Chuck Pagano ‘encouraged’ by Indianapolis Colts’ Sunday Night Football collapse

Sometimes, finding the positives after a crushing loss is necessary.

However, Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano took it to the next level Monday, talking about his team’s late collapse against the Houston Texans.

“I’m encouraged,” Pagano told the media via the Indianapolis Star’s Zak Keefer. “You guys probably think I’m crazy, but I’m encouraged.”

The Colts had a 14-point lead with slightly more than 7 minutes remaining in the game. The Texans went straight down the field, twice, to tie the game. They won on a field goal in overtime.

Quarterback Brock Osweiler had been struggling but went 25 of 39 for 269 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Some of that may have come from the Colts playing a very soft coverage in the fourth quarter. Pagano disagrees that had anything to do with the loss.

“We weren’t doing anything different,” Pagano said. “What happens is you get in these ballgames and momentum shifts and you can’t get away from what got you to that point. And that just comes down to we gotta execute. And we gotta get the job done.

“I don’t think we were passive or soft or anything like that. I think (Houston) executed better than we did.”

The Colts are in the midst of their worst start since Pagano began coaching the team in 2012.