INDIANAPOLIS —
The same focus that has gotten the Indianapolis Colts to its current position — 8-4 overall and in the driver’s seat for one of two AFC wild-card playoff berths — was in evidence Monday as interim coach/offensive coordinator Bruce Arians reviewed the team’s 35-33 come-from-behind win over Detroit.
“Great team win. I thought we overcame some poor play by our young receivers during the ball game. But they overcame it and settled down and made plays at the end when we had to have it,” Arians said.
“But throughout the game it was probably the worst execution we’ve had from our young receivers in about a month as far as where they are supposed to be in reception areas and crossing defender’s faces.
Technical things that we can get corrected. But it was a great effort by everybody. Big plays coming down the stretch were huge.”
The Colts assistant coach also took a hit as he was bowled over on the sidelines during an interception return by Detroit.
“Just a little stiff. But I’m okay. I can take their best shot,” Arians joked.
Rookie quarterback Andrew Luck had three passes picked off on the day, the results of poor technique on both ends rather than bad reads.
“Almost always mechanical. One was not his fault. He was right on target but our receiver went behind the defender instead of in front of him. It’s a cardinal rule you never go behind a guy on that route. You always cross his face. [Luck] trusted [the receiver] to cross his face and the guy picked it,” Arians explained.
“The defender baited both of them into it, basically, and they fell for it. But those things are going to happen. Sometimes you live and die by the big play. This time we lived.”
After getting Monday and Tuesday off, the Colts will re-assemble Wednesday to begin preparations for this week’s home game with AFC South rival Tennessee.
“Again, a big, big division game. [Running back] Chris Johnson, you always start right there stopping him. We did not do a good job of protecting the quarterback down there. I think [left offensive tackle] Anthony Castonzo is playing a lot better right now. It’s probably as good as I’ve had [an offensive] tackle play in a long time. He’ll draw a tough assignment in Kamerion Wimbley,” Arians said.
“It’s the same thing. We’ve got to run the football and make our chunk plays. I think the key right now is we are playing so much better on special teams. But Tennessee is going to come in and we are going to get their best shot. We know that. A divisional game, rivalry type of game and we are going to need a great crowd. Another playoff game atmosphere and we’ll take it one game at a time.”
Playoffs? — No need to think about the post-season just yet. Or any potential individual awards that may be coming Indianapolis’ way at some point in the offseason.
“Whenever they tell us where we are going, then [we can] start breaking down the film,” Arians said in response to a question about when would be the best time to start thinking about the playoffs.
“There’s way too much [time]. There’s some really good football teams behind us and we just have to take care of our own business and we will worry about all that [later] because a lot of the teams will play each other in these last few weeks. There’s plenty of time to worry about it.”
The same goes for worrying about any post-season awards, such as Rookie of the Year or Coach of the Year.
“I don’t think it’s the time of year to talk about accolades yet. I think you add those up at the end. There’s enough credit, if you keep winning, there’s enough credit to go around for everybody — Pro Bowls, MVPs, Rookie of the Year — all of that stuff. There’s a time and place for that. Right now, we just got to beat Tennessee,” Arians said.
Injury list — Safety Tom Zbikowski (knee) did not make the trip to Detroit. Offensive guard Joe Reitz (concussion), offensive tackle Winston Justice (concussion), running back Donald Brown (ankle) and outside linebacker Justin Hickman (hamstring) were all injured in the Detroit game and did not return.
“Not much news as far as injury notes. We’re still evaluating everybody as they come in today. We’ll have more news on the injury front on Wednesday,” Arians said.
Justice was hurt as he tried to make a tackle after a Luck interception. He blocked on the play. What happened once the play was blown dead drew the ire of several Colts players, including offensive guard Mike McGlynn.
McGlynn said that several Detroit players, including defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, were celebrating Suh’s hit on Justice.
“It was a block on an interception. I don’t think it was the block as much as it was the celebration for knocking him out,” Arians said. “[The hit] is not on film. But I know that’s why Mike took issue. A bunch of the guys on the sideline saw it and I don’t really have anything to say about it.”
