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| Photo Credit: AP. |
DENVER (AP) — Matt Ryan kept the faith through all the sacks, interceptions, fumbles and three-and-outs that made for a streaming snooze-fest Thursday night.
“It was just
kind of a slog of a game,” the Indianapolis quarterback said after Stephon
Gilmore batted away Russell Wilson’s pass to Courtland Sutton in the end zone
on fourth-and-1 from the 5 to give the Colts a 12-9 overtime victory over the
Denver Broncos.
The game
featured seven field goals, a dozen punts, 25 third-down stops, four
interceptions and six fumbles — none of which were recovered by the otherwise
disruptive defenses.
“Our defense
played lights out,” said Ryan, who emerged victorious despite getting sacked
six times, giving him 21 so far this season, throwing a pair of interceptions
to Caden Sterns and fumbling for the 10th time this season.
“We need to
play better for sure, but I’m proud of the guys,” Ryan said. “Wins are what we
need. We’re right in the mix. ... I thought the two drives at the end showed a
lot of guys. You just keep battling — and it helps when your defense is
shutting them down, too.”
Gilmore also
intercepted Wilson’s pass just before the 2-minute mark of the fourth quarter
to set up Chase McLaughlin’s tying field goal with 5 seconds left.
“That’s the definition of a big-time player
making big plays in the moment,” Colts coach Frank Reich said about Gilmore.
“Isn’t it awesome you can have a game like that and still win?”
McLauglin
connected from 47 yards 4:10 into overtime to give the Colts (2-2-1) the lead
in the first game in NFL history that pitted quarterbacks with at least four
Pro Bowl appearances each yet featured zero touchdowns.
The Broncos
(2-3) decided against a tying chip-shot field goal by Brandon McManus or even a
first-down play on fourth-and-less-and-a-yard from the 5, and Wilson lined up
in the shotgun next to running back Melvin Gordon, then threw incomplete over
the middle.
“We wanted
to win the game,” Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said. “We hadn’t moved the
ball very well the whole night and I thought we had a spectacular drive to get
all the way down there.”
Wide open
and uncovered — but unseen by Wilson — was KJ Hamler, who tore off his helmet
and slammed it to the ground after Wilson’s final pass was batted away, sending
the Broncos and their awful offense to their second loss in four days.
“There’s
going to be a bunch of what-ifs,” Broncos guard Dalton Risner said. “You know
what, if we score that touchdown, everyone thinks it’s the best call in the
world.”
McLaughlin
sent it to overtime with a 31-yarder after Gilmore intercepted Wilson’s pass to
Tyrie Cleveland in the end zone on third-and-4 from the 13.
“Just can’t
throw that,” lamented Wilson. “Got to throw it out of bounds if it’s not
there.”
Wilson was
sacked four times and picked off twice. His four TD throws through five games
marks the worst start of his 11-year career and he hasn’t looked anything like
the Broncos expected after giving him a $245 million contract extension before
his first snap for Denver.
“It’s very
simple: at the end of the day I got to be better,” Wilson said. “I got to play
better. I let the team down tonight. One thing I know about myself is I’m going
to respond.”
The game
pitted veteran quarterbacks struggling with their new teams. It looked like
neither team practiced much during the week because neither team did as they
worked in new running backs and key defensive replacements on a short work
week.
And as is
common on Thursday nights, there was a rash of injuries with the most serious
to Indy’s Kwity Payne (leg) and Denver’s Garett Bolles (right knee), both of
whom were carted off.
With
reigning NFL champion Jonathan Taylor (ankle, toe) out for Indy and the Broncos
lamenting the loss of Javonte Williams to a shredded right knee, the
grind-it-out nature of the game was entirely expected.
The Colts
came in averaging 14.3 points, the lowest in Ryan’s 16-year career, and the
Broncos entered the night averaging 16.5 points, the worst in Wilson’s 11-year
career.
Nyheim Hines
got the start for Indy, but he went out with a head injury after his third snap
when D.J. Jones knocked him down and Hines’ helmet bounced on the ground. He
wobbled as he tried to leave the field on his own and had to be guided to the
sideline, where he was evaluated for a concussion.
Many fans
were wondering if this game would be one of revenge — Phillip Lindsay returning
to his hometown to beat the Broncos — or redemption — Gordon atoning for his
big fumble Sunday that was returned 68 yards for a touchdown by the Raiders.
It turned out
to be neither.
Lindsay ran
for 40 yards on 11 carries ad Gordon had 54 yards on 15 carries, and he was
flipped by safety Rodney McLoyd Jr. at the 6 on his way to the end zone when it
appeared he had an open path to the winning touchdown.
While
McLaughlin was good from 52, 51, 31 and 48 yards, Brandon McManus was good from
33, 44 and 45 yards but his 34-yard attempt was blocked by Grover Stewart in
the third quarter.
INJURIES
Paye was
injured on Rodney Thomas II’s 35-yard interception return. Starting C Ryan
Kelly (hip) and WR Austin Dulin (foot) also got hurt.
The Broncos
lost two starting defenders to knee injuries just before halftime, ILB Josey
Jewell and CB Ronald Darby. DE Dre’Mont Jones (head) and LB Baron Browning
(wrist) got hurt in the second half as did Bolles.
UP NEXT
The Colts
host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Oct. 16, and the Broncos visit the Los
Angeles Chargers on Monday night, Oct. 17.
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