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Sunday Night Football: Colts Suffer Worst Loss Since Move To Indianapolis, Fall To Saints 62-7

NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 23:  Injured quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts watches from the sidelines during the game against the New Orleans Saints on October 23, 2011 at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.  (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Welcome to rock bottom. The absolute bottom. The belly of the beast. Whatever you want to call it. I call it the eternal vortex of suck.

The Colts lost 62-7 tonight to the Saints in front of a national television audience. It's the worst loss in Indianapolis Colts history. Amazing stat from the Indy Star:

62 points Colts have allowed to Saints snaps team record set in 57-0 loss to Chicago on Nov. 25, 1962.

For a moment, think of all the grand and glorious blowouts the Colts inflicted on other teams over the course of the Peyton Manning era, dating back to 1998. One of the biggest was a 55-21 romp of the Saints way back in 2003. I'd say N.O. got us back for that one, and then some.

Saints scored 7 touchdowns tonight. They recorded a franchise-best 36 first downs. Drew Brees had only four incomplete passes.

Prior to the game, NBC's Rodney Harrison said that typically with winless teams, players begin quitting. After watching the first six games of 2011 (all loses), Harrison said there was no quit in the Colts. Believe it or not, even though they got the living gumbo kicked out of them tonight, the team literally did not quit.

If you are looking for positives, Delone Carter had 89 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Donald Brown had 47 yards on nine carries.

So, there. Something positive.

Pretty much everything else is negative. This is rock bottom. The wheels have come off. This franchise is the worst in football. We stink. REALLY stink. '08 Detroit Lions kind of stink. No other way to call it. And while I'm sure all of you are screaming for Jim Caldwell to be boxing up his office supplies tomorrow morning, this is deeper than the head coach. You know that. You have to.

When the team is competing hard, but loses 62-7, that's not the coach.

When listening to the post-game interviews, Colts.com's Kevin Lee interviewed the coach, and Caldwell sounded visibly shaken. He wasn't a sobbing mess, but he definitely sounded different. Coaches rarely survive loses like this. Part of me feels bad for Caldwell. Much of me feels bad for guys like Robert Mathis, who said after the game that the loss reflected bad on him as a player and as a leader. Stand-up guy.

This was the worst loss I've ever seen by this franchise, and I've followed them since 1991. I've seen some bad Colts teams over the time. None lost as bad as this one did tonight. Something has to give. The ball is now in Jim Irsay's court. After losing 62-7, it isn't just the Peyton Manning injury. It's not about cliches or silly phrases like 'one game at a time' or 'next man up.' The problem is much deeper, and will require hard choices.  And if loses like this happen and there is no change or accountability, then that is Jim Irsay saying such losses are 'OK.'

So, back looking for more positives, a 62-7 slapdown is often the fast path to change. I honestly don't know how Bill and Chris Polian can look Irsay in the face after tonight's game.

0-7. Rock bottom. Vortex. Suck.

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...speechless...

DELONE CARTER. You are the FUTURE THO!
Doing big things like Syracuse did against WVU!

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by Max Strauss on Oct 23, 2011 11:50 PM EDT reply actions  

I feel sorry for Caldwell too.

He’s in way over his head, but a lot of this is on him too. He’s the one who allows these useless defensive schemes to persist each and every week. It’s like he just doesn’t get that they’re not working. He’s the one who cuts Tryon with no explanation whatsoever, when we have a ridiculously bad secondary already. I’m so over Caldwell, my head is spinning. He’s a joke. But, the vice chairman, GM and owner are even bigger jokes.

by Ayrshire on Oct 23, 2011 11:55 PM EDT reply actions   2 recs

I too feel sorry for Caldwell, but think he deserves the blame.

All men are created equal. What separates a great coach from a bad one? Just the way they operate. Its not as though Caldwell was never given a chance or came to a bad franchise – hell, a mere 2 years ago we were talking 16-0 rather then 0-16. Its obvious he has to go.

If you wanna feel sorry for someone, feel sorry for Manning. Seeing that pic of him at the top made me feel sad too. He deserves better, and this is coming from a Pats/Brady fan.

