2011 Indianapolis Colts season
Encyclopedia
The 2011
Indianapolis Colts
season is the franchise's 59th season in the National Football League
, the 28th in Indianapolis
and the third under head coach Jim Caldwell. The Colts are coming off a 10–6 record in 2010
and a second consecutive AFC South
championship, as well as a ninth consecutive playoff appearance. In 2011, the Colts were looking to set an NFL record for the most consecutive playoff appearances (10) and appear in Super Bowl XLVI
, which will be held in Indianapolis
. However, as of Week 12, the Colts are winless for the first time since their 1982 season in Baltimore, and for the first time in 10 years they were eliminated from playoff contention. There is also great speculation that the Colts this year could become the second team to go 0-16
, a record shared by the 2008 Detroit Lions.
LEGEND:
was not under the helm at quarterback and it was recently acquired Kerry Collins
that would take his position. The game started very well for the Colts, opening up with an interception by Melvin Bullitt
that allowed the Colts to take control. However, a three and out from the offense quickly gave the Texans the ball to drive down and score a field goal and take a 3–0 lead. Collins and the Colts offense was out of sync for much of the first quarter, fumbling two snaps and giving Houston the great field position inside of the Indianapolis 40 yard line. After the first quarter, the Texans held a commanding 17–0 lead and were firing on all cylinders. The second quarter continued Houston's dominance, with all three teams of the Colts failing to stop or to execute against the Texans. At halftime, the Colts trailed Houston 34–0, the largest deficit in the entire 58-year history of the franchise. The second half saw little action with both teams taking shorter drives and in some senses, running down the clock. The Colts scored their first and the only points scored in the second half with a Reggie Wayne
touchdown from Collins in the fourth quarter. The Colts went onto lose to the Texans 34–7, their second straight season starting 0–1.
. The first quarter saw both teams getting into offensive and defensive rhythms and ended with the Colts holding only a 3–0 lead on an Adam Vinatieri
field goal. Heading to the second quarter, the Colts offense began to pick up behind Kerry Collins
, rookie Delone Carter
, and Joseph Addai
. However much of the success faded once Indianapolis reached the red zone, and were only able to come away with two field goad during the quarter. Cleveland, however, was able to capitalize on the Colts defense, and saw a touchdown pass from Colt McCoy
and a touchdown run from Peyton Hillis
. Cleveland went into halftime with a 14–9 lead. The Indianapolis defense was able to stop Cleveland for most of the third quarter, and allowed the struggling offensive to close the gap with a fourth Vinatieri field goal, with Cleveland still holding a 14–12 lead into the fourth quarter. Cleveland quickly drove down the field and started the quarter with a Phil Dawson
field goal, allowing the Colts to remain in contention for the victory. However, after turnovers and an inability to produce on offense, Cleveland broke the game open with a Hillis touchdown run, along with another Dawson field goal with 2:59 remaining in the game. With Cleveland holding a 27–12 lead, Indianapolis was able to score their first touchdown of the game, allowing them to try an onside kick to preserve any chance of a comeback, which they were not able to convert. Cleveland finished the game and the Colts by winning 27–19, their first victory over the Colts since 1994
, and the Colts first 0–2 start since the 1998 season
.
on Sunday night. Indianapolis trailed early in the first quarter as Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham
got a 48 yard field goal, followed by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
completing an 81 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Wallace
. The Colts would answer in the second quarter with a 21 yard field goal from kicker Adam Vinatieri
, followed by defensive end Jamaal Anderson
returning a fumble, forced by Dwight Freeney
, 47 yards for a touchdown. Another defensive turnover allowed the Colts and Vinatieri to score a 25 yard field goal, giving them a 13–10 lead at halftime. After a scoreless third quarter, Pittsburgh took the lead in the fourth quarter with a Suisham 44 yard field goal, followed by safety Troy Polamalu
returning a fumble 16 yards for a touchdown. Indianapolis would tie the game again on running back Joseph Addai's
6 yard touchdown run with 2:15 remaining in the game. However, the Steelers were able to capture the win with a final 38 yard field goal from Suisham, dropping the Colts to 0–3 on the season.
