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[Teach]

Third Quarter (There was no scoring)

When it comes to the Colts, the stars must have not been aligned. Anything that could go wrong, went wrong. An unsportsmanlike conduct call. A fumble. And, a holding call that wasn’t a holding infraction (“Don’t let the refs beat me!”). The Colts, in the third quarter, started to show signs of enthusiasm. Revitalization. Yet, every time they started to get their act together, everything seemed to unravel. They just couldn’t keep the continuity. The Chiefs have a habit of self-destructing in the second half (that’s why if the Patriots can keep it close…) and they were doing just that, but the “snake-bitten” Colts couldn’t put it together. There were signs of brilliance, i.e., Leonard fumble recovery, but no capitalization. If only the Colts could have put up a better pass rush. Mahomes had Indy jumping offside. On one occasion, it negated a Colts interception. Mental toughness is so important. Look for the snap, not the cadence.

If anything, Mahomes showed he was not as effective throwing the deep ball. It’s possible that “the zone” contributed to that. The unsportsmanlike conduct in front of the ref by the Colts’ Denico Autry was sophomoric.

Frankly, by and large, the Colts were their own worst enemy. They showed signs of ability, even brilliance. Yet, they were, again, not cohesive. They were out of sync. This is something the Patriots cannot allow to happen. Purposefulness. Composure. They’re both “a must!”

Make no mistake, Mahomes can throw. That sidearm throw, like a first-baseman throwing around the runner who is headed to second. Impressive.

Further, the Chiefs’ Dee Ford is impressive; he caused the Luck fumble that led to a Chiefs recovery. He must be prevented from pressuring Tom Brady.

If I see a weakness, it may be in the Chiefs secondary. Andrew Luck was connecting with receiver after receiver; it was a shame he couldn’t have got going earlier. The Chiefs controlled the time of possession and the game in the First Half.

Finally, that holding call that negated a big Colts gain. Ridiculous. Ludicrous. The Chiefs defender was already on the ground. Officiating can be like a gnawing headache. You just don’t want it to turn into a migraine.

I'll be back with my Fourth Quarter thoughts.