Oh my god a floor zombie! Oh wait, thats you
- Toby Turner

by New Century Silver on Oct 24, 2011 12:05 AM EDT up reply actions   2 recs

I would feel sorry for anyone

in his position. And, he’s not a complete prick. So, yes, I feel for him a bit. But, he is a total lackey who took a job that should never have been offered to him. I felt the same way when he was hired, but Manning kept the team winning, and a lot of people never truly realized what a buffoon Caldwell was, until now. But, there has to be accountability. And, since Polian hired him (even with his abysmal college credentials), to me, he’s even worse. But, with our drunken, tweeting, stoner of an owner, I doubt any of the changes that really need to be made, will be made, so this is all just talk.

by Ayrshire on Oct 24, 2011 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions  

I feel bad for Caldwell

But I am not sure that even HOF coaches could work with some of the abysmal talent on this team. I am looking in your general direction defense.

by Odin1980 on Oct 23, 2011 11:55 PM EDT reply actions  

My liver is angry

But I am not. Why? I don’t know. My friend said it best: “This isn’t the NFL. This is dumb.”

I don’t know what else I can do but laugh.

by DeepThought on Oct 23, 2011 11:56 PM EDT reply actions  

It's over.

Time to rebuild. Manning coming back will not change this team. I hope Mr. Irsay is ready to act. The Polians need to go, and that means Caldwell will need to go too. This is the most embarrassing loss I’ve seen in 25 years of loving the Colts.

by clnbailey on Oct 23, 2011 11:56 PM EDT reply actions  

Embarrassed is definitelt the word

Jim Irsay can’t keep his head in the sand forever. Jim Polian can’t live forever on his previous accomplishments. The buck stops here between these two men. Awful decisions in the front office with draft picks, passing on key picks, letting DBs go, etc., someone has to say enough is enough. Yes, we Colts fans have been more than spoiled, this team has set the bar very high; they’ve flat out overachieved for a small market. I have to say that Jim Polian is the fall guy for this current mess. If Tony Dungy were coaching this season I don’t believe we’d be 0-7, but we wouldn’t be far from it either. We can’t keep ignoring the fact that we have zero depth in the defensive backfield, its beyond frightening, with zero potential for improvement in sight, thats not the coaches fault. A LOT of hard decisions await Irsay & Polian and we’re not even at the midpoint of the season yet.

by prayerwalk on Oct 24, 2011 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions  

Maybe I’m just drunk (I am) but, I don’t even think I have the range of emotion to feel what I should feel after watching every snap of this game. I don’t think anyone does. What should I be feeling right now?

by DeepThought on Oct 23, 2011 11:58 PM EDT reply actions  

I feel terrible for Caldwell

He’s had to work with a terrible defense and a nonexistent running game not to mention no Peyton. But he has no creativity in his gameplan, nothing to combat any moves other teams make such as the Super Bowl loss to the Saints. Man I actually feel terrible for Caldwell but he has to go

And even with Peyton I think the score would have been something along the lines of 62-21 because the defense SUCKS especially the scheme

by ColtRock on Oct 23, 2011 11:58 PM EDT reply actions  

Fire everyone

Hire Tim Tebow to fill every position in the organization. Head Coach, Manager, Trainer, Ball Boy, Ticket Taker, Beer Merchant, Janitor.

by DeepThought on Oct 24, 2011 12:00 AM EDT reply actions  

LOL

literally. this needs to happen.

Caldwell needs to be non-monotone for once and yell a little (a lot) and get something done. These defensive schemes where we’re letting these little dump offs to a TE or RB and where we’re giving the WRs a crap ton of space just isn’t cutting it. Don’t get me wrong; until tonight I was seeing improvement every week. I’m sure tonight will give them enough motivation for a while, but damn.

by guardcard on Oct 24, 2011 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions  

If I lived in Indy, or even in Indiana,

I would be like those Eagles fans and start hanging banners outside the Colts HQs on 56th. Something has to give.

by Odin1980 on Oct 24, 2011 12:02 AM EDT reply actions  

Larry Coyer must go

The Colts forced their first punt of the game with a little over 2 minutes to go in the 4th quarter down 55 points. How could he keep his job after this?

by DeepThought on Oct 24, 2011 12:02 AM EDT reply actions  

It's not his fault

He’s not allowed to run the scheme he wants to run.

