Indianapolis can’t open Lucas Oil with a win

INDIANAPOLIS – If this is what life in Lucas Oil Stadium is like, the Colts might want to move back to the RCA Dome.

Indianapolis christened its $720-million stadium with a 29-13 Opening Day loss to the Chicago Bears — Indy’s first loss in September or October since 2004 when it lost 27-24 in its season opener against the New England Patriots.

The Colts, favored by more than a touchdown, never led by more than three points and trailed the Bears for most of the game.

“We certainly haven’t had one like that in a long time where we got outplayed,” Colts coach Tony Dungy said after the game.

Offensive miscues and an anemic running game doomed Indianapolis.

Star running back Joseph Addai finished the game with 44 yards on 12 carries, though he left at the beginning of the fourth quarter with a head injury. As a team, Indy gained only 53 yards on the ground. Whenever the Colts tried to run, the Bears defense was right there.

“That was their plan,” Dungy said. “They were going to crowd the line of scrimmage and make us throw.”

Colts quarterback Peyton Manning finished the game completing 30-of-49 passes for one touchdown.

The Colts looked strong in the opening minutes of the game, holding the Bears to a three-and-out on their first offensive possession. But solid play soon gave way to sloppiness.

Addai was tackled for a safety in the second quarter — the only time Indianapolis found the end zone the entire half. The safety was Indianapolis’ first since a 26-24 loss against the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 19, 2000.

Manning, who missed the entire preseason after having surgery to remove an infected bursa sac in his left knee, twice put the Colts in position to score, but they couldn’t score a touchdown, which Dungy lamented after the game. On Indy’s first red-zone possession, the Colts were stalled by multiple penalties, and on the second, Manning threw two incomplete passes. Both times the Colts settled for a field goal.

The Bears, seldom known for being potent offensively, found a lot of success on the ground. Rookie Matt Forte ran untouched for a 50-yard touchdown in the first quarter and finished the half with 100 yards on 14 carries. Chicago added two Robbie Gould field goals to take a 15-6 halftime lead.

After the break, Manning, in typical workman-like fashion, led the Colts to their first touchdown of the season — a 6-yard pass to Reggie Wayne — to cut the lead to 15-13. After a Chicago punt, the Colts had the ball and a chance to take the lead when Marvin Harrison fumbled. Bears linebacker Lance Briggs picked it up and ran 21 yards to paydirt to put Chicago up 22-13.
 
On the next Indy possession, the Bears defense stopped the Colts on a fourth-down play at midfield, and fullback Jason McKie powered into the end zone from the 1-yard line to put the game out of reach.