INDIANAPOLIS —
The Indianapolis Colts wrapped up the 2012 preseason with a come-from-behind 20-16 win over the Cincinnati Bengals Thursday night at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Indianapolis will now head into the team’s Sept. 9 regular-season opener at Chicago with a 2-2 preseason mark. The Colts won both of their home games, sandwiched around road losses at Pittsburgh and Washington.
Several Indianapolis starters sat the game out, including outside linebacker Dwight Freeney and cornerback Jerraud Powers. Offensive guards Mike McGlynn (ankle) and Joe Reitz (knee), wide receiver Austin Collie (concussion), running backs Delone Carter (ribs) and Melwelde Moore (ribs) and defensive end Cory Redding (knee) also missed the game.
“It’s like the last couple of ball games. We’ve got to learn to start faster,” Colts coach Chuck Pagano said at halftime. “We’re killing ourselves with negative yardage plays, penalties, and give up a run here or there. But then [we] responded, came back with two nice drives [in the second quarter], and got two nice [defensive] stops.”
Rookie quarterback Andrew Luck started and played one series before giving way to primary backup Drew Stanton. Stanton also went one series and was then replaced for the rest of the night bye rookie quarterback Chandler Harnish.
Harnish had a nice game, completing 9-of-16 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown. Inside linebacker Moise Fokou netted a team-high 13 tackles. Outside linebacker Mario Addison added six tackles and two sacks.
“Like I said at halftime, we’ve got to find a way to start faster,” Pagano said after the game. “Disappointed, obviously, with our play early on both sides of the ball and special teams. The penalties. We’ve got to get that cleaned up. But like I told the team, I was really proud of every man and that we found a way to win the game.”
Cincinnati jumped to an early 3-0 lead, driving the ball 69 yards in 12 plays on the Bengals first offensive possession of the game. Mike Nugent connected on 37-yard kick with 8:09 left in the first quarter.
Bruce Gradkowski’s 10-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Marvin Jones with 11:05 left in the second quarter pushed the Cincinnati lead to 10-0. The Bengals went 58 yards in 12 plays for the touchdown.
Gradkowski had entered the game during Cincinnati’s second possession when starter Andy Dalton hurt his arm after having a pass tipped by outside linebacker Robert Mathis.
The Colts finally got on the board late in the second quarter as running back Deji Karim scored on a seven-yard run up the middle. Karim’s touchdown was set up by 32-yard pass from Harnish down the right sidelines to first-year wide receiver Kris Adams.
Darren Evans’ one-yard run with 45 seconds left in the first half gave Indianapolis a 14-10 lead. The Colts drive took seven plays but only 53 seconds overall. Harnish and Adams connected on 23-yard pass to give Indianapolis a first down.
Adams also drew two penalties on an incomplete pass as the Bengals were called for a personal foul and pass interference, giving the Colts a first and goal at the one-yard line.
Nugent’s second field goal of the half, this one from 48 yards with 0:02 left in the second quarter, brought the Bengals to within 14-13 at the half.
Cincinnati took a lot of time off the clock with its first possession of the third quarter, driving 83- yards in 16 plays in 8:49. Nugent’s third field goal of the game, a 22-yarder, put the Bengals back on top 16-14.
Indianapolis got a late touchdown, scoring on a 42-yard pass from Harnish to tight end Dominque Jones with 6:54 remaining in the game. The Colts went 73 yards in eight plays as Jones broke a couple of tackles and sprinted down the right sidelines.
Defensive end James Aiono recovered a Cincinnati fumble deep in Bengals territory after the Indianapolis touchdown. But Evans gave it right back to the Bengals on the Colts first play from scrimmage.
The Colts, though, were able to hold defensively to force a punt and then run out the clock at the end of the game.
“We had a chance to ice it there [after recovering the fumble] and then found a way to give it right back. You can’t do that If you’re going to win in the National Football League, “ the Indianapolis coach said.
“When they give you the ball like that and you’ve got a chance to put a team away, you’ve got to do it. But in the end our guys played their tails off and the effort was outstanding. They found a way to win a game. It ended on a positive note. It was big for us.”
n Sloppy game — How bad was it? Both teams combined for a whopping 24 penalties, 14 on Cincinnati and 10 on the Colts.