Bill Polian is a bad GM but he’s an even worse defensive coordinator-by-proxy.

by FatDT on Oct 24, 2011 1:08 AM EDT up reply actions  

#FireCoyer

Not changing my signature until Hechavarria is promoted to the big leagues.
[Funny phrase about how few followers I have on Twitter]

by Joey Kirby on Oct 24, 2011 12:06 AM EDT reply actions   2 recs

..and In the Colts front office

…BP said to CP : you’re welcome. We will fire the goat Caldwell to calm down the fans looking a head to roll…… and then they talked about how With ‘Luck’ how CP will still be set for another decade and how Luck will erase the Draft mediocrities, bad contracts etc.. cheers, CP said. Dad, you have a devious mind but what about Irsay ? doesn’t he has the Final say in things? Irsay? he is a boob BP smirked. He thinks I m HoF GM, and a god gift to Colts. We just have to get Luck, and then he will think same of you..

by DaColtsFan on Oct 24, 2011 12:06 AM EDT reply actions  

Coyer out

The point of Tampa 2 is to “bend but not break” which is not giving the big play. Well, they are not giving the 50 yard pass, but they are letting 5 yards into 50 yard gains, he basically comes out with the same game plan every week and it is very frustrating. He really needs to go, and go like today.

by fanatik on Oct 24, 2011 12:08 AM EDT reply actions  

Accountability

Being from the NYC area, and a Yankees fan, the expectations are huge, and the accountability for not achieving our championship goal, or at least being competitive is also huge. As a Colts fan with a similar expectation of at least competitiveness, after tonight, there has to be accountability. Period. If the Yanks experienced something like this, say, an embarassing start to a season, and an equally embarassing loss on national tv, heads would roll. Changes would be made. Regardless of whose fault it may be, or whether someone feels sorry/bad for someone, changes would be made. This team needs that now. NOW. Accountability. Foster a championship environment where you at the minimum make the playoffs or you will be held accountable. Something. This obviously isn’t it.

by BriBoy1121 on Oct 24, 2011 12:10 AM EDT via mobile reply actions  

ive never watched a game like that before. there must be changes.

by supercolts on Oct 24, 2011 12:11 AM EDT reply actions  

I'm sorry to point it out, but...

Every time you meant to type “losses” you typed “loses” and it just kinda cracked me up.

Anyway, there is nothing to really be optimistic about with this team. The defense is garbage. Plain and simple. The offense would be fine with Peyton Manning. There isn’t any doubt about that. The defense, however, is simply terrible. There is no player worthy of mention in the secondary save Bethea.

The secondary consists of Bethea and then 3-5 terrible players. Powers has been horrid this season. All the corners have been simply atrocious. Lefeged seems to be the only other defensive back who might know how to cover an opponent, but he is almost never on the field.

There is simply no excuse for putting together a team with only ONE player in the secondary. Just terrible.

by LeftNutForAStarCenter on Oct 24, 2011 12:13 AM EDT reply actions  

At least Tressel was flawless.

Or was he even there.

"Screw the NBA, where is my red, white and blue basketball"

by PV Mike on Oct 24, 2011 12:15 AM EDT reply actions  

There wasn’t a play in the lot of them that came remotely close to needing his “expertise”.

The shot NBC got of him was priceless. Beady-ass eyes blinking compulsively to the beat of the lashes the Saints drug across our backs. Thousand-yard-stare.

by DeepThought on Oct 24, 2011 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions  

how about the run by the FB that was ruled a TD but looked short to me

Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game and dumb enough to think it's important. -- Eugene J. McCarthy

by zherebyonki on Oct 24, 2011 3:26 AM EDT up reply actions  

Not his decision.

TDs are automatically reviewed as this one was and upheld.

by srwilly on Oct 24, 2011 9:00 AM EDT up reply actions  

If coaches aren't fired I say we storm the gates

I wish I lived in a world where I could perform my job so poorly and still collect a paycheck.
  
Essentially, Jim Irsay sat the staff down and said, “Here. Take this team. Sit on it. I don’t even really care all that much if you do anything at all with it. Just don’t set it on fire.” and the first action of everyone was to grab the kerosene, rags, and matches and turn the farking thing into a billowing sky-high column of flame.

