Colts’ Touchdown Before Halftime Changed Momentum

The Jets couldn’t have played better during the first 28 minutes of the AFC Championship against the Colts Sunday. They were up 17-6, had all the momentum, and looked like they were going to be able to contain Peyton Manning and the Colts offense. Things changed when the Colts’ offense got the ball with 2:11 remaining in the first half. The Jets got kind of soft and after throwing an incomplete pass, Peyton connected with rookie wideout Austin Collie for three straight passes and the third pass was a touchdown. The Colts went 80-yards in 0:58 seconds. The lead was cut to four points, which is no lead at all when you’re going up against Peyton Manning. 

The 80-yard touchdown drive in three plays changed momentum and changed the game. The Colts received a boost of confidence from the drive. Peyton is so good in a two-minute drill, but the Jets went into halftime two minutes early. They played 28 minutes in the first half and it killed them. Taking a two-score, 17-6 lead into the locker room would have been amazing for the Jets. They were receiving the ball to start the second half too and they could have made it a three score lead with a touchdown in their first possession of the second half.

The Jets secondary was overmatched and Peyton knew who to pick on. He zoned in on Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie who were being covered by inferior cornerbacks. The Jets also didn’t pressure Peyton after the Colts’ first possession. They sacked him twice on their initial possession and it looked optimistic that the Jets were going to be able to pressure him all day. Peyton didn’t get sacked and rarely was pressured the rest of the game. 

The game can be picked apart and we can say this should have happened or this could have happened. What did happen was the Jets were beat by a superior team. The Colts’ defense shut the Jets out in the second half and their offense put up 30 on the Jets, who haven’t given up 30 points to a team since week 8. The Colts receivers were too good for the Jets defensive backs and that was where the game was won. Dwight Lowery, Lito Sheppard, Drew Coleman, and James Ihedigbo were all beat by Colt receivers in the game. 

The Colts’ touchdown score within two minutes of the first half changed the game. After that it was a totally different game and it went in favor of a superior Colts team. The better team doesn’t always win, but they did in the AFC Championship.