by Kevin Hickey
The Indianapolis Colts (8-7) failed to take care of business on the road in a 29-10 loss against the Atlanta Falcons (7-8) on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
It was a sloppy game all around for the Colts, who were dominated on both sides of the ball. Neither the offensive line nor the defensive line found ways to generate any consistent push, allowing the Falcons to control the line of scrimmage with ease.
This was a setback for a team that looked primed for a wild-card spot and while not all hope is lost in that endeavor, this defeat certainly muddies the outlook for the final two games.
Here’s a look at the studs and duds from the Week 16 loss:
STUD: TE Kylen Granson
Granson was really the only player who had consistency on Sunday. He led the offense with 62 yards on five receptions. The passing offense never got much going, but Granson came through with a handful of nice receptions.
DUD: Offensive line
The entire unit struggled against a Falcons front that ranked middle of the pack in pressure rate. We knew it was going to be a tough matchup running the ball, but the offensive line was clearly outmatched. Jonathan Taylor averaged just 2.4 yards per carry on 18 attempts while Gardner Minshew was sacked 6.0 times and hit 11 times.
STUD: DT Grover Stewart
It wasn’t a fantastic day for Stewart by any means, but he was the most consistent piece of a defensive line that struggled. He had four tackles (two solo), one quarterback hit and two tackles for loss.
DUD: Pass rush
Though Kwity Paye was able to add a sack, he was the only pass rusher to get home to the quarterback, and the rest of the defensive line mustered just four quarterback hits. They allowed Taylor Heinicke to sit in the pocket with ease throughout the entire day.
DUD: QB Gardner Minshew
Coming off arguably his best game of the season, Minshew looked far from the quarterback who led the Colts to a 30-13 win in Week 15. He was quick to bail out of the pocket far too often, and several of his throws were too late. The offensive line didn’t help in the slightest, but Minshew struggled to get into any kind of rhythm.
Originally posted on coltswire.usatoday.com