for a Week 4 Monday night duel with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. With quarterback Kerry Collins
recovering from his concussion, quarterback Curtis Painter
would make his first career start. Indianapolis delivered the game's opening punch in the first quarter with a 45-yard field goal from kicker Adam Vinatieri
. The Colts would add onto their lead in the second quarter with Painter finding wide receiver Pierre Garçon
on an 87-yard touchdown pass, yet the Buccaneers answered with quarterback Josh Freeman
getting a 1-yard touchdown run. Tampa Bay would tie the game in the third quarter with kicker Connor Barth
getting a 46-yard field goal, yet Indianapolis came right back with Painter hooking up Garçon again on a 59-yard touchdown pass. Afterwards, the Buccaneers tied the game with Freeman completing a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Preston Parker
. Tampa Bay would take the lead in the fourth quarter with running back LeGarrette Blount
getting a 35-yard touchdown run. From there, the defense prevented any comeback from the Colts' offense. With the loss, the Colts dropped to 0–4.
to take on the Kansas City Chiefs
. They game opened well for the Colts, who scored on their opening drive with another Curtis Painter
to Pierre Garçon
touchdown reception. In the second quarter, the Colts were able to rack up the score with an Adam Vinatieri
field goal, and another Painter to Garçon touchdown, giving Indianapolis a 17–0 lead midway through the second quarter. A Kansas City touchdown pass from Matt Cassel
ended the shutout but Indianapolis was able to score another touchdown later. A late Kansas City touchdown allowed the Colts to go into halftime with a 24–14 lead. Two touchdown passes from Cassel to Dwayne Bowe
and Steve Breaston
respectively allowed the Chiefs to score 21 unanswered points, and complete the comeback, winning the game 28–24, dropping the Colts to 0–5 on the season.
. Cincinnati opened up the game well, with a 1 yard touchdown run from Cedric Benson
. With both defenses performing well throughout the remainder of the first half with the only other scores coming on a Donald Brown
touchdown run for the Colts, and a Mike Nugent
field goal. Going into halftime, the Bengals led the Colts 10–7. Cincinnati dominated the third quarter on both fronts, with another Benson touchdown run and Nugent field goal, quickly running the lead up to 20–7 heading into the fourth quarter. There Colts were able to strike on a Adam Vinatieri
46 yard field goal narrowing the score to 20–10. A Dallas Clark
touchdown reception from Curtis Painter
allowed the Colts to cut the game to a 20–17 affair with 9:33 remaining in the fourth quarter. After a missed Nugent field goal, with the Colts driving, Pierre Garçon
fumbled the football, giving it to Carlos Dunlap who would take the ball in for a touchdown, and ended the score, with the Bengals winning the game 27–17, giving the Colts an 0–6 record on the season.
, the Colts suffered their worst loss in New Orleans to the powerful Saints by a final score of 62-7.
.
2011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on...
Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
season is the franchise's 59th season in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, the 28th in Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
and the third under head coach Jim Caldwell. The Colts are coming off a 10–6 record in 2010
2010 Indianapolis Colts season
The 2010 Indianapolis Colts season was the 58th season for the team in the National Football League, the 27th in Indianapolis, and the second under head coach Jim Caldwell...
and a second consecutive AFC South
AFC South
The AFC South is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It was created before the 2002 season when the league realigned divisions after expanding to 32 teams...
championship, as well as a ninth consecutive playoff appearance. In 2011, the Colts were looking to set an NFL record for the most consecutive playoff appearances (10) and appear in Super Bowl XLVI
Super Bowl XLVI
Super Bowl XLVI will be the 46th annual edition of the Super Bowl in American football, and the 42nd annual championship game of the modern-era National Football League . It will be held on February 5, 2012 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. This will be the first Super Bowl to be...
