Let’s take a look back at the key moments and everything you need to know from the Colts’ Week 2 win vs. the Broncos.
On a buzzer-beater, the Indianapolis Colts moved to 2-0 for the first time since 2009 after kicker Spencer Shrader hit a game-winning field goal against the Denver Broncos.
Let’s take a look back at the key moments of this game with everything you need to know.
The turning point
The tide in this game turned during the fourth quarter on a Cam Bynum interception. Prior to that, the Colts failed another fourth-down attempt near midfield, which set Denver up with very good field position. On the cusp of scoring at least a field goal, Bo Nix airmailed his receiver, and Bynum was there for the interception.
The Colts offense didn’t find the end zone, but a big run by Jonathan Taylor led to a field goal. The Colts were down 26-28 at that point, but momentum was on their side.
Keys to the game
Colts’ offense rolls: The Colts’ defense struggled for much of the game to slow the Denver offense, but Indianapolis remained close because of the play of Jones. When it was all said and done, Jones was 23-of-34 passing for 316 yards and a touchdown. Also not to be overlooked were Jonathan Taylor’s 165 rushing yards.
Red zone discrepancy: Between the 20-yard lines, the Colts moved the ball with relative ease. However, in the red zone, they were just 2-for-6, while the Broncos were 3-for-3. That difference was nearly the reason that the Colts lost the game.
Defense gets stout late: For two-plus quarters, the Denver offense did pretty much whatever it wanted. But credit to the Colts’ defense for its late performance. On the final three possessions, this unit forced a punt, came away with an interception, and the Broncos then missed a field goal.
Colts’ defensive injuries were a lot to overcome: Contributing to Nix’s fast start was that the Colts were without Charvarius Ward at cornerback, and the pass rush suffered without Laiatu Latu. For much of the game, Nix had all the time he needed in the pocket. However, the Colts still found a way to win, which is what good teams do.
It was over when…
…Shrader made the 45-yard field goal. As I said in my takeaways, I really would have liked to see Shane Steichen be a bit more aggressive at the end, so he didn’t leave his inexperienced kicker with a 60-yard attempt. However, the Denver penalty made that a moot point.
Stars of the game
QB Daniel Jones: As mentioned, Jones is operating the Colts’ offense at an extremely high level. He is not game-managing this unit; he is making a ton of plays with his arm.
RB Jonathan Taylor: When an offense has a passing game and a running game generating chunk plays, that’s a difficult unit to stop, as we’ve seen on Sunday.
Colts’ offensive line: This is a very good Denver defensive front, but the run game found success, and Jones often had the time he needed.
S Nick Cross and Cam Bynum: Despite the ups and downs from the Colts’ secondary, Cross had a strong showing, both in the run game and in limiting opportunities in coverage. Bynum then had a crucial interception late.
K Spencer Shrader: He’s never missed a field goal attempt in his short NFL career and is one-for-one on game winners. But beyond that one kick, Shrader was 5-for-5 overall on Sunday, with each field goal mattering a ton.
Injury report
Quenton Nelson briefly exited the game but quickly returned to action. He would end up playing 70 of the 71 offensive snaps, according to PFF’s early tracking data.
What’s next?
Next week the Colts will be on the road for the first time this season, traveling to Tennessee for thier first divisional matchup with the Titans.