I don’t know what the future holds for the Colts but a good start would be cutting our losses, bulldozing the entire framework, and starting again new.

It’s been a great run Indy. I’d rather suffer a year or three of rebuilding than to become the neo-Raiders/Bills/Cardinals/insert sad sack franchise here

by DeepThought on Oct 24, 2011 12:15 AM EDT reply actions  

You gotta feel sorry for Caldwell . . . .

I’m sure he is a super great guy, but he is not getting the job done. Sorry Caldwell, but this is the NFL and if you don’t produce, you’re out. Simple as that .You gotta win to keep your job. Nothing personal, just business. That also goes to Coyer, it’s not like this D has no talents and is a bunch of nobodies. He needs to do more with this team. As long as coyer is fired tonight, I’ll be happy. It was the most points scored against the colts in this franchise’s history. I don’t know how Irsay does not fire someone tonight. Heads have to roll after this embarrassing loss.

by fanatik on Oct 24, 2011 12:21 AM EDT reply actions  

I miss Peyton.

Something has to change soon. I was expecting this game/season to be bad, but not the degree we saw tonight.

"A champion is someone who gets up when he can't."
- Jack Dempsey

by infinityzero.systemerror on Oct 24, 2011 12:25 AM EDT reply actions  

They suck so badly...

it has to be a conspiracy. They want to draft Luck. There is no other explanation. You see the players playing hard, but they always seem to be in the wrong place. It’s the organization destroying the season in order to replace Peyton. This week the defense was watching Barney videos or, worse, Archie Manning Saints tape. The offense spent the week on a nature walk in Yellowwood Forest identifying various nuts and acorns and attributing them to their respective trees.

You go 0-7 because you are being maliciously led. It’s too perfect. This team is friggin horrible, but the players are good. The leadership must be intentionally throwing the games. There is no other answer.

I salute the effort. It’s business. Not Chinese restraunt business—it’s billion-dollar business.

by wcwills on Oct 24, 2011 12:33 AM EDT reply actions  

That's starting to be my thought.

The cushions on D, the players that are left on the sidelines… Sounds like they’re not even being given a chance to compete.

"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West

by ISN on Oct 24, 2011 2:12 AM EDT up reply actions  

Miami is still worse

Blew a 15 point lead in under 3 minutes, who btw should have been up 16 points.

by JCub3d on Oct 24, 2011 12:48 AM EDT reply actions  

62--7

Miami couldve blown a 50 point lead and still be better, at least they were in the game and lost in OT.

by C.Settles on Oct 24, 2011 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions  

Difference is...

Miami had a lead and blew it.

Colts were on the verge of being the most outscored team in NFL history. Tell me what’s worse.

Pat McAfee for President 2016
RIP Steve Jobs - Thank you for the Mac computers that I mortgaged my house for.
Anthony Calvillo - 72,382 passing yards - pro football's all-time leader

by KBUnitz on Oct 24, 2011 1:34 AM EDT up reply actions  

Tonight can be summed up easily

#FireTheCoaches

Pat McAfee for President 2016
RIP Steve Jobs - Thank you for the Mac computers that I mortgaged my house for.
Anthony Calvillo - 72,382 passing yards - pro football's all-time leader

by KBUnitz on Oct 24, 2011 1:35 AM EDT reply actions   2 recs

Well played.

Not changing my signature until Hechavarria is promoted to the big leagues.
[Funny phrase about how few followers I have on Twitter]

by Joey Kirby on Oct 24, 2011 1:39 AM EDT up reply actions  

hell no

these coaches showed miami that we mean business. we will not be out sucked by anyone

by omahacolt on Oct 24, 2011 1:56 AM EDT up reply actions   1 recs

And the Fins really want the first pick.

I believe our f*** zone and cover-2 will be gone. Every QB burns the whole scheme.

by Ty46 on Oct 24, 2011 1:48 AM EDT reply actions  

Brees

Only missed on 4 passes all night. Colts didn’t play defense at all.

by FatDT on Oct 24, 2011 2:09 AM EDT up reply actions  

And those 4 incompletes, if I recall correctly, were before halftime.

