INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - It wasn't pretty and the Indianapolis Colts know it.
Now all they can do is try to bounce back after an embarrassing 59-24 loss at New England on Sunday.
The Colts had four turnovers, and two of Andrew Luck's three interceptions were returned for touchdowns. Interim coach Bruce Arians said the mistakes the rookie quarterback made were just technical errors.
``Both pick-sixes he was throwing right to the exact perfect read,'' Arians said Monday. ``They were technical errors. If he was throwing to the wrong guys, into coverage, those types of interceptions, then you would worry about it.''
For Luck, it's simple. He wants to learn from the mistakes.
``Especially not repeating any of the mistakes that you made,'' Luck said. ``I think that goes for any game or any practice you're in, you're going to watch the film and realize, `OK where did the wheels come off and why,' and make sure we don't do that again.''
Luck sat down with quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen to critique the film.
``You think about it until after you watch the field with Clyde,'' Luck said. ``Once you sit down and watch the film, the critiquing and the criticism, and once that happens, you sort of flush it and realize it's on to the next one. If this was the last one of the season and you're done, it would sting a lot more.''
Arians reminded Luck that Peyton Manning did the same thing during his first trip to New England back in 1998. The Colts lost that game 29-6 and Manning threw three interceptions, one of them returned for a touchdown.
``I basically told him in the fourth quarter that he was no different than the guy you replaced in his first trip up here,'' Arians said. ``It was almost like deja vu.''
New England tied the game at 14 early in the second quarter on a 68-yard punt return by Julian Edelman and then took a 21-14 lead a minute later on a 59-yard interception return by Aqib Talib. At the start of the fourth quarter, Alfonzo Dennard returned an 87-yard interception to the end zone to make it 45-17.
``You can't give good teams two pick-sixes,'' Luck said. ``You can't score on the first two drives and then sort of peter out. You can't make mistakes because elite teams like the New England Patriots will beat you with them.''
Still, life in Indy has been exciting and inspirational of late. The Colts are fighting for a playoff spot and playing for their leukemia-stricken coach, Chuck Pagano. This is a young team, and even rookie receiver T.Y Hilton said he knows how important it is to forget about the last game in the NFL.
``You have to,'' said Hilton, who tied the franchise record for a rookie to have three games of 100 or more yards receiving. ``Every loss we've had we find a way to bounce. Right now, we have to bounce back and we're at home and you know how we play at home.''
The only time this season Indy has lost back-to-back games was early in the season when they lost to Pittsburgh and Washington to fall to 1-2. After the Colts host Buffalo on Sunday, they host Tennessee, go on the road to Kansas City and play the Houston Texans twice.
``You realize it's just one loss,'' Luck said. ``It doesn't count any more or any less in the column and realize that we're still in a decent position, I think that some other teams would like to be in. Our goals are still obtainable.''
What's the key to bouncing back and becoming successful?
``Staying Chuckstrong,'' Hilton said, referring to Pagano. ``If he's fighting, we're fighting and we have to fight back.''
