back to take a snap for the Colts, so he'll have added pressure to continue to improve.
Game Notes
– The Colts defensive tackles did not register a single pressure.
– Cam Newton attempted just one pass longer than 20 yards.
– The Colts missed twice as many tackles (eight) as the Panthers (four).
PFF Game Ball
Reggie Wayne‘s five catches on six targets produced 122 yards and a touchdown and earned him the game ball.
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