And it's now my sig
by Bronn on May 17, 2011 4:56 PM EDT

by Sparhawk on Oct 24, 2011 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions  

Lol

Wait wait, what? Both of your blogs (you and the Dolphins) are trying to proclaim yourselves as the worst team in football. It can’t be both of you!

I’m going with the Dolphins. They’re in my team’s division (Pats…don’t kill me). Someone said the Dolphins have defense, which would look good against any QB like Tebow that can’t throw the ball to save his life. Sanchez DID get at least 200 passing yards. Let them do something against Eli before you say that. And, Matt Moore is barely an upgrade over Tebow. Barely.

I learned how to make a sig just so it can say "DFA Darnell MacDonald". That means it must happen.

by Tai on Oct 24, 2011 2:34 AM EDT reply actions  

I beg to differ we are 0-7 so technically we are worse

and they didnt lose by 55 points and we play your teams division too

I’m not sure if you watched the Colts game but the evidence was pretty overwelming

by C.Settles on Oct 24, 2011 2:56 AM EDT up reply actions  

Colts are worse.

Miami’s been in games, and should have beaten the Broncos this week. The Colts are playing defeated, the Phins aren’t.

"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West

by ISN on Oct 24, 2011 4:56 AM EDT up reply actions  

Colts have been in games also

The only games the Colts haven’t been in is against the Texans in week one and this week against the Saints.

by srwilly on Oct 24, 2011 9:05 AM EDT up reply actions  

Chris Polian needs fired

he is the worst in the league. the more he has control, the more the Colts lose good coaches and draft like Al Davis (no offense Al, god rest).

Hire Jeff Fisher!

by BluePlague on Oct 24, 2011 4:19 AM EDT reply actions  

What are you even talking about?

Chris Polian is not in charge. Bill Polian is in charge.

He is tanking and taking the heat so he can retire and his son can “fix” the team by drafting Luck and not making retarded decisions like cutting Justin Tryon.

by FatDT on Oct 24, 2011 9:45 AM EDT up reply actions  

I believe the point BluePlague was making was that the last 5 or so drafts have been more and more Jr's drafts.

We won’t know, but it’s reasonable to assume he had an expanded role in the scouting over the years, and his influence with who was actually picked probably grew as well.

"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West

by ISN on Oct 24, 2011 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions  

'Suck For Luck' Just Got Personal

Did you see how angry Jim Irsay looked last night?
He probably will wait until the end of the season, but heads will roll….

I thought for sure that the Dolphins had ‘blown it’ by winning their first game.
Then I was convinced that they HAD to be the worst team in football.
Now I’m not so sure.

All I can think of now is revenge in 2012. Come back Peyton!

by Ufansince65 on Oct 24, 2011 7:36 AM EDT reply actions  

The only silver lining in this whole sad saga is how we weigh Manning’s importance to a football team

Patriots went 11-5 without Brady – Welker still had a monster season…Moss, while not as productive, still caught 11 TDs and went over 1000 yards

Wayne, Collie, Clark and the Colts are nothing without Manning…and the Colts are 0-6

If this isn’t a definitive conclusion of Manning’s GOATness, I don’t know what is

by manningtoharrison on Oct 24, 2011 8:15 AM EDT reply actions  

Rock Bottom

Oh, I don’t know if we’ve hit rock bottom, we might go much lower against the Patriots!

by lovezao on Oct 24, 2011 11:13 AM EDT reply actions  

LOL

So you’re saying that the same team that had the Buccaneers on the ropes for 3 and a half quarters (Yeah, the Bucs that beat the Saints rather easily) is/are 55 points worse than the Saints. Come on man.

The team quit. You and I both know that. You just wish the team gave full effort so you could blame Bill Polian for putting together a shit team (which I agree 100%). This team is shit thanks to Polian, but they’re not any worse than the Vikings, Dolphins, Rams, etc. Let’s not totally overreact to this loss, I still doubt they go 0-16. After all, we’ve been in most of the games.

by Coltsfan1345 on Oct 24, 2011 8:47 PM EDT reply actions  

The Bucks also lost to a tune of 49-3 or something recently

its not like they are the model of greatness or consistency they’ve got a young up and down team thats like saying come on man we almost had the bengals we are better than this

by C.Settles on Oct 24, 2011 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions  

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