The Indianapolis Colts (4-5-1) snapped their losing streak with a gutsy 25-20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders (2-7) on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.
It was a rejuvenating win for the Colts, who dealt with a lot of distractions off the field following the firing of Frank Reich. While it was fair to question Jeff Saturday’s lack of experience, it’s clear he’s going to get the most out of this team.
Here are the studs and duds from the 25-20 win over the Raiders:
STUD: RB Jonathan Taylor
Things looked a bit more normal Sunday with Taylor looking like his usual self. He took 22 carries for 147 rushing yards and a touchdown while adding two receptions for 16 yards. He busted off a 66-yard touchdown run and rightfully earned our player of the game honors in the win.
DUD: DE Yannick Ngakoue
The Colts didn’t get much out of their pass rush Sunday, and it showed during the second half of the game. Ngakoue was credited with 0.5 sacks, but it was really the only play he made in the game. The Colts need more consistency from one of their top edge rushers.
STUD: WR Parris Campbell
The return of quarterback Matt Ryan as the starter certainly had a positive impact on Campbell’s game. His nine targets and seven receptions tied for the team lead with Michael Pittman Jr. while his 70 receiving yards and receiving touchdown led the team. It was especially nice to see Campbell’s YAC ability on his 35-yard touchdown reception.
STUD: DT Grover Stewart
While the Colts have had an up-and-down season, Stewart has been a breakout star at the one-technique. He continued that development with another strong outing against the Raiders. He had two tackles for loss, and even added a sack early in the game.
STUD: DT DeForest Buckner
The duo on the interior continues to be the strength of the defense, and they showed up in a big way against the Raiders. While the edge rushers didn’t get much done in terms of making an impact, Buckner was all over the backfield. He recorded several run stops, added 0.5 a sack, a quarterback hit and a batted pass.
