(Today’s blog provides press-box observations on the Colts-Atlanta Falcons game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Questions can be submitted via Twitter @pwilson24 or by email at phillip.wilson@indystar.com. Comments can be posted at the end of this thread. A Colts chat on Coveritlive.com will be at 8 p.m. Monday.)
THIRD QUARTER
2:50 — Nobody bothers to cover TE Tony Gonzalez on third-down pass from the 1. Too easy. TD. FALCONS 28, COLTS 7.
4:51 — Third-down pass to WR Roddy White, easy pitch-and-catch against a soft zone, gain of 10 to the Colts 2.
6:53 — Another throw to the soon-to-be Hall of Famer, Gonzalez grabs pass outside for 11-yard gain and first down at the Colts 13.
7:35 — As the Colts languish, the Miami Dolphins are ahead 28-3 at Kansas City. It would appear the Colts will finish this day as the NFL’s last winless team.
8:49 — Gonzalez with 20-yard catch to the Colts 40.
10:22 — Colts go three-and-out. Ho-hum. Punt. Falcons will start at their 27.
11:40 — LB Philip Wheeler blitzes on third-and-2 and gets the sack. Falcons punt.
14:29 — After another Colts kickoff for a touchback, RB Michael Turner opens the second half with a 5-yard run.
SECOND QUARTER
0:00 — Half ends on 55-yard punt out of bounds. FALCONS 21, COLTS 7.
0:10 — Falcons throw another incomplete pass on third down. Have to punt.
0:15 — Colts CB Jerraud Powers almost has second INT. Thrown right to him, but he can’t hang onto the high pass.
0:28 — Falcons get ball back at their 40. Not much time to do anything.
1:08 — Colts throw another WR bubble screen on third down. Short of sticks. Colts have to punt from their end zone.
1:25 — Pierre Garcon should have fair caught the punt at the 10, but let’s it bounce and get downed in deep. One rush later, Colts are backed up to their 1.
2:00 — A holding penalty helps back the Falcons up to third-and-24 at the two-minute warning.
3:42 — WR Roddy White hauls in 33-yard pass to the Colts 46 as CB Kevin Thomas and S David Caldwell are in the area but can’t stop the big play.
3:56 — Falcons get three guys into the backfield as QB Curtis Painter goes down. Third-down sack loses 12 yards. Colts punt.
4:38 — Austin Collie runs away from coverage on crossing route for 16-yard catch.
5:33 — Colts catch another break. TE Tony Gonzalez is open for the third-and-8 pass outside as he gets separation from LB Ernie Sims, but the Falcons target can’t hold on. Visitors punt. Colts take over at their 30.
6:44 — Falcons get back to basics and run the ball. A couple cracks at it gain a first down.
7:47 — For the first time since the second quarter against Pittsburgh in Week 3, the Colts come up with a turnover. Falcons QB Matt Ryan throws behind his WR, but directly to a diving Powers, who hops up and runs into the end zone with the INT from 6 yards out for the TD. Colts had not come up with a turnover in 23 quarters. FALCONS 21, COLTS 7.
8:35 — Colts move a little, but then stall near midfield as third-down blitz doesn’t get picked up and Painter is forced by a blitzing LB to throw incomplete. Home team punts again. After ref goofs on initial ruling, the punt is declared out of bounds at the Falcons 1. Nice job by punter Pat McAfee.
12:26 — Third-and-3 at the Falcons 20, quick slant, Julio Jones snags it and outruns everybody. Some kind of rookie talent. Although the Colts make everybody look good. Jones scores on 80-yard TD pass. FALCONS 21, COLTS 0.
13:29 — Colts have to punt again after a Painter sideline throw sails high and incomplete. Painter is 5-of-14 for 53 yards with one INT. Falcons will start at their 13.
13:48 — Deep ball to Reggie Wayne draws contact. But refs don’t call it. Say the overthrow was uncatchable. Fans boo. A colleague nails it when he observes, “Bad teams don’t get calls.” Sure didn’t last week when the Titans mugged these guys.
