In the NFL Playoffs, cosmetic wins aren’t important. It’s winning that is important. And the Indianapolis Colts surely will take this ugly win, as they used precise passing and a bullying defense to knock the Cincinnati Bengals out of the Playoffs with a 26-10 victory at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Quarterback Andrew Luck who was recently named to the 2015 Pro Bowl, aggravated and punished the Bengals’s 20th ranked passing defense, with a 31 for 44 for 376 yards and 1 touchdown evening. He didn’t throw an interception either which was good, because the Bengals got 20 of those during the season which was tied for 3rd in the entire NFL.
Just think where the Colts (12-5) would be without Luck’s accuracy, fiery and unselfish attitude, his brain, and his leadership skills on and off the field. The Colts hope they never have to answer that question because without him and 2015 Pro Bowl selection T.Y. Hilton (6 catches for 103 yards and no score), the Colts are not advancing to the AFC Divisional Playoffs to oppose the Denver Broncos next week on the road.
As for the Bengals (10-6-1), they saw their season end for the fourth consecutive time in the Wild Card round of the Playoffs.
The fact that the Bengals haven’t won a playoff game—–a 41-14 victory over the then Houston Oilers on January 6, 1991—–since around the time television show In Living Color, and artists Kid ‘n Play and Paula Abdul were popular, says a lot about the state of their franchise.
Cincinnati head coach Marvin Lewis recently had his contract extended for one more year through the 2015 season. So that means he has one more year to get the Bengals past the Wild Card round of the playoffs or he’s gone. Actually, an AFC Championship berth or an appearance in Super Bowl 50 will save his job in 2015.
As for the game, the Colts didn’t waste too much time getting their first points of the game. At the end of their 9-play, 71 yard drive, Colts running back Dan Herron (12 carries for 56 yards and 1 score) followed right tackle Joe Reitz’s block into the end zone from 2 yards out. Herron’s scoring run gave the Colts a 7-0 lead with 11:05 left in the first quarter.
And then on the Bengals’ second drive of the first quarter, rookie sensation Jeremy Hill (13 carries for 47 yards and 1 score) culminated this 9-play, 74 yard drive with a 1 yard dive into the end zone. The game was tied a 7-7 with 1:28 left in the first quarter.
The second quarter saw Colts kicker and 2015 Pro Bowl selection Adam Vinatieri give his team a 13-7 lead with two successful field goals of 38 and 29 yards. But the ironic element of those two successful field goals by the future Hall of Fame kicker, was that they culminated two drives that should have seen touchdowns and which could have possibly put the Bengals away due to their middling offense.
The Bengals have the type of offense that needs to be ahead 21-7—-which would have been the score if the Colts scored on those two drives Vinatieri’s field goals buttressed—-instead of being behind by that score, because their offense hasn’t always been trustworthy, especially in the Playoffs.
Near the end of the first half, Bengals placekicker Mike Nugent saw his 57 yard field goal attempt sail just inside the lower left upright of the goalpost, which cut the Colts lead to 13-10 with 10 seconds left. That was the longest successful field goal in Nugent’s ten-year career and it couldn’t have come at a better time, because the Bengals needed points due to the fact that their offense wasn’t providing them consistently.
In one of the better plays one will see this Playoffs season, Luck who had Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap around his ankles and linebacker Vincent Rey in his face, stepped up in the pocket and threw a sort of Hail Mary pass downfield and into the hands of rookie receiver Donte Moncrief (3 catches for 54 yards and 1 score) for a 36 yard score. The Colts took a 20-10 lead with just under eight minutes left in the third quarter.
The Bengals avoided disaster, when they stopped a 3rd and 4 shovel pass play from Luck to Herron on the CIN 4 yard line for no gain. Vinatieri came in to convert his third field goal, this one from 22 yards. The Colts now had a 23-10 lead late in the third quarter.
On the Colts third scoring drive of the second half, when they got inside the CIN 35 yard line, they decided to go conservative and bore their fans. Three straight runs by running backs Herron (1 carry) and Zurlon Tipton (2 carries) came on the heels of wide receiver T.Y. Hilton’s 9 yard reception.
Instead of airing it out or possibly coming up with passing plays that could really put away the Bengals, Indianapolis decided to run the ball to get into field goal range. Vinatieri came in for his fourth field goal of the game, a 53 yarder that made it through the uprights and gave the Colts a 26-10 lead with around 11:30 left in the game.
After Vinatieri’s last field goal of the game, the Colts were content with running Tipton, passing the ball here and there, and of course playing suffocating defense.