, which will be held in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. However, as of Week 12, the Colts are winless for the first time since their 1982 season in Baltimore, and for the first time in 10 years they were eliminated from playoff contention. There is also great speculation that the Colts this year could become the second team to go 0-16
Imperfect season
An imperfect season is defined as a team losing all of their games. It is the antithesis of a perfect season, and is often referred to as such in a tongue-in-cheek manner...
, a record shared by the 2008 Detroit Lions.
2011 draft board
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | Anthony Castonzo Anthony Castonzo Anthony Salvatore Castonzo is an American football offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts. After a college career at Boston College, Castonzo was selected by the Indianapolis Colts with their first round draft pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.-High school career:Castonzo attended Fork Union... |
OT | Boston College Boston College Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early... |
| 2 | 49 | Ben Ijalana | OT | Villanova Villanova University Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States... |
| 3 | 87 | Drake Nevis Drake Nevis Drake M. Nevis is an American football defensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts. He is considered one of the top defensive tackles for the 2011 NFL Draft... |
DT | LSU |
| 4 | 119 | Delone Carter Delone Carter Delone M. Carter is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse.... |
RB Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... |
Syracuse Syracuse University Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College... |
| 6 | 188 | Chris Rucker | CB Cornerback A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position... |
MSU Michigan State University Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,... |
- The Colts traded their seventh-round selection to the Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
in exchange for CBCornerbackA cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Justin TryonJustin TryonJustin Deaon Tryon is an American football cornerback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
. - The Colts traded their second-round (fifty-fourth overall) selection and their fifth round (152nd overall) selection for the Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville JaguarsThe Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
second round (forty-ninth overall) selection.
Preseason
| Week | | Date | | Kickoff | | Opponent | | Results | | Game site | | TV | | NFL.com recap |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final score | Team record | |||||||
| 1 | August 13 | 8:00 p.m. EDT North American Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... |
at St. Louis Rams 2011 St. Louis Rams season The 2011 St. Louis Rams season will be the team's 74th season in the National Football League, the 17th overall in St. Louis and the third under head coach Steve Spagnuolo. The Rams are coming off a 2010 season, in which they compiled more victories than in the previous 3 years combined... |
L 10–33 | 0–1 | Edward Jones Dome Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome (more formally known as the Edward Jones Dome at America's Center, and previously known as The Trans World Dome (from 1995–2001) is a multi-purpose stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, and home of the St. Louis Rams of the NFL. It was... |
Local 23 WNDY | Recap |
| 2 | August 19 | 7:00 p.m. EDT | Washington Redskins 2011 Washington Redskins season The 2011 Washington Redskins season will be the 79th season for the team in the National Football League and their 74th representing the District of Columbia . Their home games will be played at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland for the 15th consecutive year. Washington will play in the Eastern... |
L 3–16 | 0–2 | Lucas Oil Stadium Lucas Oil Stadium Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The stadium celebrated its grand opening on August 24, 2008, and its ribbon-cutting ceremony August 16, 2008. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. The stadium was built to... |
Local 23 WNDY | Recap |
| 3 | August 26 | 8:00 p.m. EDT | Green Bay Packers 2011 Green Bay Packers season The 2011 Green Bay Packers season is the franchise's 91st season in the National Football League, the 93rd season overall and the sixth under head coach Mike McCarthy... |
L 21–24 | 0–3 | Lucas Oil Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
Recap |