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Despite strong play, Colts aren’t thinking playoffs — yet
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IndyCar driver Helio Castroneves, of Brazil, stands in his team pit box as he waits for the start of the final practice session for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Friday, May 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
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Top guns, again
For the sixth time in his Indy career Friday, three-time Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves won the Pit Stop Challenge on Carb Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Sycamores bow out of MVC Tournament
Indiana State’s baseball was out of pitching, and after a loss to Wichita State on Thursday, the Sycamores were out of second-chances too at the Missouri Valley Conference baseball tournament. What the Sycamores weren’t out of was heart, guts and clutch performances from some unlikely sources. But in the end, Friday’s elimination game rematch against the Shockers was a sampling of ISU’s season overall — the Sycamores were out of luck.
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Freshman Hambrock, THS seek semistate tennis title
Having already claimed Terre Haute North Sectional and Greencastle Regional championships in girls high school tennis, Terre Haute South will try to add a semistate title to its 2013 list of accomplishments today as the Braves battle No. 25-ranked Greenwood.
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Coach adds regional host to job description
John Hayes has been a familiar face at high school baseball games this spring as he always is, enjoying the games but also looking for players who can help his Wayne Newton Post 346 American Legion team that will start its summer season shortly.
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Prep roundup: South Vermillion reaches baseball sectional final
South Vermillion built an early 7-0 lead late Thursday night, then held off Owen Valley by a 10-4 score to advance to the championship game of the Class 3A West Vigo Sectional for high school baseball.
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Metro Sports: Chalk up No. 5 for Liz Evans
Senior Liz Evans capped the top career in Rose-Hulman athletics history with her fifth national championship and eighth All-American award at Wisconsin-La Crosse on Friday.
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Four Indiana State athletes advance to NCAA outdoor track and field championships
Three Indiana State seniors and a freshman have punched their tickets to the NCAA outdoor track and field championships in two weeks at Eugene, Ore., with their Friday efforts in the 2013 NCAA East Preliminary at Aggie Stadium on the campus of North Carolina A&T.
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West Vigo advances to sectional championship with walk-off win in ninth
High school baseball sectional games between West Vigo and Edgewood have had a tendency to be unpredictable over the years, but the Vikings and Mustangs outdid themselves in that area Thursday evening — and Thursday night.
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Wichita State shuts out ISU to force elimination-game rematch
Indiana State starting pitcher Greg Kuhlman did his best.
Actually, he did far better than he ever has previously in an ISU uniform, but while Kuhlman’s gutty pitching effort spoke volumes, ISU’s bats remained ominously silent. -
BOYS TRACK REGIONAL: North gets three winners, South two at Evansville
Terre Haute North had three winners, Terre Haute South two, and the Patriots and Braves finished second and third respectively at the Evansville Regional for boys track on Thursday at Evansville Central.
Hurdlers Cam Stewart and Cole Seward and discus thrower Lee Davis were the winners for North, enabling the Patriots to finish with 60 points to 59 for the Braves.
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Top guns, again
- Local Interest
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METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman's Evans honored as Great Lakes' top athlete
Rose-Hulman senior Liz Evans earned her fifth career NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region Field Athlete of the Year honor, according to results released Wednesday by the U.S. Cross Country and Track and Field Coaches Association.
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Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play
South Vermillion’s Tim Terry is the longest tenured coach in Wabash Valley high school baseball as his Wildcats are set to begin sectional play Thursday against Owen Valley.
But on the Yankees, a 35-and-over team in the Terre Haute Men’s Senior Baseball League, Terry is “just a youngster” if you ask Larry Roesch, his 68-year-old teammate on the Volkers Group Yankees. -
Softball sectionals up for grabs
All three Vigo County high schools and Northview appear to have a realistic chance of winning sectional championships in softball this week.
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Indiana State baseball series canceled
Heavy rain from Thursday through Saturday has forced Indiana State and Tennessee Martin to cancel their three-game weekend baseball series in northwest Tennessee.
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METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman baseball to play DePauw on Thursday after Tuesday's rain
The Rose-Hulman baseball team has rescheduled its non-conference game with DePauw to Thursday night.
The start time remains 7 p.m. for the single nine-inning game that was originally scheduled for today. Tuesday’s scheduled Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game at Anderson was moved to Sunday because of rain.
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METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman's Evans honored as Great Lakes' top athlete
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Freshman Hambrock, THS seek semistate tennis title
Having already claimed Terre Haute North Sectional and Greencastle Regional championships in girls high school tennis, Terre Haute South will try to add a semistate title to its 2013 list of accomplishments today as the Braves battle No. 25-ranked Greenwood.
