Sunday win = Monday glamor: ‘Victory Blazer’ finally shines on Daybreak
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — With a glimmer in her eyes and sparkles on her jacket, WISH-TV’s Daybreak Colts Contributor Heather Lloyd has, at long last, pulled her Victory Blazer out of mothballs.
“I should put this in a glass case,” Heather told us, in a nod to the many seasons it has served as a symbol of on-field success.
The Blazer went into storage more than a year ago, when Lloyd decided to take a television hiatus. This year, she is back each Monday with post-game analysis. Heather has been eager to don the bedazzled blue-on-white jacket, and Sunday’s win over the Chicago Bears finally let it happen.
With fashion frustrations finally over, Heather jumped straight into the analysis.
D gets the W
“I don’t know how many victories we’re going to celebrate this season, but I do know that this one was brought to you by the Colts defense,” Lloyed declared to start her segment.
“Much maligned — and for good reason — the Colts defense responded this week. They made big stops at big moments, limited the Bears to just 63 rushing yards, had three takeaways…made four sacks, and linebacker Zaire Franklin had a career high 15 tackles.”
O is O.K.
“The passing game just wasn’t there yesterday,” Lloyd lamented before heaping praise on the running attack. “Together with Jonathan Taylor, who rushed for more than 100 yards for the second week in a row and scored two touchdowns, the Colts put up 150 yards on the ground, including one play where the whole offense got involved — pushing the ball (and running back Trey Sermon) into the end zone.”
Heather feels the way forward is clear.
“For now, I think they need to keep it on the ground. Make a few throws here and there, but this offense is not ready for an air attack – and with Richardson and Jonathan Taylor, they don’t really need one.”
Trouble afoot?
A second-half decision has Heather questioning one specific part of special teams.
“In the third quarter, the Colts went for it on 4th down instead of kicking a 56 yard field goal,” she said, noting that Matt Gay has struggled with long kicks and has been battling injuries, making Spencer Shrader look increasingly like a solid option. “I just wonder if it isn’t time to make a change.”
When the conversation returned to the Victory Blazer and whether it will appear next Monday, Heather expressed hope but made no promises. Then she delivered a shot to next week’s visitors and their ‘Terrible Towel’ tradition.
“Is there anything worse than a Steelers fan sitting in front of you, waving those one of those things….?”