| 4 | September 1 | 7:00 p.m. EDT | at Cincinnati Bengals 2011 Cincinnati Bengals season The 2011 Cincinnati Bengals season will be the team's 44th season as a professional sports franchise and its 42nd season as a member of the National Football League . The team has improved on its 2010 season, where it finished with a record of 4–12 and placed fourth in the AFC North. This marks... |
W 17–13 | 1–3 | Paul Brown Stadium Paul Brown Stadium Paul Brown Stadium is an American sports stadium located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home venue of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. It opened on August 19, 2000. The stadium was named after Bengals' founder Paul Brown. The stadium is located on approximately of land and... |
Local 23 WNDY | Recap |
Regular season
| Week | | Date | | Kickoff | | Opponent | | Results | | Game site | | TV | | NFL.com recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final score | Team record | |||||||
| 1 | September 11 | 1:00 p.m. EDT North American Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... |
at Houston Texans 2011 Houston Texans season The 2011 Houston Texans season will be the team's 10th season in the National Football League . The Texans have improved on their record from the 2010 season, and attempt to earn the franchise's first playoff berth... |
L 7–34 | 0–1 | Reliant Stadium Reliant Stadium Reliant Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Houston, Texas, USA. Reliant Stadium has a seating capacity of 71,500, a total square footage of with of natural grass playing surface.... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
Recap |
| 2 | September 18 | 1:00 p.m. EDT | Cleveland Browns 2011 Cleveland Browns season The 2011 Cleveland Browns season will be the team's 65th season as a professional sports franchise and its 61st season as a member of the National Football League . The team will attempt to improve on its 2010 season, where it finished with a record of 5–11 and placed third in the AFC North... § |
L 19–27 | 0–2 | Lucas Oil Stadium Lucas Oil Stadium Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The stadium celebrated its grand opening on August 24, 2008, and its ribbon-cutting ceremony August 16, 2008. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. The stadium was built to... |
CBS | Recap |
| 3 | September 25 | 8:20 p.m. EDT | Pittsburgh Steelers 2011 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 2011 Pittsburgh Steelers season will be the team's 79th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League . It is expected to be the twelfth season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the fifth under head coach Mike Tomlin... § |
L 20–23 | 0–3 | Lucas Oil Stadium | NBC NBC Sunday Night Football NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color... |
Recap |
| 4 | October 3 | 8:30 p.m. EDT | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season will be the club's 36th season as a franchise in the NFL. The team will compete in the NFC South. Both of their preseason home games, and seven of their regular season home games will be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida... ≈ |
L 17–24 | 0–4 | Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events... |
ESPN Monday Night Football Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series... |
Recap |
| 5 | October 9 | 1:00 p.m. EDT | Kansas City Chiefs 2011 Kansas City Chiefs season The 2011 Kansas City Chiefs season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League, the 52nd overall and the third under the head coach/general manager tandem of Todd Haley and Scott Pioli. The Chiefs are coming off a 10–6 record in 2010, in which the team won its first AFC West... § |
L 24–28 | 0–5 | Lucas Oil Stadium | CBS | Recap |
| 6 | October 16 | 1:00 p.m. EDT | at Cincinnati Bengals 2011 Cincinnati Bengals season The 2011 Cincinnati Bengals season will be the team's 44th season as a professional sports franchise and its 42nd season as a member of the National Football League . The team has improved on its 2010 season, where it finished with a record of 4–12 and placed fourth in the AFC North. This marks... § |
L 17–27 | 0–6 | Paul Brown Stadium Paul Brown Stadium Paul Brown Stadium is an American sports stadium located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home venue of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. It opened on August 19, 2000. The stadium was named after Bengals' founder Paul Brown. The stadium is located on approximately of land and... |
CBS | Recap |
| 7 | October 23 | 8:20 p.m. EDT | at New Orleans Saints 2011 New Orleans Saints season The 2011 New Orleans Saints season is the franchise's 45th season in the National Football League, the 36th to host home games at the Louisiana Superdome and the sixth under head coach Sean Payton.-2011 draft board:-Schedule:... ≈ |
