The Colts lost for the first time this season in Los Angeles on Sunday and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell had a big hand in his team’s defeat.
Mitchell made a tough catch on third down in the third quarter, evaded a Rams tackler and broke free for what was set to be a 76-yard touchdown. No points actually went on the board, however. Mitchell let go of the ball before crossing into the end zone and the Rams took over on the 20-yard line after the ball bounced out of bounds for a touchback.
A touchdown would have given the Colts the lead, but Mitchell was left to discuss what happened after a 27-20 loss instead.
“It definitely stings,” Mitchell said, via Stephen Holder of ESPN.com. “The ball was put in my hand to make a play for the team, and it was a matter of losing focus and just to play. That just can’t happen. Just unacceptable. I’ve just got to be better for the team and for the organization.”
It wasn’t the last time Mitchell found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons on Sunday. He was flagged for a holding penalty that wiped out a Jonathan Taylor touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
The Colts committed 11 penalties as a team on Sunday and they had three turnovers, so there’s more to the loss than Mitchell’s miscues even if both of them loomed large in the way things were settled on Sunday.