Short of running the ball every play, I don't think we could have tried to run the ball more in the first half. It wasn't an issue of going away from the run game, it was an issue of not being able to stay on the field.
If you want to criticize Kubiak, criticize him for that. We haven't been able to sustain a drive in the first half all season long.
I would criticize Kubiak for not seeing Schaub and the WR's struggling with the aggressive pass rush. The interception is a good example to me that the Colts knew the ball was coming out quick. Schaub made a late read and BAM, down by 14. That in addition to the way we won against the Colts in week 1.
But this, "He's too stupid to come up with a good game plan against the Colts." crap is stupid..... he's the same guy who came up with the game plan week 1.
Week 1 gameplan? Lets look at that game.
*********1st Possesion************
1-10-IND 31 - M.Schaub pass short left to 83-K.Walter to IND 24 for 7 yards
2-3-IND 24 - M.Schaub pass incomplete short middle to 44-V.Leach
3-3-IND 24 - M.Schaub pass short middle to 12-J.Jones to IND 18 for 6 yards
1-10-IND 18 - A.Foster left tackle to IND 12 for 6 yards
2-4-IND 12 - 23-A.Foster right tackle to IND 8 for 4 yards
1-8-IND 8 - A.Foster left guard to IND 7 for 1 yard
2-7-IND 7 - M.Schaub pass incomplete short middle to 81-O.Daniels
3-7-IND 7 - M.Schaub pass incomplete short middle to 12-J.Jones
4-7-IND 7 - N.Rackers 25 yard field goal is GOOD, NULLIFIED by Penalty
4-12-IND 12 -
N.Rackers 30 yard field goal is GOOD
*********2nd Possesion************
1-10-HOU 16 - M.Schaub pass incomplete deep middle to 83-K.Walter. PENALTY on IND-26 -
Defensive Pass Interference, 53 yards
1-10-IND 31 - M.Schaub sacked at IND 38 for -7 yards
2-17-IND 38 - M.Schaub pass short left to 23-A.Foster pushed ob at IND 31 for 7 yards
3-10-IND 31 - M.Schaub pass incomplete short left to 12-J.Jones
4-10-IND 31 -
N.Rackers 49 yard field goal is GOOD
*********3rd Possesion************
1-10-HOU 20 - A.Foster left tackle to HST 25 for 5 yards
2-5-HOU 25 - A.Foster right end to HST 29 for 4 yards
3-1-HOU 29 - A.Foster left guard to HST 33 for 4 yards
1-10-HOU 33 - A.Foster right guard to HST 34 for 1 yard
2-9-HOU 34 - M.Schaub pass short right to 12-J.Jones pushed ob at IND 43 for 23 yards
1-10-IND 43 - 8-M.Schaub pass deep middle to 80-A.Johnson to IND 22 for 21 yards
1-10-IND 22
8-M.Schaub pass deep middle to 83-K.Walter for 22 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
4 straight runs including a 1st down. Then Schaub and his WR do the rest.
*********4th Possesion************
1-10-HOU 14 - 23-A.Foster left end to HST 21 for 7 yards
2-3-HOU 21 - A.Foster right end to HST 31 for 10 yards
1-10-HOU 31 - M.Schaub pass deep middle intended for 80-A.Johnson
INTERCEPTED by 33-M.Bullitt at IND 46.
*********5th Possesion************
1-10-HOU 24 - 8-M.Schaub pass incomplete short middle to 12-J.Jones.
2-10-HOU 24 - A.Foster up the middle to HST 22 for -2 yards (25-J.Powers).
3-12-HOU 22 - M.Schaub sacked at HST 20 for -2 yards
4-14-HOU 20 - M.Turk punts 58 yards to IND 22
2nd sack of the night.
*********6th Possesion************
1-10-HOU 23 - -M.Schaub kneels to HST 22 for -1 yards.
*********Half Time************
Seems to me that 6 of our 13 1st half points were from a short field thanks to Jacoby Jones return, And a 53 yard PI penalty. The rest was good running by Foster and the O-line. Schaub and the wide outs were mediocre at best.
Now here is where it gets fun.
*********1st Possesion************
1-10-HOU 34 - A.Foster right tackle to HST 42 for 8 yards
2-2-HOU 42 - A.Foster left tackle to HST 49 for 7 yards
1-10-HOU 49 - S.Slaton right guard to IND 45 for 6 yards
2-4-IND 45 - S.Slaton right tackle to IND 42 for 3 yards
3-1-IND 42 - 23-A.Foster left end pushed ob at IND 29 for 13 yards
1-10-IND 29 - A.Foster right guard to IND 23 for 6 yards
2-4-IND 23 - S.Slaton left tackle to IND 21 for 2 yards
3-2-IND 21 - A.Foster left tackle to IND 20 for 1 yard
4-1-IND 20 - A.Foster right end to IND 18 for 2 yards
1-10-IND 18 - A.Foster right tackle to IND 14 for 4 yards
2-6-IND 14 - M.Schaub pass incomplete short middle to 12-J.Jones
3-6-IND 14 - M.Schaub pass short middle to 80-A.Johnson to IND 8 for 6 yards (41-A.Bethea).
1-8-IND 8 - A.Foster left guard to IND 2 for 6 yards
Timeout #1 by HST at 07:43.
2-2-IND 2 - A.Foster left end to IND 1 for 1 yard
3-1-IND 1 - A.Foster right tackle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
13 runs for the TD including the first 10 plays. 2 passes. Incomplete and 6 yards.
The rest of the half is chock full of BIG runs by Foster and Co.
So my question to you is why did Kubiak understand (mostly in the 2nd half) that we could beat the Colts with a good ground game, essentially limiting Mannings time on the field?
Schaub Week 1: 9/17, 107 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT
Schaub Week 8: 22/38, 201 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT
Kubiak had Schaub throw 2.3x more attempts in week 8 for some reason. No reason for that. Kubiak knows first hand how we beat the Colts in week 1. And it sure as hell wasnt with Schaubs arm.