L 7–62 | 0–7 | Mercedes–Benz Superdome | NBC | Recap |
| 8 | October 30 | 1:00 p.m. EDT | at Tennessee Titans 2011 Tennessee Titans season The 2011 Tennessee Titans season will be the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League , the 52nd overall and the 15th in the state of Tennessee. It will also mark the first season under new head coach Mike Munchak, replacing longtime head coach Jeff Fisher, who resigned on January 27... |
L 10–27 | 0–8 | LP Field LP Field LP Field is a football stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.... |
CBS | Recap |
| 9 | November 6 | 1:00 p.m. EST | Atlanta Falcons 2011 Atlanta Falcons season The 2011 Atlanta Falcons season will be the franchise's 46th season in the National Football League and the fourth under head coach Mike Smith. After a disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs, the Falcons will attempt to defend its NFC South division... ≈ |
L 7–31 | 0–9 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Fox NFL on FOX NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports... |
Recap |
| 10 | November 13 | 1:00 p.m. EST | Jacksonville Jaguars 2011 Jacksonville Jaguars season The 2011 Jacksonville Jaguars season is the franchise's 17th season in the National Football League and the 9th under head coach Jack Del Rio, who was fired on November 29 and replaced on an interim basis by defensive coordinator Mel Tucker. The team had hoped to improve on their 8–8 record from... |
L 3–17 | 0–10 | Lucas Oil Stadium | CBS | Recap |
| 11 | Bye Bye (sports) A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing... |
|||||||
| 12 | November 27 | 1:00 p.m. EST | Carolina Panthers 2011 Carolina Panthers season The 2011 Carolina Panthers season will be the franchise's 17th season in the National Football League and the first season for Ron Rivera as the head coach. In Week 16 of the 2010 season, the team clinched the NFL's worst record of the year and was given the #1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, with... ≈ |
L 19–27 | 0–11 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Fox | Recap |
| 13 | December 4 | 1:00 p.m. EST | at New England Patriots 2011 New England Patriots season The 2011 New England Patriots season is the 42nd season for the team in the National Football League and 52nd season overall.The Patriots dedicated their 2011 season to the memory of Myra Kraft, the wife of owner Robert Kraft, who died on July 20, 2011 after a long fight against cancer... § |
Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution... |
CBS | |||
| 14 | December 11 | 1:00 p.m. EST | at Baltimore Ravens 2011 Baltimore Ravens season The 2011 Baltimore Ravens season will be the 16th in the National Football League and city of Baltimore, Maryland, and the 14th to host home games at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens will seek to act upon their 12–4 record from 2010 and win the American Football Conference's North division title for... § |
M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Served by the Hamburg Street station of... |
CBS | |||
| 15 | December 18 | 1:00 p.m. EST * | Tennessee Titans | Lucas Oil Stadium | CBS | |||
| 16 | December 22 | 8:20 p.m. EST | Houston Texans | Lucas Oil Stadium | NFLN NFL Network NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation... |
|||
| 17 | January 1 | 1:00 p.m. EST * | at Jacksonville Jaguars | EverBank Field | CBS | |||
LEGEND:
- The game was or will be simulcast locally on WTTVWTTVWTTV is a CW-affiliated television station licensed to Bloomington, Indiana, serving the Indianapolis television market. WTTV is owned by the Tribune Company, and is one-half of a duopoly with WXIN , the market's Fox affiliate. The two stations share a studio at 6910 Network Place on the northwest...
. - Indicates that the game time is subject to change as a result of flexible scheduling.
- Division games are in Bold text.
- Games against intra-conference non-division opponents.
- Games against inter-conference opponents.
Week 1: at Houston Texans
The Indianapolis Colts began their 2011 season at Reliant Stadium against the Houston Texans. For the first time since the 1998 season, Peyton ManningPeyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
was not under the helm at quarterback and it was recently acquired Kerry Collins
Kerry Collins
Kerry Michael Collins is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft, the first choice in the franchise's history...
that would take his position. The game started very well for the Colts, opening up with an interception by Melvin Bullitt
Melvin Bullitt
Melvin Terry Bullitt is an American football defensive back for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.-Early years:...
