Colts left looking ahead in lopsided loss

The Indianapolis Colts didn’t realistically have much to play for, and it sure looked that way in a mistake-prone 42-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.

The Colts came into Sunday with little-to-no chance to earn a first-round playoff bye despite having already clinched the AFC South title.

So after the Cowboys scored touchdowns on their first four possessions, all that was left was looking ahead to Tennessee in next week’s final postseason tuneup.

“I’m thinking about Tennessee first,” Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck said. “We’ve got to fix this game, focus on Tennessee and then we can worry about the playoffs.”

Luck turned in his poorest performance of the season, completing 15 of 22 passes for 109 yards with two interceptions. Luck didn’t throw a touchdown for the first time this season and left the game in the third quarter.

Luck came into the game leading the NFL in touchdown passes and yards.

The Colts managed only 229 yards — 104 in the first half — and had three turnovers.

The offensive woes are a worry.

“I guess it is a bit surprising,” Luck said. “There are high expectations for us on the offensive side of the ball, to go out and score every drive, to get points and to move the ball. When we don’t, it’s disappointing. It’s a pride thing.

“When you go out and play like this, it’s a bad feeling. We managed to get a couple of wins early and survive some of those mistakes, but obviously against a good team like the Cowboys, you’re not going to. We’ll improve. We’ll get back on track.”

Costly penalty

Indianapolis linebacker Jerrell Freeman didn’t do himself or his defense any favors after making a third down stop on the Cowboys’ first drive. Freeman hovered over running back Lance Dunbar after making a tackle, drawing the ire of the officials.

Instead of fourth-and-15, the 15-yard taunting penalty gave the Cowboys new life on their way to the game’s first score.

“Have a foolish penalty and extend the drive,” Indianapolis coach Chuck Pagano said. “And from there it never got any better and we couldn’t overcome a lot of things.”

Botched fake

After the Colts lost five yards on their first three plays, a fake punt had Dallas totally fooled. Indianapolis punter Pat McAfee took the snap and lofted a perfect spiral down the sideline to wide-open safety Dewey McDonald.

Instead of securing the catch and the first down, McDonald started to turn upfield and dropped the pass. The Colts lead the NFL in dropped passes.

The Cowboys tend to leave the outside gunners open on punts, Pagano said. McAfee had the option to call the fake if he noticed as much.

“We just didn’t execute it,” Pagano said. “We didn’t make the catch.”

Tony Romo hooked up with Dez Bryant on the ensuing play from 19 yards out for a 14-0 lead.

Briefly

▪ Indianapolis avoided its first shutout since 1993 on Zurlon Tipton’s 1-yard touchdown catch from backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck in the fourth quarter.

▪ T.Y. Hilton was inactive with a hamstring injury. The Colts’ leading receiver tried to test it before deciding to sit out.

▪ Freeman (hamstring) and tight end Dwayne Allen (knee) will be re-evaluated in Indianapolis after leaving the game with injuries.

This story was originally published December 21, 2014 at 9:53 PM with the headline "Colts left looking ahead in lopsided loss."