Vinatieri, Colts leg out 29-23 victory over Bears

“We should have won today”. “We’ve got to get this thing rolling”.

Bears cornerback Jacoby Glenn was dejected, nearly disconsolate, after getting burned by Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton for the winning touchdown Sunday.

And who could blame them? If we forget they were playing the Bears, it sounds even better.

As a team, the Bears amassed 522 total yards, their most since September 24, 1989 when they had 542 in a win over the Lions. So what’s the problem? Glenn then gave up the game-winning touchdown on a deep post route by Hilton, in which Gleenn was beat nearly immediately.

Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri’s fifth field goal of the game, a 46-yarder with 2:28 to play, extended the lead to 29-23. Add in the costly penalties, and there’s not much to hang on the players following this loss.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Cutler could be on the bench for the remainder of the season if Brian Hoyer continues to play well. They can’t protect quarterback Andrew Luck consistently: He was sacked five times, bringing the season total to 20.

Time after time, Vinatieri has bailed the Colts out when the offence has bogged down or bungled chances, as was the case again Sunday when the Colts were called for delay of game on third-and-4 from the Bears 23-yard line with 2:39 to go and following a timeout. Luck was 5-of-9 for 53 yards and a 72.9 passer rating in the second half until his team was behind. “The Colts” five games have all come down to the final minutes of the fourth quarter. I’ll also second the notion of former Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne that bad front-office decisions have brought them to this spot. Luck had Hilton and then everyone else Sunday, and Hilton came through.

Part of the reason why Cutler turns the ball over more than Hoyer is because offensive coordinators attack more with Cutler. But didn’t 2015 prove that Cutler is also capable of executing a safer game plan?

In the end, despite Luck’s fantastic performance, the Colts still needed some additional luck to pull this one out – or at least keep the game out of overtime. It’s a solid win for a team that spent its first three weeks getting beaten into pulp.

But hey, it’s a win, and when you only had one to begin with, you take it.

“We did a nice job with the no-huddle, got some rhythm, got some tempo”, Luck said.

Perhaps Luck’s greatest accomplishment is that the Colts are seventh in scoring in spite of the fact they are last in QB sack percentage, and when Luck isn’t running for his life, he has been sacked a league-high 15 times. Jeffery thought the same.

Jeffery beat his man easily and escaped completely free toward the end zone. And are they capable of making him look smart?

“I try not to pay attention to the media, but when friends, family members reach out to you, you kind of figure it out”, Hoyer said. First, will Jay Cutler be physically ready to go Sunday, and if so, will he start or will Hoyer?

Running Back: Devonta Freeman, Atlanta FalconsFreeman has put up some good statistics despite splitting time with Tevin Coleman, but we wouldn’t recommend starting either player against the Denver Broncos.

And on the day’s final play?

On the play, tight end Jack Doyle took a safety with him toward the sideline, leaving Hilton with a one-on-one matchup with cornerback Jacoby Glenn on a post pattern. Hoyer has sparked the offense, first and foremost, by protecting the football.