that allowed the Colts to take control. However, a three and out from the offense quickly gave the Texans the ball to drive down and score a field goal and take a 3–0 lead. Collins and the Colts offense was out of sync for much of the first quarter, fumbling two snaps and giving Houston the great field position inside of the Indianapolis 40 yard line. After the first quarter, the Texans held a commanding 17–0 lead and were firing on all cylinders. The second quarter continued Houston's dominance, with all three teams of the Colts failing to stop or to execute against the Texans. At halftime, the Colts trailed Houston 34–0, the largest deficit in the entire 58-year history of the franchise. The second half saw little action with both teams taking shorter drives and in some senses, running down the clock. The Colts scored their first and the only points scored in the second half with a Reggie Wayne
Reggie Wayne
Reginald "Reggie" Wayne is a professional American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. Wayne was selected in the 1st round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Colts...
touchdown from Collins in the fourth quarter. The Colts went onto lose to the Texans 34–7, their second straight season starting 0–1.
Week 2: vs. Cleveland Browns
The Indianapolis Colts home opener had their 2011 home opener against the 0–1 Cleveland Browns2011 Cleveland Browns season
The 2011 Cleveland Browns season will be the team's 65th season as a professional sports franchise and its 61st season as a member of the National Football League . The team will attempt to improve on its 2010 season, where it finished with a record of 5–11 and placed third in the AFC North...
. The first quarter saw both teams getting into offensive and defensive rhythms and ended with the Colts holding only a 3–0 lead on an Adam Vinatieri
Adam Vinatieri
Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...
field goal. Heading to the second quarter, the Colts offense began to pick up behind Kerry Collins
Kerry Collins
Kerry Michael Collins is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft, the first choice in the franchise's history...
, rookie Delone Carter
Delone Carter
Delone M. Carter is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse....
, and Joseph Addai
Joseph Addai
Joseph Addai, Jr. is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was selected in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Louisiana State University.-Early years:Addai's family hails from Ghana in West Africa...
. However much of the success faded once Indianapolis reached the red zone, and were only able to come away with two field goad during the quarter. Cleveland, however, was able to capitalize on the Colts defense, and saw a touchdown pass from Colt McCoy
Colt McCoy
Daniel "Colt" McCoy is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
and a touchdown run from Peyton Hillis
Peyton Hillis
Hillis was selected by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.-2008 Season:At the start of the 2008 season, Hillis was listed as the Broncos' starting fullback...
. Cleveland went into halftime with a 14–9 lead. The Indianapolis defense was able to stop Cleveland for most of the third quarter, and allowed the struggling offensive to close the gap with a fourth Vinatieri field goal, with Cleveland still holding a 14–12 lead into the fourth quarter. Cleveland quickly drove down the field and started the quarter with a Phil Dawson
Phil Dawson
Philip Drury Dawson is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He holds the franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010...
field goal, allowing the Colts to remain in contention for the victory. However, after turnovers and an inability to produce on offense, Cleveland broke the game open with a Hillis touchdown run, along with another Dawson field goal with 2:59 remaining in the game. With Cleveland holding a 27–12 lead, Indianapolis was able to score their first touchdown of the game, allowing them to try an onside kick to preserve any chance of a comeback, which they were not able to convert. Cleveland finished the game and the Colts by winning 27–19, their first victory over the Colts since 1994
1994 Indianapolis Colts season
The 1994 Indianapolis Colts season was the 42nd season for the team in the National Football League and 11th in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Colts finished the National Football League's 1994 season with a record of 8 wins and 8 losses, and finished third in the AFC East division.-Staff:-...
, and the Colts first 0–2 start since the 1998 season
1998 Indianapolis Colts season
The 1998 Indianapolis Colts season was the 46th season for the team in the National Football League and 15th in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Colts finished the National Football League's 1998 season with a record of 3 wins and 13 losses, and finished fifth in the AFC East division.-NFL...
.
Week 3: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Cleveland Browns, the Indianapolis Colts remained at home for a week three intra-conference matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers2011 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2011 Pittsburgh Steelers season will be the team's 79th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League . It is expected to be the twelfth season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the fifth under head coach Mike Tomlin...
on Sunday night. Indianapolis trailed early in the first quarter as Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham
Shaun Suisham
Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian placekicker of American football for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
got a 48 yard field goal, followed by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
completing an 81 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (American football)
-Pittsburgh Steelers:Wallace was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft with the 84th overall selection. Wallace was the 11th wide receiver chosen in the draft. On June 18, 2009, Wallace signed a three year contract with the Steelers worth $1.740 million which...