- Prep roundup: South Vermillion reaches baseball sectional final
- West Vigo advances to sectional championship with walk-off win in ninth
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- PREP ROUNDUP: Martinsville adavances in Class 4A THS Sectional
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- College
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Sycamores bow out of MVC Tournament
Indiana State’s baseball was out of pitching, and after a loss to Wichita State on Thursday, the Sycamores were out of second-chances too at the Missouri Valley Conference baseball tournament. What the Sycamores weren’t out of was heart, guts and clutch performances from some unlikely sources. But in the end, Friday’s elimination game rematch against the Shockers was a sampling of ISU’s season overall — the Sycamores were out of luck.
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Metro Sports: Chalk up No. 5 for Liz Evans
Senior Liz Evans capped the top career in Rose-Hulman athletics history with her fifth national championship and eighth All-American award at Wisconsin-La Crosse on Friday.
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Four Indiana State athletes advance to NCAA outdoor track and field championships
Three Indiana State seniors and a freshman have punched their tickets to the NCAA outdoor track and field championships in two weeks at Eugene, Ore., with their Friday efforts in the 2013 NCAA East Preliminary at Aggie Stadium on the campus of North Carolina A&T.
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Wichita State shuts out ISU to force elimination-game rematch
Indiana State starting pitcher Greg Kuhlman did his best.
Actually, he did far better than he ever has previously in an ISU uniform, but while Kuhlman’s gutty pitching effort spoke volumes, ISU’s bats remained ominously silent. -
Indiana State baseball now one win from MVC Championship
Indiana State’s Wednesday morning wish list probably read something like this: a dominant complete game effort from starting pitcher Devin Moore, near-immaculate defense to support him, and a steady diet of clutch situational hitting from lineup spots one to nine.
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Sycamores bow out of MVC Tournament
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RAMBLIN' RECK: Sunday promises to be big day in Indy
Sunday promises to be a super day in Indianapolis.
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RAMBLIN' RECK: Sunday promises to be big day in Indy
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Luck having fun with his first OTAs
A year ago, quarterback Andrew Luck was unable to attend the Indianapolis Colts’ organized team activity practices due to school commitments at Stanford.
Luck, though, went on to have a stellar year for the Colts despite the lack of summer work with the team. Still, in a sense, he is a rookie during this year’s OTA workouts.
“These are my first OTAs. I missed these last year, so I think it’s great. It’s great to get on the field with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff. Obviously, some of us ran some of this stuff [offense] at Stanford [under new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton]. But to get out there with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff is good,” Luck said Wednesday as the team wrapped up its first week of on-field voluntary practice sessions. - Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
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Luck having fun with his first OTAs
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Consultation: Rex manager Brian Dorsett talks with his pitcher and players during a time-out Sunday, July 15, at Sycamore Field. (Tribune-Star file/Bob Poynter)
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2012 an up, down season for Rex
The Terre Haute Rex went through plenty of trials and tribulations during the summer of 2012.
The team got off to a sluggish start to settle for third place during the first half of the Prospect League race, but manager Brian Dorsett rallied the troops to a second-half title. - Metro Roundup: Dorsett, Rex players honored in Prospect League postseason awards
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2012 an up, down season for Rex
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Luck having fun with his first OTAs
A year ago, quarterback Andrew Luck was unable to attend the Indianapolis Colts’ organized team activity practices due to school commitments at Stanford.
Luck, though, went on to have a stellar year for the Colts despite the lack of summer work with the team. Still, in a sense, he is a rookie during this year’s OTA workouts.
“These are my first OTAs. I missed these last year, so I think it’s great. It’s great to get on the field with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff. Obviously, some of us ran some of this stuff [offense] at Stanford [under new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton]. But to get out there with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff is good,” Luck said Wednesday as the team wrapped up its first week of on-field voluntary practice sessions. - Colts' coordinators enjoying getting rookies acclimated
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Luck having fun with his first OTAs
- Auto Racing
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IndyCar driver Helio Castroneves, of Brazil, stands in his team pit box as he waits for the start of the final practice session for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Friday, May 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
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Top guns, again
For the sixth time in his Indy career Friday, three-time Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves won the Pit Stop Challenge on Carb Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Top guns, again





