Facing one of the NFL’s top teams, the Lions, whose offense has been relentless, Indianapolis knew defensive perfection wouldn’t be enough to prevent points. Matching Detroit offensively was essential.
But every time Anthony Richardson found momentum in the Colts’ 24-6 loss, penalties derailed their progress.
“Penalties hurt us,” head coach Shane Steichen admitted. “It starts with me. We’ve got to clean that up. We had a season-high 10 penalties for 75 yards. That’s on me. We can’t have that. We must play cleaner football moving forward.”
The penalties crippled the Colts’ offense.
Quenton Nelson, a Pro Bowl left guard, was flagged first for being an ineligible receiver downfield on a play-action pass where the ball wasn’t released quickly enough. Although the play didn’t erase a significant gain, Detroit’s Dan Campbell accepted the penalty, denying Steichen the chance to go for it on fourth-and-short.
The penalties soon piled up.
Tight end Drew Ogletree’s holding penalty negated a 21-yard gain. Another holding call, this time on right guard Dalton Tucker, erased a 19-yard Jonathan Taylor run. Nelson’s illegal hands-to-the-face penalty wiped out a 7-yard completion by Richardson to Josh Downs.
These penalties not only negated yardage but forced Richardson into impossible situations.
“The down and distances hurt us in those first-and-long, second-and-long spots,” Steichen said. “We can’t put ourselves there. That’s on me—it has to get cleaned up.”
Alec Pierce’s offensive pass interference penalty nullified a 30-yard connection to Downs, a call Steichen chose not to criticize post-game.
“It’s hard to see,” he said. “It’s a bang-bang play without replay. … You all probably saw it better on TV.”
Penalties continued to plague Indianapolis in the second half.
Braden Smith’s holding call nullified a 21-yard completion to Downs, and Nelson drew another penalty for a false start.
Overall, Richardson lost four completions and 79 passing yards due to penalties, while Taylor’s best run on a challenging day was erased.
“Those yellow flags hurt,” Richardson reflected.
The Colts entered the game ranked sixth in the NFL for fewest penalties, averaging 5.5 per game, showcasing a season-long ability to play disciplined football despite struggles elsewhere.
However, the penalties, coupled with other mistakes like drops and missed blocks, proved costly against a formidable opponent.
“Against a good team like that, you can’t beat yourself and try to beat them too,” Richardson concluded. “The penalties hurt us.”
