Colts Rookie Tight End's Two Touchdowns Key Colts Rally
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – He was drafted with the idea he would be a good fit for the Colts' offense, a pass-catching tight with experience in a high-tempo offense.
On Saturday night, Jacob Tamme showed signs of fitting in.
And fitting in very nicely.
Tamme, a tight end from the University of Kentucky who has been compared to starting tight end Dallas Clark, replaced Clark late in the first quarter of the Colts' 23-20 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers in the second preseason game Saturday night.
"Any time the lights are on, you want to make a good impression," Tamme said. "It was one of those nights where you got an opunity to make some plays and the balls were right there. Fortunately, I made them."
Tamme caught five passes for 57 yards and two touchdowns, with all coming from reserve quarterback Jared Lorenzen – who also played collegiately at Kentucky – in the second quarter.
"He played really well," Colts starting tight end Dallas Clark said. "The opportunities he had, he took advantage of them. He played awesome and made some big-time plays out there against some good defenders. It's definitely a confidence-builder for him.
"Slowly, it will all come together."
First, Tamme – a fourth-round selection in the 2008 NFL Draft – caught a nine-yard touchdown pass on 3rd-and-7 to cap a seven-play 65-yard drive and pull the Colts to within seven, 17-10.
Two possessions later, Tamme caught four passes for 48 yards on a seven-play, 54-yard drive that ended when Lorenzen found Tamme open in the right corner of the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown pass that cut the Panthers' lead to three, 20-17.
"Jared put the balls right there – all I had to do was catch them," Tamme said. "It was a good night in that respect. As a rookie, you can't ask for anything more than to get a chance to make some touchdown catches. I just try to get in there and do my job. It's a one-day-at-a-time type of thing. This happened to be a day where I got a chance to get out and make some plays."
Lorenzen and Tamme played one season together at Kentucky.
"It's been a long time since we connected," Tamme said. "He put the balls right there tonight. Jared was right on the money with both of them. All I had to do was catch them. He played a great game."
PRODUCTIVE NIGHT: A week ago, Jared Lorenzen was the Colts' third quarterback.
On Saturday night, Lorenzen – who signed with the Colts as a free agent just before the start of training camp – entered the game in the first quarter, and helped rally the Colts from an early 14-point deficit.
Lorenzen late in the first quarter replaced starter Jim Sorgi, playing a quarter and a half and completing 12 of 23 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns, with each touchdown pass going to Jacob Tamme.
Tamme caught touchdowns of nine and 14 yards in the second quarter.
"It felt a little bit better," Lorenzen said. "There's a lot of stuff I still need to get better on. It starts up front. I had all the time in the world to do whatever I wanted and my receivers outside were working well and making plays for me. It makes the game a lot easier when that comes along."
CROSSETT SIGNED: For the second consecutive week, the Colts signed a kicker in time for a preseason game.
Adam Crossett, a kicker who signed with the Colts shortly before the preseason opener a week ago, re-signed with the team and kicked in the second half against Panthers. He had been released shortly after the Hall of Fame Game.
The Colts waived running back Clifton Dawson to make room for Crossett.
Also, the following players did not play on Saturday:
Defensive end Dwight Freeney (foot, Physically Unable to Perform), linebacker Tyjuan Hagler (chest, PUP), offensive guard Ryan Lilja (knee, PUP), quarterback Peyton Manning (knee, PUP), safety Bob Sanders (shoulder, PUP), tight end Tom Santi (knee, PUP), safety Melvin Bullitt (thumb), defensive end Jeff Charleston (groin), cornerback Michael Coe (knee), wide receiver Pierre Garcon (hip), wide receiver Roy Hall (hamstring), defensive end Curtis Johnson (quad), linebacker Clint Session (calf), linebacker Philip Wheeler (knee) and linebacker Victor Worsley (hamstring).
HOW THEY SCORED
COLTS 3 07 07 03 00 – 20
PANTHERS 14 06 00 00 03 – 23
PANTHERS 7, COLTS 0
DeAngelo Williams 1 run (John Kasey kick), 11:55 remaining first quarter. Drive: Five plays, 19 yards, 2:04. Key play: Julius Peppers recovers fumble by Jim Sorgi at Colts 19.
PANTHERS 14, COLTS 0
Williams 10 run (Kasey kick), 11:41 remaining first quarter. Drive: One play, 10 yards, :06. Key play: Adam Seward 14 interception return.
PANTHERS 14, COLTS 3
Adam Vinatieri 42 FG, 6:33 remaining first quarter. Drive: 12 plays, 56 yards, 5:08. Key play: Marvin Harrison 10 pass from Sorgi on 3rd-and-6 from Colts 36.
PANTHERS 17, COLTS 3
Kasay 35 FG, 14:13 remaining second quarter. Drive: Seven plays, 51 yards, 3:00. Key play: Steve Smith 19 pass from Matt Moore on 1st-and-10 from Panthers 31.
PANTHERS 17, COLTS 10
Jacob Tamme 9 pass from Jared Lorenzen (Vinatieri kick), 12:08 remaining second quarter. Drive: Eight plays, 65 yards, 2:05. Key play: Lorenzen 24 run on 3rd-and-10 from Panthers 49 plus 13-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty gives Colts first down at Panthers 12.
PANTHERS 20, COLTS 10
Kasay 38 FG, 6:56 remaining second quarter. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 5:12. Key play: Nick Goings 4 run on 3rd-and-2 from Colts 28.
PANTHERS 20, COLTS 17
Tamme 14 pass from Lorenzen (Vinatieri kick), 1:55 remaining second quarter. Drive: Eight plays, 54 yards, 2:01. Key play: Tamme 17 pass from Lorenzen 2nd-and-5 from Panthers 37.
COLTS 20, PANTHERS 20
Adam Crossett 34 FG, 3:58 remaining third quarter. Drive: Eight plays, 37 yards, 2:56. Key play: Gijon Robinson 17 pass from Quinn Gray on 1st-and-10 from Colts 47.
PANTHERS 23, COLTS 20
Kasay 46 FG, 3:53 remaining overtime. Drive: 12 plays, 37 yards, 6:10. Key play: Chad Upshaw 9 pass from Lester Ricard on 3rd-and-9 from Panthers 35.
