The Indianapolis Colts (9-7) defeated the Las Vegas Raiders (7-9) on Sunday, 23-20, at Lucas Oil Stadium.
In what was a physical battle all afternoon, the Colts took the lead on the opening drive of the game and didn’t look back. After taking a 14-3 lead into halftime, the Raiders made a little push during the second half to cut the lead to as few as three points late in the game.
But after some key stops in the fourth quarter and three field goals from Matt Gay in the second half, the Colts were able to survive this game, which was crucial for their playoff chances.
Here’s everything we know from the Week 17 win:
Final Score: Colts 23, Raiders 20
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final | |
| Raiders | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 20 |
| Colts | 7 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 23 |
It was over when...
Colts S Rodney Thomas II recovered the onside kick from the Raiders after Las Vegas cut the lead to 23-20.
Keys to the game
- The Colts got out in front with an opening-drive touchdown from Jonathan Taylor and didn’t look back.
- The Raiders committed seven penalties, many of which helped extend drives for the Colts offense.
- Explosive plays were the name of the game for the Colts offense, which included a 58-yard touchdown to Alec Pierce.
- The Colts forced the Raiders to be one-dimensional on offense, holding their rushing offense to 84 yards and 3.4 yards per carry.
3 Stars of the game
- CB Julius Brents: It wasn’t a perfect day from the rookie, but Brents matched up well against Davante Adams, coming through with three passes defensed.
- RB Jonathan Taylor: Though he came up four yards shy, Taylor finished the game with 21 carries for 96 rushing yards and a touchdown while adding an eight-yard reception.
- K Matt Gay: The Colts avoided a potential miss late in the fourth quarter thanks to a Raiders penalty, but Gay’s three field goals in the second half wound up being the difference.
A crucial bounce back
This was a crucial game for the Colts to win. They continue to show the ability to bounce back from rough losses, and now their entire season will be on the line in Week 18. The fact that they are even in this situation considering all the injuries that hit the roster this season is a testament to Shane Steichen’s ability to rally the troops.
Injuries
- CB Kenny Moore II (back), RB Zack Moss (forearm) and LB Cameron McGrone (illness) were inactive due to injuries.
- C Ryan Kelly (ankle) exited the game briefly but played the entire second half.
Quick Hits
- RB Jonathan Taylor has a touchdown in each of his last five games.
- WR Michael Pittman Jr. reached 100 receptions on the season, the fourth Colts player to ever do it.
- WR Josh Downs’ two receptions tied Bill Brooks (65 in 1986) for the most receptions by a Colts rookie.
- LB Zaire Franklin’s 10 tackles passed himself (166 in 2022) for the most tackles in single-season franchise history since at least 1994.
- The Colts are now 7-4 against AFC opponents this season.
What's next?
Colts head coach Shane Steichen will meet with the media Monday for a conference call before the team prepares for the Week 18 matchup against the Houston Texans (9-7) at Lucas Oil Stadium.
