Colts' Sauce Gardner vows not to repeat 'embarrassing' effort - ESPN

INDIANAPOLIS — Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner, reflecting on his performance in Sunday's victory over the Commanders in London, said he gave his team an «embarrassing» effort and vowed there would not be a repeat performance.

Gardner, the two-time first-team All-Pro traded to the Colts last season for two first-round picks, was referring to his glaring lack of pursuit and effort on certain plays against the Commanders. Some of the plays went viral on social media, leaving Gardner mortified.

«There was multiple plays where my effort was not there,» Gardner said. «That's not what I stand for. That's not the type of person I am. That's not the type of player I am. And that'll never happen again.»

One play that drew scrutiny on social media was an 87-yard, third-quarter catch-and-run by Commanders receiver Antonio Williams. Gardner was not responsible for Williams on the play, but he let up his pursuit when safety Cam Bynum looked as if he might make the tackle. But Williams stayed on his feet and continued toward the end zone, with defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore giving chase in an all-out sprint. Gardner appeared to be jogging behind the play.

The score was ultimately overturned by a penalty, but Gardner cringed when he watched it later. «That's the embarrassing feeling right there,» he said. «Seeing other guys on the D-line running past me, that's the part that's like, 'Yo, that's crazy.'

»When I'm loafing and then I'm seeing him slide past me, it's like, 'Bro, that's embarrassing.' Yeah, that's unacceptable."

Gardner said he saw the flag thrown for an illegal shift before the catch and assumed the penalty would go against Washington. But that wasn't a justification, he said.

«I saw the flag get thrown, but they