The Bengals had 119 yards in penalties, which won’t make coach Marvin Lewis happy. Indianapolis was assessed 80 penalty yards.
There were also five total fumbles, three by the Colts and two by Cincinnati. The Bengals lost both of their fumbles, Indianapolis just one.
n Injuries — Outside linebacker Jerry Brown left the game with a shoulder injury and did not return. He is scheduled to undergo an MRI sometime today.
Safety Mike Newton and cornerback Brandon King both incurred hamstring injuries.
Adams left the game after an apparent blow to the head, which drew a personal foul penalty. He said afterward, though, that he was fine and could have come back in.
n Final cuts today — NFL teams must be down to 53-players by tonight. The deadline for having roster moves completed is 9 p.m.
Colts officials are hoping to make an announcement about their final cuts by early evening. Even after 22 players are trimmed from the roster, Indianapolis’ regular-season roster won’t officially be set due to the possible addition of players waived from other teams.
“It’s extremely tough because these guys worked their whole lives to get into an NFL locker room and to play on an NFL stage. You have to call 22 guys (today) at some point and let them know we’re going in a different direction. It’s extremely tough just because they’re great men and they have great character and great integrity,” Pagano said.
“They’ve done everything that we’ve asked them to do from day one. I’m really proud of every man in that locker room. What they did [Thursday night], whether they end up on our 53 or they end up on the practice squad here, as long as they put good tape out there and enhanced their resume, then they’ve got a good shot at making [the roster] of one of the other 31 clubs [in the league].”
Bengals 3 10 3 0 — 16
Colts 0 14 0 6 — 20
C — Mike Nugent 37 FG, 8:09 1st quarter
C — Marvin Jones 10 pass from Bruce Gradkowski (Nugent kick), 11:05 2nd quarter
I — Deji Karim 7 run (Adam Vinatieri kick), 2:28 2nd quarter
I — Darren Evans 1 run (Vinatieri kick), 0:45, 2nd quarter
C — Nugent 48 FG, 0:02 2nd quarter
C — Nugent 22 FG, 8:49 3rd quarter
I — Dominque Jones 42 pass from Chandler Harnish (pass failed), 6:54 4th quarter
Attendance — 65,035 (tickets distributed).
Colts
Colts come from behind to get Bengals in preseason finale
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Colts' coordinators enjoying getting rookies acclimated
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Werner, 36 others open Colts’ mini camp
The Indianapolis Colts welcomed 37 players to the start of the team’s rookie mini camp Friday at the West 56th Street headquarters.
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Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
A year ago, the Indianapolis Colts received high marks for the impact players the team added through the NFL draft.
Of the 10 players selected, five ended up either starting or seeing extensive playing time (quarterback Andrew Luck, tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and running back Vick Ballard) during the Colts’ 11-5 season.
While this year’s class may not rival that group in terms of name recognition and flash, it may produce just as many major contributors once the 2013 season gets underway. -
Werner at top of game
Bjoern Werner was a late comer to football. But after being selected in the first round of the 2013 National Football League draft by the Indianapolis Colts, Werner realizes that he has reached the pinnacle of the sport in a relatively short amount of time.
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Colts select pass rusher Werner in first round
The Indianapolis Colts selected Florida State defensive end Bjoern Werner. The 6-foot-3, 266-pound defensive lineman can also play left outside linebacker.
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Colts in wait-and-see mode for tonight’s NFL draft
As the 2013 NFL draft gets underway tonight at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the Indianapolis Colts are continuing their wait-and-see stance in regard to the first-round pick.
The draft begins at 8 p.m. — televised by the NFL Network and ESPN — with the Kansas City Chiefs making the night’s first selection. Teams will have 10 minutes to make their decisions during the first round. Indianapolis will have the 24th overall pick in the first round.
There will be only one round tonight. The second and third rounds are scheduled for Friday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. with seven minutes allotted per pick in the second round and five minutes allowed in the third. The final four rounds are slated to begin at noon Saturday with four minutes between selections.