. The Colts would answer in the second quarter with a 21 yard field goal from kicker Adam Vinatieri
Adam Vinatieri
Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...
, followed by defensive end Jamaal Anderson
Jamaal Anderson
Jamaal Anderson is an American football defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons eighth overall in the 2007 NFL Draft...
returning a fumble, forced by Dwight Freeney
Dwight Freeney
Dwight Jason Freeney is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 1st round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse University.-Early years:Freeney attended Bloomfield High School...
, 47 yards for a touchdown. Another defensive turnover allowed the Colts and Vinatieri to score a 25 yard field goal, giving them a 13–10 lead at halftime. After a scoreless third quarter, Pittsburgh took the lead in the fourth quarter with a Suisham 44 yard field goal, followed by safety Troy Polamalu
Troy Polamalu
Troy Aumua Polamalu is an American football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He played college football at the University of Southern California.-High school:Troy Polamalu graduated...
returning a fumble 16 yards for a touchdown. Indianapolis would tie the game again on running back Joseph Addai's
Joseph Addai
Joseph Addai, Jr. is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was selected in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Louisiana State University.-Early years:Addai's family hails from Ghana in West Africa...
6 yard touchdown run with 2:15 remaining in the game. However, the Steelers were able to capture the win with a final 38 yard field goal from Suisham, dropping the Colts to 0–3 on the season.
Week 4: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Hoping to rebound from their home loss to the Steelers, the Colts flew to Raymond James StadiumRaymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
for a Week 4 Monday night duel with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
. With quarterback Kerry Collins
Kerry Collins
Kerry Michael Collins is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft, the first choice in the franchise's history...
recovering from his concussion, quarterback Curtis Painter
Curtis Painter
Curtis Jeffrey Painter is a quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers.-High school career:...
would make his first career start. Indianapolis delivered the game's opening punch in the first quarter with a 45-yard field goal from kicker Adam Vinatieri
Adam Vinatieri
Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...
. The Colts would add onto their lead in the second quarter with Painter finding wide receiver Pierre Garçon
Pierre Garcon
Pierre Garçon is an American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. Garcon is of Haitian descent.- High school career...
on an 87-yard touchdown pass, yet the Buccaneers answered with quarterback Josh Freeman
Josh Freeman
-2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie...
getting a 1-yard touchdown run. Tampa Bay would tie the game in the third quarter with kicker Connor Barth
Connor Barth
Connor Thomas Barth is an American football placekicker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at North Carolina....
getting a 46-yard field goal, yet Indianapolis came right back with Painter hooking up Garçon again on a 59-yard touchdown pass. Afterwards, the Buccaneers tied the game with Freeman completing a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Preston Parker
Preston Parker
Preston Parker is an American football wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Northern Alabama.-High school:Parker graduated from Atlantic High School in 2006...
. Tampa Bay would take the lead in the fourth quarter with running back LeGarrette Blount
LeGarrette Blount
LeGarrette Montez Blount is an American football running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2010....
getting a 35-yard touchdown run. From there, the defense prevented any comeback from the Colts' offense. With the loss, the Colts dropped to 0–4.
Week 5: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
After dropping their first four games of the season, the Indianapolis Colts came back to Lucas Oil StadiumLucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The stadium celebrated its grand opening on August 24, 2008, and its ribbon-cutting ceremony August 16, 2008. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. The stadium was built to...
to take on the Kansas City Chiefs
2011 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2011 Kansas City Chiefs season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League, the 52nd overall and the third under the head coach/general manager tandem of Todd Haley and Scott Pioli. The Chiefs are coming off a 10–6 record in 2010, in which the team won its first AFC West...