14:55 — Jacob Tamme wide open when he makes out cut. Painter air mails is high and wide. Incomplete.
FIRST QUARTER
0:00 — After a brief scramble, Painter hits Clark for 12-yard gain and another first down to the Colts 41. End of quarter. FALCONS 14, COLTS 0.
2:04 — Painter atones with an 11-yard strike to WR Austin Collie for a first down.
2:19 — Painter throws two passes on same play. That’s a no-no. Ball got batted back to him. Guess he didn’t know you can’t throw it again when that happens.
2:51 — Wow … WR Julio Jones is triple-covered deep but dives and appears to catch a 50-yard TD pass. Ref signals incomplete. But Falcons challenge. And they get the call reversed. Touchdown. Jones was right. He jumped off and told his sideline to challenge. Rookie was sure he got it. FALCONS 14, COLTS 0.
3:32 — Jones takes a double reverse for 14 yards to midfield. Snazzy razzle-dazzle play there. It looked as if it might gain a lot more than that.
4:05 — Turner sheds tacklers and drags S Antoine Bethea on a run for 15.
4:25 — Third-down pass sails high and through the hands of Tamme. Painter looking shaky at best so far. Colts punt again. Falcons take over at their 21.
5:40 — After a 13-yard pass to WR Roddy White for a first down, the Falcons go nowhere on three plays, two Matt Ryan passes incomplete and a run for nothing. Falcons punt.
8:05 — Former Colts CB Kelvin Hayden in the right place at the right time, comes up with the interception to kill a Colts scoring threat.
8:16 — Painter pass over the middle is behind Clark. Yes, he could have caught what amounted to a back-shoulder throw when he’s going the other direction, but it sails through incomplete. Puts Colts in a third-and-10 situation.
8:50 — Donald Brown keeps his legs moving after the initial contact, gains 2 on third-and-1 to the Falcons 33.
8:57 — Colts put Brown in the game for Delone Carter. Brown rips off a couple runs for 15 yards. Painter hits on 15-yard pass to Garcon for another first down.
11:38 — Michael Turner plows over a Colts tackler for 1-yard TD run. Didn’t get the number of the Indy guy, but no matter. He didn’t have a chance. FALCONS 7, COLTS 0.
12:41 — Backup RB Jacquizz Rodgers takes the quick pitch left for 11 yards. Almost scores. First-and-goal at the 2.
13:26 — Two Turner runs and the Falcons have a first down at the Colts 13.
14:16 — Carter runs twice, coughs it up on the second carry. Falcons recover at the 26.
14:53 — Joe Lefeged returns kick to the 19. This time, he had to bring it out. Falcons kicked it to the goal line.
PREGAME
Colts have won the toss and will receive.
Window and roof are both open!
Inactives — Colts: WR Blair White, QB Peyton Manning, CB Terrence Johnson, CB Prince Miller, OG Seth Olsen, OG Joe Reitz, DT Drake Nevis. Falcons: CB Darrin Walls, RB Antone Smith, LB Spencer Adkins, C Brett Romberg, OT Sam Baker, DT Carlton Powell, DE Cliff Matthews.
Lineup changes — Colts will start Mike Tepper at LG for Reitz, Curtis Painter at QB for Manning, Delone Carter at RB for Joseph Addai. Falcons will start Will Svitek for LT for Sam Baker.
Officials — Referee Mike Carey, umpire Chad Brown, head linesman Dana McKenzie, line judge Tim Podraza, field judge Mike Weir, side judge Boris Cheek, back judge Kirk Doman, replay Al Jury, video Ken Dollar.
(Phil B. can be found on Twitter @pwilson24, on Facebook @ Phillip B Wilson, and via email at phillip.wilson@indystar.com. He appears regularly on local radio, including Friday mornings at 10 on The Bob & Tom Show, and is a regular guest on Fox-59 TV.)
Leave any suggestions in the comment box.
  
  