As it stands now, Indianapolis does not have a second-round pick. It was traded to Miami last fall in exchange for veteran cornerback Vontae Davis. But second-year general manager Ryan Grigson has nut ruled out the possibility of trading down from the first round if the Colts aren’t satisfied with the players available. -
Direction clear for Colts in 2013 draft
The Indianapolis Colts head into the 2013 NFL Draft with some definite plans.
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Colts veteran among those excited to see Luck's growth in 2013-14
Veteran defensive end Cory Redding is a big fan — literally and figuratively — of Indianapolis Colts second-year quarterback Andrew Luck.
Redding, who has become one of the Colts’ lockerroom leaders after just one season with the team, thinks he has some reasonable expectations of Indianapolis’ former No. 1 draft pick. -
Heyward-Bey feeling fortunate to hook up with Luck
Add one more player to the list of veteran free agents signed by the Indianapolis Colts this offseason.
Former Oakland Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey agreed to a a deal with the Colts late Monday evening. Bey, who played collegiately at Maryland, was the seventh player selected in the first round of the 2009 National Football League draft. -
Colts sign nose tackle
Another day, more player signings for the Indianapolis Colts.
Nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin agreed to terms with the Colts on Tuesday evening and officially signed with the team Wednesday. Franklin (6-1, 315) is a 10-year NFL veteran with stops in Baltimore (2003-06), San Francisco (2007-10), New Orleans (2011) and San Diego (2012). -
Colts sign Matt Hasselbeck to back up Luck
The Indianapolis Colts’ roster moves just keep coming.
While the Colts haven’t yet added that big-name wide receiver that team owner Jim Irsay hinted at in tweets over the weekend, Indianapolis has addressed one area on offense.
Former Tennessee Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck had agreed Monday night to be the Colts’ primary back-up to second-year starter Andrew Luck. He officially signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the team Tuesday morning.
“We are very pleased to announce the signing of Matt Hasselbeck,” general manager Ryan Grigson said in a prepared statement. “His body of work, intangibles, and extensive league experience speak for themselves. Those factors, plus his familiarity with our offensive scheme, will make him a great asset to our team and its vision as we move forward.” -
Colts likely done signing free agents, for now
With the possible exception of adding a few lesser-priced players, the Indianapolis Colts’ big-time foray into the veteran free-agent marketplace is pretty much done.
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Landry, Jean Francois join Colts defensive unit
After adding five veteran free agent players to the Indianapolis Colts roster on Tuesday, general manager Ryan Grigson plucked two more plums late Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon.
New York Jets safety LaRon Landry and San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois both signed contracts with the Colts. Landry, a strong safety who appears to be a bigger version of former Indianapolis Pro Bowler Bob Sanders, and the versatile Jean-Francois are expected to make immediate impacts on the Colts’ defensive unit. -
Colts introduce free-agent signees
What the Indianapolis Colts accomplished last season — posting an 11-5 record and earning an AFC wild-card berth with a young team plus having that kind of success without its head coach on the sidelines for 12 games — didn’t go unnoticed by players around the NFL.
That was especially true for the five veteran free agents who were added to the Colts’ roster Tuesday. Offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus (Detroit), cornerback Greg Toler (Arizona), outside linebacker Erik Walden (Green Bay), offensive guard Donald Thomas (New England) and linebacker Lawrence Sidbury (Atlanta) admitted as much Wednesday.
“I felt like this would be the best fit for me at this point in my career. I really liked what I saw was happening with the program here and the way things have taken shape. I feel like we have a really great team here and it’s on the rise. I really wanted to be a part of that,” Thomas said during a teleconference interview with the Colts’ media. -
Colts sign five free agents, filling needs at offensive line, cornerback
The Indianapolis Colts were a busy team on the opening day of the National Football League’s veteran free agent market, which got underway at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
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Jeff Saturday retires as a Colt
An Indianapolis Colt for life. Pencil in Jeff Saturday for that honor.