. They game opened well for the Colts, who scored on their opening drive with another Curtis Painter
Curtis Painter
Curtis Jeffrey Painter is a quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers.-High school career:...
to Pierre Garçon
Pierre Garcon
Pierre Garçon is an American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. Garcon is of Haitian descent.- High school career...
touchdown reception. In the second quarter, the Colts were able to rack up the score with an Adam Vinatieri
Adam Vinatieri
Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...
field goal, and another Painter to Garçon touchdown, giving Indianapolis a 17–0 lead midway through the second quarter. A Kansas City touchdown pass from Matt Cassel
Matt Cassel
Matthew Brennan "Matt" Cassel is a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
ended the shutout but Indianapolis was able to score another touchdown later. A late Kansas City touchdown allowed the Colts to go into halftime with a 24–14 lead. Two touchdown passes from Cassel to Dwayne Bowe
Dwayne Bowe
-2007:On August 5, 2007, Bowe signed a five-year contract with the Chiefs, after holding out the first week of practice at training camp.Bowe scored his first NFL touchdown on a pass from Damon Huard in the first half of the Chiefs' game against the Chicago Bears on September 16, 2007.In his rookie...
and Steve Breaston
Steve Breaston
Steven William Breaston is an American football wide receiver and punt returner for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
respectively allowed the Chiefs to score 21 unanswered points, and complete the comeback, winning the game 28–24, dropping the Colts to 0–5 on the season.
Week 6: at Cincinnati Bengals
With the Colts losing five consecutive games starting the 2011 season, Indianapolis looked to win their first game of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals2011 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 2011 Cincinnati Bengals season will be the team's 44th season as a professional sports franchise and its 42nd season as a member of the National Football League . The team has improved on its 2010 season, where it finished with a record of 4–12 and placed fourth in the AFC North. This marks...
. Cincinnati opened up the game well, with a 1 yard touchdown run from Cedric Benson
Cedric Benson
Cedric Myron Benson is an American football running back for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears fourth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft...
. With both defenses performing well throughout the remainder of the first half with the only other scores coming on a Donald Brown
Donald Brown (American football)
Donald Eugene Brown II is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was the starting running back for the University of Connecticut Huskies from 2006 to 2008.-High school career:Brown attended Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, New...
touchdown run for the Colts, and a Mike Nugent
Mike Nugent
Mike Nugent is an American football placekicker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
field goal. Going into halftime, the Bengals led the Colts 10–7. Cincinnati dominated the third quarter on both fronts, with another Benson touchdown run and Nugent field goal, quickly running the lead up to 20–7 heading into the fourth quarter. There Colts were able to strike on a Adam Vinatieri
Adam Vinatieri
Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...
46 yard field goal narrowing the score to 20–10. A Dallas Clark
Dallas Clark
Dallas Dean Clark is an American football tight end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts 24th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Iowa...
touchdown reception from Curtis Painter
Curtis Painter
Curtis Jeffrey Painter is a quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers.-High school career:...
allowed the Colts to cut the game to a 20–17 affair with 9:33 remaining in the fourth quarter. After a missed Nugent field goal, with the Colts driving, Pierre Garçon
Pierre Garcon
Pierre Garçon is an American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. Garcon is of Haitian descent.- High school career...
fumbled the football, giving it to Carlos Dunlap who would take the ball in for a touchdown, and ended the score, with the Bengals winning the game 27–17, giving the Colts an 0–6 record on the season.
Week 7: at New Orleans Saints
In a rematch of Super Bowl XLIVSuper Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
, the Colts suffered their worst loss in New Orleans to the powerful Saints by a final score of 62-7.
Week 8: at Tennessee Titans
Week 9: vs. Atlanta Falcons
In the loss to the Falcons, the Colts continue their winless season at 0-9, ensuring of their first losing season since 20012001 Indianapolis Colts season
The 2001 Indianapolis Colts season was the 49th season for the team in the National Football League and 18th in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Colts finished the National Football League's 2001 season with a record of 6 wins and 10 losses, and finished fourth in the AFC East division...
.