Blame for Colts' sacks goes beyond offensive line

INDIANAPOLIS – It’s the 6:08 mark of the first quarter in Sunday’s Tennessee Titans-Indianapolis Colts game. The Colts have possession, facing a third-and-12 from their own 23-yard line. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett drops back. He looks downfield but never gets a pass off. Linebackers Derrick Morgan and Jayon Brown converge and drop Brissett for a sack and a loss of 3 yards.

Punt, rinse, repeat. Nothing to see here. Just another example of the Colts’ disastrous offensive line.

Or is it?

After the Colts allowed eight sacks against the Titans and with a meeting against the Jaguars looming Sunday – the same team that notched 10 sacks in the teams’ previous meeting – now seems like an ideal time for closer scrutiny of where these increasingly high sack totals are coming from.

For details, we went to the tape and painstakingly broke down each of Sunday's eight sacks. What happened? Who was at fault? And can this be prevented?

The answers weren’t as predictable as you might think. In short, everyone has had a hand in this.

“You can’t pin it (on one area),” coach Chuck Pagano said. “If you want to say, ‘Okay, who’s this one belong to?’ Spread the wealth.”

For the Colts, their league-high 47 sacks allowed have been a group effort.

>> First quarter, 14:53 remaining

The Titans rush five, but the Colts are in good position numbers-wise because running back Frank Gore stays in to block. But a millisecond after the ball is snapped, defensive end DeQuan Jones loops around to the opposite side of the line on a stunt. Left guard Jeremy Vujnovich is nearby but never sees Jones. The Titans end up getting a free shot at Brissett as Jones decks him for the game’s first sack.

Whose fault: This looks more like an offensive-line communication failure than a lost matchup. Center Ryan Kelly or Vujnovich might have been able to help had they had some indication of what was coming.

>> First quarter, 6:08 remaining

The Colts are facing a third-and-12, so the Titans know a pass is coming. Tennessee rushes five men, including Brown from his inside linebacker spot. Tight end Jack Doyle chip blocks Morgan before releasing for a possible check-down throw. In the process, he misses a chance to possibly chip Brown, who begins to rush from the inside before bouncing outside. That helps him elude Gore, who is in pass protection but is lined up to Brissett’s left.

What’s less obvious here is that Brissett has a clear throw to Chester Rogers for a possible first down. But he doesn’t pull the trigger. Down he goes, and the Colts punt. Again.

Whose fault: Brissett has a makeable throw that likely is completed if he doesn’t hesitate.

>> Second quarter, 15:00 remaining

The Colts are trying to set up a tight end screen to Doyle to the offense’s left. In doing so, they attempt to fool the defense with play-action to running back Marlon Mack going to the offense’s right. The play might have worked except the Colts didn’t count on safety Da’Norris Searcy blitzing from about six yards off the line of scrimmage.

Searcy gets in Brissett’s throwing lane and leaps in the air, forcing Brissett to pull the ball down and try to scramble. Screens are one-and-done play calls because there is no protection for the quarterback if the designed throw doesn’t materialize. Erik Walden gets an easy sack.

Whose fault: The Colts got out-schemed on this one. The Titans’ call was simply better than that of offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski. It was just the perfect defensive call.

>> Second quarter, 8:32 remaining

If you include Gore and tight ends Doyle and Brandon Williams, the Colts had eight men in protection on this play to block five defenders. The problem is they ended up with a one-on-one matchup between Doyle and linebacker Derrick Morgan, an above-average pass rusher. That’s a win for the Titans. Morgan won the matchup and helped collapse the pocket. Woodyard got the sack.

Whose fault: Doyle should never have been in that situation. Why he was is a question for Chudzinski.

>> Second quarter, 6:36 remaining

Brissett play actions to Gore then bootlegs to his right. There are two downfield routes, also going to the right side of the field. Donte Moncrief runs a corner route and takes a cornerback and safety with him. But Kamar Aiken finds the soft spot in the Tennessee zone with his crossing route. Brissett presumably sees him, but never throws the ball despite briefly having a window. Once Brissett missed that chance, it’s game over. He tries to scramble, but there’s nowhere to go. Jones gets the sack.

Who’s fault: This one is on the quarterback.

>> Second quarter, 3:41 remaining

With first-and-goal from the 9, the Colts are looking to score. But they inexplicably don’t account for Orakpo on this play. Castonzo blocks down to his right and away from Orakpo. Gore and Doyle run by Orakpo on their way to run routes but neither chips him. Orakpo, untouched, ends up sacking Brissett.

Whose fault: It’s not clear whether this play was just executed properly. But if so, any play that doesn’t account for Orakpo is a bad play.

>> Third quarter, 6:52 remaining

The Colts face a third-and-3 and go with a shotgun formation with an open backfield and no additional blockers. But the Titans blitz an extra man – safety Johnathan Cyprien. Castonzo is forced to choose between giving Cyprien a free shot at Brissett or leaving Orakpo unblocked. Perhaps because Cyprien has the clearest shot at Brissett, Castonzo blocks him. But Orakpo gets another gimme sack.

Whose fault: Maybe Brissett should’ve called a timeout seeing how this was a third down inside the red zone. Either way, this play shows the perils of using an empty backfield.

>> Third quarter, 2:57 left

Brissett uses play-action to Mack then bootlegs to his right. But Morgan makes a smart play, not biting on the run and staying home. He finds himself directly in Brissett’s throwing lane and prevents what would’ve been an easy completion to Rogers. Brissett turns upfield but slides at the line of scrimmage for no gain and, technically, a sack.

Whose fault: This is case of Morgan making an outstanding play and being rewarded for it. The play was executed, but the Titans one-upped the Colts.

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