The 14-year veteran center in the NFL put an official stamp on a career Thursday that began in Baltimore in 1998 and ended in Green Bay in 2012. But it was those 13 seasons in between — from 1999 to 2011 in which he played for Indianapolis — when Saturday earned his greatest rewards. -
Saturday thrilled to retire as a Colt
The 14-year veteran center in the National Football League put an official stamp on a career Thursday that began in Baltimore in 1998 and ended in Green Bay in 2012. But it was those 13 seasons in-between — from 1999 to 2011 in which he played for Indianapolis — that Saturday earned his greatest rewards.
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Saturday to retire as Colt on Thursday
Former Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday will make his retirement from the National Football League official on Thursday.
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Indianapolis franchises punter McAfee
A week ago, Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano said it was a priority that the team retain the services of punter Pat McAfee.
McAfee, an unrestricted free agent who’s contract is due to expire March 12, was designated as the Colts’ franchise player Friday. The move allows Indianapolis extra time to work out a long-term deal for the team’s special-teams ace.
“He’s huge. He’s a major priority in free agency. Obviously, we’ve reached out and are working to get Pat re-signed,” Pagano said during the National Football Scouting Combine. “We saw what he did for us last year. He’s a great weapon, not only kickoffs and touchbacks. -
Colts GM enjoying time at combine
Indianapolis Colts second-year general manager Ryan Grigson makes no bones about it. He enjoys watching prospective football players strut their stuff.
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Colts keeping eye on large crop of talented linemen in NFL Draft
According to most National Football League draft observers, this year’s crop of prospects is deep with quality offensive and defensive linemen.
Among the offensive line candidates who have been showcasing their talents at the National Football Scouting Combine, which began in earnest Thursday and wraps up on Tuesday, the spotlight has been on the offensive tackles. Offensive left tackles in particular. -
Colts' Pagano back to full work schedule at combine
Back and ready to go.
That’s the attitude Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano is taking during the National Football Scouting Combine, which completed its second day of operations Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium. During a wide-ranging press conference at the combine, Pagano confirmed that he is back to a full work regimen after missing 12 games last fall as he battled a rare form of leukemia.
After undergoing cancer treatments that featured heavy doses of chemotherapy, the second-year head coach was able to return to the sidelines for Indianapolis’ final regular-season home game against Houston and for the team’s AFC wild-card matchup with eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore. -
Colts looking forward to different approach to draft in 2013
A year ago, the Indianapolis Colts had the first overall pick in the 2012 National Football League draft.
It was a foregone conclusion that the Colts would select former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the selection. While Indianapolis front office and player personnel officials certainly had to do their due diligence in preparing for the draft, the Colts find themselves this year in a bit different situation.
The team will have the 24th overall pick in the first round, which is a double-edged sword. Indianapolis picks lower in the round due to a successful season. But the pool of available can’t-miss talent isn’t quite as plentiful as drafting earlier in the round. -
Former Pro Bowl selection Freeney won't return to Colts
The news coming out of the Indianapolis Colts headquarters Friday afternoon was not totally unexpected. Team officials have confirmed that two veteran players – former Pro Bowl defensive end/outside linebacker Dwight Freeney and wide receiver Austin Collie — will not be returning for the 2013 season.
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Colts’ new offensive coordinator will offer variety
Quarterback Andrew Luck running the Pistol offense? Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton lining up in the Wildcat?
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Colts moving on to the off season
Moving on. That’s the immediate plans for the Indianapolis Colts as they head into the off season.
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Baltimore ends Indy’s playoff run early
The Baltimore Ravens want one long final ride for Ray Lewis. Having disposed of Andrew Luck and the Colts, they now face a more imposing challenge.
Next up, Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. -
Switching sides: Colts-Ravens matchup includes old friends on new teams
Just as Baltimore Ravens players and coaches will be seeing some old friends returning to M&T Bank Stadium today, several Indianapolis Colts veterans will also have an opportunity to renew acquaintances with a familiar face.
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Pagano prepares Colts for tough crowd in Baltimore
As a former resident of Baltimore, Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano knows all about the hard feelings that still run strong about the move of the Colts franchise to Indianapolis in 1984.
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Pagano marvels at Colt’s progress
In the minutes after last Sunday’s win over AFC South champion Houston, Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano marveled at how the 2012 season has progressed for his team.
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